Adolescent physical activity-related injuries in sports club, school sports and other leisure time physical activities

Background: The objective was to study physical activity (PA)-related injuries in sports club, school sports, and other leisure time PA, and the associations between injuries and PA participation frequency and intensity. Methods: A nationally representative sample was obtained and a structured questionnaire was sent. A total of 9,462 Finns (12–18 years) completed the survey. Prevalence of PA-related injuries was gathered by separate questions about sports club injuries, school sports injuries and other leisure time PA injuries. Results: Injury prevalence was higher in sports club activities than in other leisure time PA or school sports for boys (p < 0.001) and girls (p < 0.001). The prevalence of other leisure time injuries was higher than the prevalence of injuries in school sports for boys (p < 0.001) and girls (p < 0.001). Injuries were associated with higher frequency (OR 10.4, 95% CI 6.7–16.3) and intensity (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.9–5.8) of PA. Conclusions: Out of the three settings, injury prevalence was highest in sports club activities. Higher PA participation frequency and intensity increased the risk of injury. There seems to be a need for further preventative measures to reduce the risks of PA-related injuries, especially in the sports club setting.