Running-related injuries in school-age children and adolescents treated in emergency departments from 1994 through 2007.
Running for exercise is a popular way to motivate children to be physically active. Running-related injuries are well studied in adults but little information exists for children and adolescents. Through use of the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database, cases of running-related injuries were selected by using activity codes for exercise (which included running and jogging). Sample weights were used to calculate national estimates. An estimated 225 344 children and adolescents 6 to 18 years old were treated in US emergency departments for running-related injuries. The annual number of cases increased by 34.0% over the study period. One third of the injuries involved a running-related fall and more than one half of the injuries occurred at school. The majority of injuries occurred to the lower extremities and resulted in a sprain or strain. These findings emphasize the need for scientific evidence-based guidelines for pediatric running. The high proportion of running-related falls warrants further research.
Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.
Ann J
AJ
Mehl
Nicolas G
NG
Nelson
Lara B
LB
McKenzie
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007590:Jogging / Q000293:injuries; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000293:injuries*; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012420:Running / Q000293:injuries*; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology