Sports injuries patterns in children and adolescents according to their sports participation level, age and maturation.

BACKGROUND: Growth can make young athletes more vulnerable to sports injuries. Increased knowledge about injury profile and its predictors is an important part of an overall risk management strategy but few studies have produced information. METHODS: Information about injury profile and sports participation (SP) level was obtained by LESADO and RAPIL II questionnaires. They were distributed to 651 participants aged between 10 and 18 years attending four schools. Maturity measures were evaluated through maturity offset (MO) and Tanner-Whitehouse III method. Bivariate analysis was used to identify the set of candidate predictors for multinomial logistic regression analysis that was used to determine significant predictors of injury type and body area injury location. RESULTS: Regarding injury type predictors recreative boys had more chances of having a sprain or a fracture than a strain. Also, recreative and scholar girls had more chances of having a sprain than a strain. As MO decreased, the chances of girls having a strain or a fracture when compared to sprains were higher. For body area location boys with 10-11 years were more likely to have upper limbs injuries than boys of other ages. This was also confirmed by MO. Spine and trunk injuries were more likely to occur in federate and no sports participation girls. CONCLUSIONS: Injury type and body area injury location differed significantly by SP level, age group and MO.

Prevalence and injury profile in Portuguese children and adolescents according to their level of sports participation.

BACKGROUND: It is becoming increasingly apparent that sports can present danger in the form of injuries. The extent of this problem calls for preventive actions based on epidemiological research. METHODS: Two questionnaires (LESADO and RAPIL II) were distributed in four schools to 651 subjects aged between 10 and 18 years, involved in different levels of physical activity (PA) - recreative sports, school sports, federated sports and no sports participation (except physical education classes). Bone age was evaluated through Tanner-Whitehouse III method and anthropometric measures according to ISAK. RESULTS: From 247 subjects (37.9%) it was reported a sports injury during the previous six months. The most injured body areas were lower limbs (53.8%), followed by upper limbs (29.0%) and the type of injuries found was strains (33.7%), sprains (27.1%) and fractures (23.1%). The most frequent causes were direct trauma (51.9%), indirect trauma (29.5%) and overuse (12.7%). A high percentage was relapses and chronic injuries (40.9%). The OR for age group ≥16 years was 2.26 suggesting that those ≥16 years were 2.26 times more likely to have an injury than the younger subjects and concerning the PA level, school and federated sports subjects were 4.21 and 4.44 times more likely to have an injury than no sports participation subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Sports injuries in school age subjects were predominantly minor conditions where sprains and strains were the major injuries. They resulted mostly of trauma situations and lower and upper limbs were the most affected areas. Injury occurrence increased with age and was higher in school and federated athletes.

Physical Activity-Related Injury Profile in Children and Adolescents According to Their Age, Maturation, and Level of Sports Participation.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) is beneficial, enhancing healthy development. However, one-third of school-age children practicing sports regularly suffer from an injury. These injuries are associated with sex, chronological age, and PA level. PURPOSE: To identify the importance of age, PA level, and maturity as predictors of injury in Portuguese youth. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiological study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3. METHODS: Information about injury and PA level was assessed via 2 questionnaires (LESADO RAPIL II) from 647 subjects aged 10 to 17 years. Maturity offset according to Mirwald (time before or after peak height velocity) and Tanner-Whitehouse III bone age estimates were used to evaluate maturation. Binary logistic regression and gamma regression were used to determine significant predictors of injury and injury rate. RESULTS: Injury occurrence was higher for both sexes in recreational, school, and federated athletes (athletes engaged in sports that are regulated by their respective federations, with formal competition). These injuries also increased with age in boys and in the higher maturity offset group in girls. Injury rate was higher for both sexes in the no sports participation group. Early-maturing girls, with higher bone age and lower maturity offset, showed higher injury rate. CONCLUSION: Injuries in Portuguese youth were related to PA level, age, and biological maturation. Recreational, school, and federated athletes had more injury ocurrences while subjects with no sports participation had higher injury risk. Older subjects had more injuries. Early-maturing girls that had just passed peak height velocity may be particularly vulnerable to risk of sports injury because of the growing process. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Increased knowledge about injury with specific PA exposure data is important to an overall risk management strategy. This study has deepened the association between injury and biological maturation variables.