Running injuries among school-aged children treated in U.S. emergency departments 1994-2007

Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to describe the scope, characteristics and distribution of pediatric running-related injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments from 1994 through 2007. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data for children and adolescents (6-18 years of age) from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Sample weights provided by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System were used to calculate national estimates of running-related injuries. Trend significance of the number of running-related injuries over time was analyzed using linear regression. Results: An estimated 225 344 children and adolescents were treated in emergency departments for running-related injuries. The annual number of cases increased by 34.0% over the study period (p=.005). The overall rate of running-related injury was 30.7 injuries per 100 000 population. One third of the injuries involved a fall and over one half of the injuries occurred at school. The majority of injuries occurred to the lower extremities and resulted in a sprain or strain. Patients 15 to 18 years of age accounted for the largest proportion of injuries (42.5%). Conclusion: Age-related differences in running-related injuries were identified. These findings emphasize the need for evidence-based guidelines for pediatric running. The high proportion of falls warrants further research in this area.