What are the trends and epidemiologic factors contributing to soccer-related fractures presenting to emergency departments in the United States?
Despite a growing number of soccer players in the US, soccer-related injuries have remained stable, with upper extremity fractures being the most common and lower extremity fractures most likely to require hospital admission.
BACKGROUND:: Understanding the risks and trends of soccer-related injuries may prove beneficial in creating preventative strategies against season-ending injuries. HYPOTHESIS:: Soccer-related fractures will have decreased over the past 7 years. STUDY DESIGN:: Descriptive epidemiology study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Level 3. METHODS:: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database was queried to identify soccer-related injuries from 2010 through 2016. The sum of the weighted values provided in the NEISS database was used to determine injury frequency and allowed us to estimate the incidence and annual trends of soccer-related fractures. The estimated annual number of hospital admissions resulting from each fracture location was calculated. Statistical analyses were performed, and a linear regression was used to analyze the annual injury trends, reported as the correlation coefficient. RESULTS:: = 0.235; P = 0.270). CONCLUSION:: Despite the reported growing number of soccer players in the United States, the overall number of soccer-related injuries has remained relatively stable. Overall, 60% of reported fractures occurred in the upper extremity, with the wrist being the most common site, while lower extremity fractures were the most likely to lead to hospital admission. CLINICAL RELEVANCE:: This study offers an overview of the most common types of fractures that affect soccer players and may prove beneficial in creating preventative strategies against season-ending injuries.
Kuczinski et al. (Mon,) studied this question.