title: Rate of injury among youth lacrosse players.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study describes the rate of injury and the types and mechanisms of injuries incurred by girls and boys during youth recreational lacrosse.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Games were played at a large turf community athletic complex.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included male and female lacrosse players aged 9-15 years. A total of 143 games were played, resulting in 4603 athlete-exposures (AEs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Youth players were grouped based on sex and 3 age categories: under 11 (U11; 9-10 years), under 13 (U13; 11-12 years), and under 15 (U15; 13-14 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Certified athletic trainers collected data on type of injury and injury mechanism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 6.3 injuries per 1000 AEs for boys and girls combined. Girls had 7 injuries (3.4 per 1000 AEs) and boys had 22 injuries (8.7 per 1000 AEs). Contusions and lacerations were the most frequent injury (n = 13), and body-to-body contact (n = 10) was the most common injury mechanism. There were 4 concussions among boys (U13 and U15) and none among girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most injuries evaluated in youth lacrosse were contusions/lacerations; however, serious injuries were observed, including concussions in boys in the age group where body contact is allowed.
authors.affiliation: *MedStar Sports Medicine Research Center, Baltimore, Maryland; and †Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Lincoln
authors.forename: Meira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yeger-McKeever
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Romani
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Hepburn
authors.forename: Reginald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: Richard Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Hinton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015865:Racquet Sports / Q000293:injuries*