Abstract
CONTEXT: The advent of Web-based sports injury surveillance via programs such as the High School Reporting Information Online (HS RIO) system and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program (NCAA-ISP) has aided the acquisition of girls' and women's lacrosse injury data. OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology of injuries sustained in high school girls' lacrosse in the 2008-2009 through 2013-2014 academic years and collegiate women's lacrosse in the 2004-2005 through 2013-2014-academic years using Web-based sports injury surveillance. DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. SETTING: Online injury surveillance from high school girls' (annual average = 55) and collegiate women's (annual average = 19) lacrosse teams. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Female lacrosse players who participated in practices or competitions during the 2008-2009 through 2013-2014 academic years for high school or the 2004-2005 through 2013-2014 academic years for college. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Athletic trainers collected time-loss injury (≥24 hours) and exposure data. We calculated injury rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs), injury rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and injury proportions by body site and diagnosis. RESULTS: High school RIO documented 700 time-loss injuries during 481 687 AEs; the NCAA-ISP documented 1027 time-loss injuries during 287 856 AEs. The total injury rate during 2008-2009 through 2013-2014 was higher in college than in high school (2.55 versus 1.45/1000 AEs; IRR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.54, 1.99). Most injuries occurred during competitions in high school (51.1%) and practices in college (63.8%). Rates were higher during competitions compared with practices in high school (IRR = 2.32; 95% CI = 2.00, 2.69) and college (IRR = 2.38; 95% CI = 2.09, 2.70). Concussion was the most common diagnosis among all high school and most collegiate player positions, and the main mechanism of contact was with a playing apparatus (eg, stick, ball). Ligament sprains were also common (HS RIO practices = 22.2%, competitions = 30.3%; NCAA-ISP practices = 25.5%, competitions = 30.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of injury were higher in college versus high school female lacrosse players and in competitions versus practices. Injury-prevention strategies are essential to decrease the incidence and severity of concussions and ligament sprains.