Prevalence of Sport Injuries among Middle School Children and Suggestions for Their Prevention

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of injuries of children participating in sports, and to present advice on injury prevention. [Subjects and Methods] The study subjects were 445 children involved in sports with a mean age of 12.74 +/- 1.03 years, a mean height of 156.56 +/- 10.82 cm, and a mean weight of 45.39 +/- 10.29 kg; 52.8% of the study subjects were male, and 47.2% were female. The subjects were surveyed using a questionnaire developed by the author. [Results] The highest incidence of sport injury was in the foot-ankle region, and the lowest incidence was in the hip-femur region. The incidences of injuries to the neck, shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist, superior dorsal region, waist, hip-femur region, knee, and foot-ankle regions weren't statistically significant. [Conclusion] This study established that children participating in competitive sports are at risk of injury. The causes of injuries were examined to propose preventive measures to minimize their occurrence and severity. It should not be overlooked that injuries can occur more easily among children because their musculoskeletal system is not fully developed, and coaches should be educated in the appropriate training intensities for children.