Sports-related facial fractures: a review of 137 patients.

One hundred and thirty-seven patients with sports-related facial fractures were reviewed. These made up 16.3% of 839 patients with facial fractures seen at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, between June 1989 and June 1992. Males made up 93.4% of patients and 89.1% were aged below 35 years. There was an intent to injure in 11%. Australian Rules football was the causative sport in 52.6%, all the injuries being the result of human contact. Orbitozygomatic fractures were the most frequently observed overall (62%) as well as in Australian Football (58.3%). Cricket contributed to 14.6%, the ball being the agent of injury in all but one of the patients. Horse-riding injuries were the most severe. 89.1% of the patients required surgery and hospital stays ranged from 0 to 18 days with an average stay of 4.7 days. Sports activities, although a significant source of enjoyment, are a significant cause of facial fractures with their attendant morbidity.