Over 5 years from 1,113 NCAA schools, there were over 1 million estimated injuries among nearly half a million athletes across 19,334 teams. Football had the largest average of annual injuries at over 47,000 and the highest competition injury rate. The most common injury across sports was ankle sprains, especially in football and women's soccer. Men's wrestling had the highest overall and practice injury injury rates, with knee ligament tears as the most prevalent injury. In women's gymnastics and wrestling, the highest overall and practice injury rates occurred, with SLAP lesions and knee ligament tears respectively as the most common injuries.

1. S
Orthopedic Injuries in
Collegiate Sports
Blake Narron
UNC Charlotte Kinesiology
Exercise Science

2. NCAA 2009-2014
S Over 5 years from 1,113 schools
S 19,334 teams
S 478,869 athletes
S 1,053,370 estimated injuries during 176.7 million
estimated “exposures to injury” (# of athlete's X # of
practices and games)

3. Men’s Football
S Largest average of annual injuries
S 47,199 injuries
S Highest competition injury rate
S 39.9 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures
S Football has more athletes per team then other sports

4. Most Common Injury
S Ankle Sprain
S Lateral ligaments are weaker than the Medial Deltoid Ligament.
S Due to a torqueing force, the ankle undergoes excessive
eversion causing injury to:
S Calcaneofibular Ligament
S Anterior Talofibular Ligament
S Depending on severity of the sprain, recovery can span from 2-
12 weeks.
S 7.5 percent of all injuries resulted in surgery

5. Men’s Wrestling
S Highest overall injury rate
S 13.1 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures
S Highest practice injury rate
S 10.2 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures

6. Most Common Injury
S Knee Ligament Tears
S Due to torsion force experienced during takedowns, MCL
and ACL tears are most prevalent.
S 65% of knee injuries resulted in surgery
S Average recovery time is 4 to 6 months

7. Women’s Gymnastics
S In women’s sports
S Highest overall injury rate
S 10.4 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures
S Highest practice injury rate
S 10.0 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures

8. Most Common Injury
S Superior Labrum Anterior/Posterior (SLAP) Lesions
S The upper body is used as a weight bearing joint in
gymnastics and receives great loads of pressure during
rotation.
S Athletes are commonly in a sling for 2-4 weeks after surgery
S Throwing athletes can usually start light throwing 3-4
months after surgery
S Since a gymnast weighs more than a ball their recovery time
needed before returning to sport may be longer.

9. Women’s Soccer
S In women’s sports
S Highest competition injury rate
S 17.2 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures

10. Most Common Injury
S Lateral Ankle Sprain
S Partial Quadriceps Muscle Strain
S Commonly caused by excessive weakness and lack of quad
flexibility.
S Most common onset of injury was while taking a shot on
goal
S 2.4% of injuries resulted in surgery

11. Overall
S More injuries occurred during practice than in competition
S Injuries from competition were more severe (> 7 days
before returning to full participation)

12. Sources
S Kerr ZY, Marshall SW, Dompier TP, Corlette J, Klossner DA, Gilchrist J. College Sports–Related Injuries — United States,
2009–10 Through 2013–14 Academic Years. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. December 11, 2015. 64(48);1330-6.
S "Football Injuries." NCAA. National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research. Web.
S Haddad, Steven L., MD. "Sprained Ankle-OrthoInfo - AAOS." Sprained Ankle-OrthoInfo - AAOS. OrthoInfo, Feb. 2016. Web. 20
Apr. 2016.
S "Grade II or Grade III Sprain of the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)." Rosenburg Cooley Metcalf - The Orthopedic Clinic at
Park City. Rosenburg Cooley Metcalf, 2015. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
S Sands, William A., PhD, Barry B. Schultz, PhD, and Alan P. Newman, MD. "Women's Gymnastics Injuries - A Five Year Study."
The American Journal of Sports Medicine 21.2 (1993): 271+. Web.
S Jones, Grant L., MD, and Brian R. Wolf, MD,MS. "Preventing Gymnastics Injuries." Gymnastics Injuries. Stop Sports Injuries,
2015. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
S Budge, Matthew D., MD. "SLAP Tears-OrthoInfo - AAOS." OrthoInfo. Aug. 2011. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
S Geier, David, MD. "Women's Soccer Injuries: Data from the NCAA | Dr. David Geier - Sports Medicine Simplified." Sports
Medicine Simplified. 03 May 2012. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.