The First Decade of Web-Based Sports Injury Surveillance: Descriptive Epidemiology of Injuries in US High School Girls' Basketball (2005-2006 Through 2013-2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Basketball (2004-2005 Through 2013-2014).

CONTEXT

The advent of Web-based sports injury surveillance via programs such as the High School Reporting Information Online system and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program has aided the acquisition of girls' and women's basketball injury data.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the epidemiology of injuries sustained in high school girls' basketball in the 2005-2006 through 2013-2014 academic years and collegiate women's basketball in the 2004-2005 through 2013-2014 academic years using Web-based sports injury surveillance.

DESIGN

Descriptive epidemiology study.

SETTING

Online injury surveillance from basketball teams in high school girls (annual average = 100) and collegiate women (annual average = 57).

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Girls' and women's basketball players who participated in practices and competitions during the 2005-2006 through 2013-2014 academic years in high school or the 2004-2005 through 2013-2014 academic years in college.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Certified athletic trainers collected time-loss (≥24 hours) injury and exposure data. Injury rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs) were calculated. Injury rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare injury rates by school size or division, time in season, event type, and competition level.

RESULTS

The High School Reporting Information Online system documented 2930 time-loss injuries during 1 609 733 AEs; the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program documented 3887 time-loss injuries during 783 600 AEs. The injury rate was higher in college than in high school (4.96 versus 1.82/1000 AEs; IRR = 2.73; 95% CI = 2.60, 2.86). The injury rate was higher in competitions than in practices for both high school (IRR = 3.03; 95% CI = 2.82, 3.26) and collegiate (IRR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.86, 2.12) players. The most common injuries at both levels were ligament sprains, concussions, and muscle/tendon strains; the majority of injuries affected the ankle, knee, and head/face. These injuries were often caused by contact with another player or a noncontact mechanism.

CONCLUSIONS

Injury rates were higher in collegiate than in high school athletes and in competitions than in practices. Similarities in distributions of injuries by body parts, specific diagnoses, and mechanisms of injury suggest that both levels may benefit from similar injury-prevention strategies.