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Published on: May 26, 2020
Sports-Related Orthopaedic Injuries in the Older Athlete: A 10-Year NEISS Database Analysis
Andrew Qi1, Rachit Saggar1, Brianna Fee1
1University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Background:
While sport participation among older adults is increasing, there is a paucity of research on the injury profile for this population.
Purpose:
To quantify and characterize orthopaedic injuries in older adults across various popular sports that are noncontact and limited contact.
Study Design:
Descriptive epidemiology study.
Methods:
The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was queried for orthopaedic injuries in adults aged 55 years from 12 popular sports between 2014 and 2023. Demographics, injury characteristics, and hospital dispositions were analyzed. Weighted national estimates were calculated. Incidence rates per 100,000 individuals were computed using US Census data. Multivariable logistic regression models, adjusted for age, sex, body part, and sport type were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for hospitalization, fracture, sprain/strain, and dislocation.
Results:
A total of 5561 cases (national estimate: 287,255) were identified. Golf (22.8%), pickleball (17.0%), tennis (13.4%), and weight lifting (12.9%) accounted for most injuries. While sprain/strain was most common overall (56.9%), fractures predominated in pickleball, tennis, baseball, soccer, and tennis. Fracture risk increased with age (85+ vs 55-59: OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.52-2.77), while sprain/strain risk decreased. Female patients had higher fracture odds (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 2.64-2.73). Basketball (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.62-1.93), tennis (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.46-1.72), and pickleball (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.33-1.56) had the highest hospitalization odds. Pickleball injuries increased 925% since 2014, surpassing golf as the sport with the highest injury incidence in recent years.
Conclusion:
Our review demonstrates that noncontact and limited-contact sports resulted in more fractures and increased odds of hospitalization outcomes for older adults. Women had higher odds of fracture than men when playing sports. Although limitations in our study should be noted, age-related changes in injury patterns, particularly the increased fracture risk and hospitalization rates seen in our study, suggest a need for specialized orthopaedic care and prevention strategies for this growing demographic of athletes.
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