Facts & Statistics

Did you know?

1. Each year, U.S. emergency departments (EDs) treat an estimated 173,285 sports– and recreation-related Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs), including concussions, among children and adolescents, from birth to 19 years.
2. During the last decade, ED visits for sports- and recreation-related TBIs, including concussions, among children and adolescents increased by 60%.
3. Overall, the activities associated with the greatest number of TBI-related ED visits included bicycling, football, playground activities, basketball, and soccer.
4. National surveillance in 9 high school sports:
   1. TBI represents almost 9% of all injuries reported in the 9 sports
   2. Numbers and rates are highest in football (55,007; 0.47 per 1000 athlete exposures) and girl’s soccer (29,167; 0.36 per 1000 athlete exposures)
5. A national survey of all sports- and recreation-related injuries among all ages demonstrates that 31% occurred in a sports facility and 20% in a school facility.

Causes and Risk Groups

1. Children from birth to 9 years commonly sustained injuries during playground activities or while bicycling.
2. 71.0% of all sports- and recreation-related TBI emergency department visits were among males.
3. 70.5% of sports- and recreation-related TBI emergency department visits were among persons aged 10-19 years.
4. For males aged 10-19 years, sports- and recreation-related TBIs occurred most often while playing football or bicycling.
5. Females aged 10-19 years sustained sports- and recreation-related TBIs most often while playing soccer or basketball or while bicycling.