184422 Comprehensive record keeping system enables detailed injury patterns in high school sport: A 10 year study

Wednesday, October 29, 2008: 12:30 PM

Andrew E. Lincoln, ScD, MS , Orthopedics & Sports Health Research, MedStar Research Institute, Hyattsville, MD
Jon L. Almquist, ATC , Athletic Training Program, Fairfax County Public Schools, Falls Church, VA
Shane Caswell, PhD, VATL, ATC , Sports Medicine Assessment, Research and Testing Laboratory, George Mason University, Manassas, VA
Reginald Dunn , Sports Health Research Center, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD
Objective: To describe the incidence of injury incurred during high school sport. Design: Descriptive retrospective cohort study. Setting: High school athletics during the 1997-98 to 2006-07 academic years (AY) in northern Virginia. Participants: All scholastic-aged students participating in 27 freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity sports at 25 high schools within a large public school district. Surveillance: Data collected daily by certified athletic trainers (ATCs) using the Injury Treatment Tracking System (ITTS), a comprehensive and standardized computer based record keeping system, was explored. Main Outcome Measures: Injury incident rates were calculated based on combined game and practice athletic exposures (AEs). A time-loss injury was defined as an outcome that required medical attention from the AT and resulted in modification of or full restriction of participation for one or more days. Results: Over the 10 year period, 32,500 injuries and 53,294 problems occurred among 247,682 athletes and 15,365,896 AEs for rates of 2.1 injuries/1000 AEs, and 9.9 problems/1000 AEs. Football accounted for 34% of all injuries and 28% of all problems. The proportion of injuries was highest for ankles (15%) and knees (12%), while head injuries accounted for 4% of incidents. As of 2003-04 AY, the most common injuries were associated with general trauma from an external impact (e.g., contusion, abrasion) (30%), general stress associated with overuse (e.g., tendonitis, bursitis)(18%), sprains (17%), and strains (17%). Conclusion: Our study models a standardized, comprehensive, and daily system of recording keeping/surveillance to provide valid and reliable epidemiological data and inform interventions.

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss the role of certified athletic trainers (ATCs) in the documentation of all injuries and subsequent treatments in secondary school settings 2. Describe the incidence of injury incurred during high school sport 3. Present an exemplar model of how a standardized, comprehensive, and daily system of recording keeping can provide valid and reliable epidemiological data and inform interventions.

Keywords: School Health, Injury Risk

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a long-time collaborator with Jon Almquist and Fairfax County Public Schools.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.