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Golf-associated head injury in the pediatric population: a common sports injury
Scott Y Rahimi1, Harshpal Singh, David J Yeh
1Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912, USA. srahimi@mail.mcg.edu
Insights
Pediatric golf injuries are rising due to increased popularity and golf cart use. Depressed skull fractures were common, necessitating neurosurgical intervention in a third of cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Sports Medicine
- Trauma Surgery
Background:
- Golf-related injuries are a growing concern in children.
- Increased golf popularity and child operation of golf carts contribute to injury rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate mechanisms and complications of pediatric golf injuries.
- To inform injury prevention strategies for child golfers.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of 2546 pediatric neurosurgery patients over 6 years.
- Identified 15 golf-related injuries (23% of pediatric sports injuries).
Main Results:
- Depressed skull fracture was the most frequent injury.
- 33% of pediatric golf injuries required neurosurgical intervention.
- One fatality occurred due to a golf cart accident; one patient needed shunt placement after a golf ball injury.
Conclusions:
- Educate children on safe golf equipment use.
- Establish safety training and precautionary guidelines.
- Consider a legal minimum age for operating golf carts.
Object:
Golf-related injuries constitute a common type of sports injury in the pediatric population. The increase in the frequency of these injuries is largely attributed to the increase in the popularity of golf and greater use of golf carts by children.
Methods:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms and complications associated with golf-related injuries in the pediatric population and, by doing so, assist in the prevention of such injuries. We reviewed the charts of 2546 pediatric patients evaluated by the neurosurgery service at the authors' institution over a 6-year period. There were 64 cases of sports-related injuries. Of these, 15 (23%) were golf-related, making these injuries the second-largest group of sports-related injuries. Depressed skull fracture was the most common injury observed. Neurosurgical intervention was required in 33% of the cases. With rare exceptions, patients made good recoveries during a mean follow-up period of 22.2 months. One death occurred due to uncontrollable cerebral edema following a golf cart accident. One child required shunt placement and several revisions following an injury sustained from a golf ball.
Conclusions:
Children should be advised on the proper use of golf equipment as a preventive measure to avoid these injuries. Precautionary guidelines and safety training guidelines should be established. The institution of a legal minimum age required to operate a golf cart should be considered.
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