Girls' sports injuries in high school athletics

J. G. Garrick and R. K. Requa

Because of appreciable increases in the number of participants, injuries resulting from girls' interscholastic athletic activities have become a concern for school administrators and medical care providers. Four girls' high school athletic programs were prospectively studied for two years. Specially trained athletic trainers placed at each school examined each injured athlete and collected epidemiologic data. The 870 participant-seasons in nine sports resulted in 192 injuries. Three times more injuries occurred in practices than in competitive events. Although more than one third required a physician's services, the majority (59%) had returned to full athletic activity within a week of injury. Strains and sprains accounted for nearly two thirds of the injuries. Generally, the type and frequency of injuries were comparable with those seen in noncontact boys' interscholastic sports.

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