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Fractures in the collegiate athlete
Sharon L Hame1, Jennifer M LaFemina, David R McAllister
1Sports Medicine Section, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, USA. shame@mednet.ucla.edu
The American Journal of Sports Medicine
|February 24, 2004
Summary
Collegiate athletes experience fractures, with basketball and gymnastics posing the highest risks for males and females, respectively. Female athletes are more prone to stress fractures, and the risk of a second fracture is double that of a first.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Orthopedics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Fractures are a significant concern in collegiate athletics.
- Understanding injury patterns is crucial for prevention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the demographics and incidence of fractures in collegiate athletes.
- To identify sports and athlete characteristics associated with higher fracture risk.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of prospectively collected data from 1986-2000.
- Analysis of fracture type, location, sport, gender, and athlete demographics.
- Calculation of fracture incidence rates based on team and athlete data.
Main Results:
- A total of 349 fractures occurred in 5900 Division I athletes (5.9% incidence).
- Basketball and gymnastics showed the highest incidence rates for males and females, respectively.
- Female athletes had a significantly higher incidence of stress fractures compared to males.
Conclusions:
- Contact sports contribute to the majority of fractures.
- Basketball and gymnastics present the highest fracture risks for male and female athletes, respectively.
- Female athletes are more susceptible to stress fractures, highlighting a need for sport-specific injury prevention strategies.