Pediatric and adolescent injury in wilderness and extreme environments

The participation of children and adolescents in wilderness and extreme environment sports is increasing. Engaging in these activities is not without risk of injury, illness, or death. To date, there is limited research investigating pediatric and adolescent injuries in wilderness and extreme environments. With the intent of creating awareness within the sports medicine field, this review begins by examining the growth in popularity of outdoor sports in wilderness and extreme environments and the injury impact they are registering. The review then examines reported pediatric and adolescent injuries in multiple wilderness and extreme environments. Close examination is paid to youth adventuring on global expeditions and entering high altitude environments. Future studies acquiring denominator data to help establish injury rates while keeping pace with the rapidly diversifying outdoor and extreme wilderness sport trends are necessary.