Swimming injuries treated in US EDs: 1990 to 2008

Swimming is one of the most popular recreational activities in the United States. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of the complete spectrum of injuries associated with swimming and swimming pools treated in US hospital emergency departments.

Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 1990 to 2008 were analyzed. Injury rates were calculated using US census swimming participation data.

An estimated 1688924 swimming injuries occurred during the 19-year study, averaging 1 injury every 6 minutes. During the study period, the number of injuries and rate of injury among individuals 7 years or older significantly increased. Within this trend, injuries peaked in 1999 and significantly decreased during the last 10 years but still showed an overall increase of 18.6% in number and 29.3% in rate from 1900 to 2008. Patients 17 years or younger accounted for 60.5% of injuries, and patients 7 to 17 years of age had a greater mean annual swimming injury rate (18.78 per 10000 participants) than patients older than 17 years (9.15). Most injuries occurred in or around a swimming pool (87.0%), and most were soft tissue injuries (54.7%), followed by strains/sprains (16.4%), fractures/dislocations (11.3%), and submersion (4.9%). Injuries to patients younger than 7 years, submersion injuries, and injuries occurring at home were more likely to result in hospital admission or fatality.

The observed increase in injuries among individuals older than 7 years underscores the need for increased prevention efforts, including education about safe swimming practices, supervision, and environmental modifications.