Abstract des Autors

A descriptive, prospective epidemiological study was undertaken at four high schools to determine the incidence and severity of injuries occurring during boys' and girls' interscholastic athletics. Graduate students served as head athletic trainers for each high school and collected data on the incidence and severity of injuries. Severity was categorized according to days of participation lost per 100 athletes and 1000 exposures. Collision sports such as football and wrestling generated the highest injury rates, followed by contact sports such as baseball and basketball, then non-contact/endurance sports such as swimming and tennis. Varsity collision sports did not have higher injury rates than junior varsity collision sports. Boys had higher injury rates than girls in contact sports, but not in non-contact/endurance sports. When high school athletes had easy access to athletic trainers and athletic training facilities, recovery was frequently swift and uneventful. In most cases, injured athletes returned to competition in less than 21 days. The injury rates reported in this study indicate the need for accessible medical attention for high school athletes. Since in most high school settings constant physician coverage is not possible, certified athletic trainers must be available to tend to injured athletes. Verf.-Referat