title: Practice injury rates in collegiate sports.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this article was to explore the differences in practice injury rates for select National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports within and across sport by preseason, in-season, and postseason. This article will explore the relationship of practice injury rates by fall, winter, and spring sports as well as by Divisions I, II, and III.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive epidemiology study.
  
  
  METHODS
  NCAA schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  NCAA athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all sports across all seasons, preseason practice injury rates [6.3 per 1000 athletic exposure (A-E)] were higher than in-season (2.3 per 1000 A-E). Fall sports had an overall preseason practice injury rate of 7.4 (per 1000 A-E) compared with 7.0 (per 1000 A-E) for winter and 3.5 (per 1000 A-E) for spring sports. Women's soccer had the highest preseason injury rate of 9.5 (per 1000 A-E). Men's football had the highest increased risk of injury comparing preseason with in-season practice injury (3.47 per 1000 A-E).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recognition that preseason practice injury rates are higher compared with in-season and postseason practice injury rates can create an opportunity for athletes, coaches, and medical personnel to identify prevention strategies to reduce preseason injury risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA. bagel@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Agel
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schisel
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities