A prospective cohort study on physical activity and sports-related injuries in 10–12-year-old children

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the incidence and severity of injuries resulting from physical education, sports and leisure time physical activity (PA) in 10-12-year-old children.Design: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in primary schools, with 995 children aged 10-12 years old as participants. Individual weekly exposure was estimated from baseline and follow-up questionnaires. Exposure to physical education (PE) classes was equal in all schools. An injury was recorded if it occurred during either PE class, leisure time PA, or sports, and caused the child to at least stop the current activity. Injuries were reported within 1 week of injury onset. The main outcome measure was injury incidence density. Results: During the school year a total of 119 injuries were reported by 104 children, resulting in an overall injury incidence density (ID) of 0.48 per 1000 h of exposure (95% CI 0.38 to 0.57). Injury ID was lowest for leisure time PA, followed by PE and sports, respectively. Of all injuries, 40% required medical treatment and 14% resulted in 1 or more days of absence from regular school activities. In general for girls a higher injury ID was reported than for boys, mainly caused by a twofold higher risk during leisure time PA. Conclusions: Next to specific areas of preventive interest it was found that in this specific age group, girls require special attention as they seem to be at higher injury risk than boys.The numerous health benefits of regular physical activity (PA) in children are well described in the literature. 2With the subsequent focus on a physically active lifestyle, an increasing number of sports and physical activity injuries can be expected.3 4 These injuries lead to high direct and indirect costs.5 More importantly, children may lose their enthusiasm for PA and sports through negative associations with injuries.6 Consequently, the successful prevention of sports and PA injuries in youth has great potential health gain. 7 In the short term, the absolute number of injuries will fall and, in the longer term, the risk of injury recurrences and prolonged periods of impairment will be prevented. Prevention may also promote a physically active lifestyle from childhood into adulthood.An important purpose of injury epidemiology is to supply knowledge on injuries that occur frequently and have serious consequences, and to describe their aetiology in order to provide a basis for preventive measures.8 A recent review on the risk of sports injuries in children revealed that epidemiological data on this topic is scarce. 9 Moreover, it was concluded that there is a high need for more insight into injuries during unorganised activities and for younger age groups.In particular, the combination of unorganised activities in younger age groups requires attention. An active child is growing, learning and developing its skills. During this process the younger child ''evolves'' from a participant in joyful PA to a participant in sports.7 Therefore, the purpose of this prospective cohort study was to des...

Economic burden of physical activity–related injuries in Dutch children aged 10–12

“…The injury incidence density (IID) for this population was reported in a previous study by Verhagen and colleagues 5. The overall IID was 0.48 per 1000 h of exposure (95% CI 0.38 to 0.57) The injury IID was lowest for leisure time activities (0.39, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.50), followed by PE (0.50, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.71) and organised sports activities (0.66, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.87).…”

“…However, during childhood, children participate not only in organised sport activities but also in leisure time activities. For Dutch children, the mean hours of leisure time activities per week are twice as high as those of organised sports activities 5. The annual direct and indirect healthcare costs as a result of physical activity–related injuries (organised sport, leisure time and physical education (PE) class activities) in children are unknown.…”

Frequência de lesões desportivas em aulas de educação física do ensino fundamental em Campinas/SP: estudo observacional retrospectivo

“…Destaca-se que menos de 20% dos estudantes acometidos ficou um dia sem ir às aulas, quantidade superior à observada previamente, com 14% das LD resultando em único dia de falta na escola (VERHAGEN et al, 2009). …”

Untitled

“…In a prospective study done by Verhagen, Collard, Paw and van Mechelen (2009), injury rates were expressed per 1000 hours of exposure. The injuries recorded from participation in physical education (PE), sports and leisure time physical activity of 10-12-year-olds revealed a higher injury rate for girls compared with boys.…”