Sturm Savanah, Treger Dylan, Miller Kate, Thaller Seth
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL.
J Craniofac Surg. 2025 May 5. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000011450.
Racquet sports require speed, agility, and hand-eye coordination, offering a variety of experiences to players of all ages across the globe. Several aspects of these games, such as ball velocities over 100 miles per hour in tennis and risk of collision in close quarters, pose dangerous conditions that predispose to craniofacial injury. Currently, there is limited evidence characterizing craniofacial injuries due to racquet sports. This study aims to address this gap using epidemiological data to better understand the presence and severity of injuries to inform safety guidelines for these sports.
This study utilizes the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System Database (NEISS) to follow a 10-year retrospective cohort design, analyzing craniofacial injury data resulting from racquet sports participation. Demographic variables such as age, ethnicity, and sex were then used to conduct comparative analyses to discern patterns across different racquet sports.
Within the established time from 2014 to 2023, an estimated 55,940 craniofacial injuries due to racquet sports resulted in visits to US emergency departments. Males constituted the majority of patients in this analysis, representing 62.6% of the analysed population. The age distribution of injuries was bimodal, with the highest proportion of injuries occurring in 10-to-14-year-olds (18.2%). Head injuries represented the most prevalent anatomic location of injury (41.9%). The most prevalent diagnosis seen was lacerations (28.2%). Of all patients treated for lacerations, 75.8% were male, making it the most common injury type among male patients (33.8%). Females were more likely to sustain contusions/abrasions (29.0%) or internal injury (29.1%).
This study emphasizes the burden of craniofacial injuries due to racquet sports and highlights the need for targeted injury reduction techniques. Findings of this analysis revealed a bimodal age distribution, sex-based disparities of injury patterns, and variations of injury rates across different racquet sports. Despite existing safety guidelines, this study has elucidated the persistence of craniofacial injuries, suggesting the need for increased compliance with guidelines and advancements in equipment design. There is an evident need for more data on sport-specific injuries to guide and develop more effective injury prevention strategies.
球拍类运动需要速度、敏捷性和手眼协调性，为全球各年龄段的参与者提供了丰富多样的体验。这些运动的多个方面，如网球中超过每小时100英里的球速以及近距离碰撞的风险，构成了易导致颅面部损伤的危险状况。目前，关于球拍类运动导致颅面部损伤的证据有限。本研究旨在利用流行病学数据填补这一空白，以更好地了解损伤的存在情况和严重程度，从而为这些运动制定安全指南提供依据。
本研究采用国家电子伤害监测系统数据库（NEISS），遵循10年回顾性队列设计，分析因参与球拍类运动导致的颅面部损伤数据。然后使用年龄、种族和性别等人口统计学变量进行比较分析，以辨别不同球拍类运动中的模式。
在2014年至2023年的既定时间段内，估计有55940起因球拍类运动导致的颅面部损伤患者前往美国急诊科就诊。在该分析中，男性患者占大多数，占分析人群的62.6%。损伤的年龄分布呈双峰状，损伤比例最高的是10至14岁的人群（18.2%）。头部损伤是最常见的损伤解剖部位（41.9%）。最常见的诊断是撕裂伤（28.2%）。在所有因撕裂伤接受治疗的患者中，75.8%为男性，使其成为男性患者中最常见的损伤类型（33.8%）。女性更易遭受挫伤/擦伤（29.0%）或内伤（29.1%）。
本研究强调了球拍类运动导致颅面部损伤的负担，并突出了针对性的伤害减少技术的必要性。该分析结果揭示了年龄分布的双峰模式、损伤模式的性别差异以及不同球拍类运动损伤率的差异。尽管已有安全指南，但本研究阐明了颅面部损伤的持续存在，表明需要提高对指南的遵守程度并改进设备设计。显然需要更多关于特定运动损伤的数据，以指导和制定更有效的伤害预防策略。
