Timeout? The Epidemiology of Pediatric Sports Injuries During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in closure of schools and playgrounds while requiring social distancing, changes that likely affected youth sports participation. The purpose of this study was to identify changes in the epidemiology of pediatric sports injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included patients between the ages of 4 and 18 years who presented to orthopaedic clinics within a single children's hospital network with an acute injury sustained during athletic activity between March 20, 2020, and June 3, 2020 (the strictest period of state-level shelter-in-place orders). These patients were compared with those within the same dates in 2018 and 2019. Chi square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used, as appropriate.

RESULTS

Significantly less sports injuries were seen during the pandemic (n = 257) compared with the same dates in 2018 (n = 483) and 2019 (n = 444) despite more providers available in 2020 (P < 0.001). During the pandemic, patients with sports injuries were younger (median age 11 versus 13 years, P < 0.001) and had less delay in presentation (median 5 versus 11 days, P < 0.001). A higher proportion were White (66.9% versus 47.7%, P < 0.001), privately insured (63.4% versus 48.3%, P < 0.001), and seen at a nonurban location (63.4% versus 50.2%, P < 0.001). Most sports injuries during the pandemic were fractures (83.7%). Although 71.4% of all injuries in the prepandemic period occurred in the context of formal sports, only 15.2% were sustained in a formal athletic context in 2020 (P < 0.001). The frequency of surgical treatment was higher during the pandemic (14.8% versus 7.8%, P = 0.001), mainly because most of these injuries were fractures requiring surgical intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Fewer sports injuries were seen in the outpatient setting during the COVID-19 pandemic, and most of these injuries were fractures and occurred outside of organized sports settings. Patients were more likely to be White, privately insured, and seen at a nonurban location.