Abstract

An independent analysis has determined that the utilization of break-away bases has the potential of preventing 1.7 million injuries a year in the United States with a savings of $2 billion a year nationally in health care costs. In this study, 19 teams within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and professional minor league baseball utilized break-away bases for two consecutive seasons. Four hundred ninety-eight games were played on stationary bases and ten sliding-related injuries were documented. Of the ten injuries, three injuries were sustained to the knee and seven injuries to the ankle. The same teams played 486 games on break-away bases with two sliding-related injuries. Therefore, one injury was documented every 243 games on break-away bases, which translates into 0.41 injuries every 100 games on break-away bases. In regard to the stationary base injuries, one injury occurred every 49.8 games which translates into 2.01 injuries every 100 games. Therefore, an 80% reduction (p < 0.05) was noted in the high-performance baseball population utilizing break-away bases. The use of break-away bases decreases the number and severity of baseball- and softball-related injuries, both at the recreational level and the high-performance level. Break-away bases are cost effective and safer than standard stationary bases. In the recreational and high-performance baseball populations, the use of break-away bases should be mandatory. Verf.-Referat (gekuerzt)