Children's Health

Basketball Injuries Land Many Kids in ER

Traumatic Brain Injuries on the Rise

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) accounted for 2.6% of the total. TBIs were more likely to be suffered by youths aged 5-10 years than children aged 11-19 years and also were more likely to occur between December and February than the rest of the year.

Researchers expressed alarm at the increasing number of traumatic brain injuries, which increased 70%, from 7,030 in 1997 to 11,948 in 2007.

Know Symptoms of Concussion and TBIs

Awareness of TBIs may explain some of the increases in this injury, but other contributing factors may include increasing levels of competitiveness, intensity of training, and play beginning at younger ages.

Over the entire study period, the proportion of traumatic brain injuries doubled for boys and tripled for girls, which may be attributable to an increase in the size of players and in the strength of girls.

“To address the problem of TBIs and to manage them effectively, education of coaches and athletes is vital,” the authors write. They say age-appropriate basketballs should be used and rough play discouraged.