Which Sport Causes the Most Injuries?

You might think extreme sports such as ski jumping or sky diving cause the most sports injuries, but actually it is the most common sports that top the list. According to “The Most Dangerous Sports in America” by Bjorn Carey on Livescience.com, basketball, with more than 500,000 injuries per year, causes the most sports injuries, followed closely by bicycling and football. Preventing injuries involves stretching your muscles before and after exercising as well as strengthening your core muscles, since they are engaged in almost every sport you do. Consult a physical therapist if you are experiencing discomfort from a sports-related injury.

Knee Injuries

Basketball ranks as the top sport for causing injuries and Carey notes that the most common types of injuries are the ones that affect the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee. These injuries are serious and many times need to be treated with surgery and lengthy physical therapy treatments. You can prevent knee injuries by landing on the balls of your feet while bending your knees slightly. You also can strengthen your hamstrings to support your knees.

Sports Injuries In Young Women

According to “Cheerleading Causes Most Severe Sports Injuries in Young Women” by Todd Neale for Medpagetoday.com, cheerleading ranks as the sport that causes the most injuries to girls in high school, with more than 60 percent of all injuries occurring in this sport. The article notes that a big part of the reason for this is that cheerleading has evolved into a combination of cheers and gymnastic-type stunts that are challenging for young girls.

Unusual Sport Injuries

In 2006, there were more than 100,000 trampoline-related injuries, more than 60,000 weightlifting-related injuries and more than 45,000 golfing-related injuries, according to Carey.

Children At Risk

According to the Children's Hospital Boston sports injuries statistics, sports injuries occur most frequently in children between 5 and 14. Most of these injuries occur playing sports that involve collisions and contact with other players, such as football and soccer, but individual sports can cause more severe types of injuries.

Timing

Most sport-related injuries happen during practice, according to the Children's Hospital Boston. This is in part because there are more practice sessions for basketball, football, baseball and other sports than actual games played.