Sports-related fractures in South East Scotland: an analysis of 990 fractures

Purpose. To describe the characteristics of all sports-related fractures in patients aged >= 15 years in South East Scotland in one year. Methods. Medical records of 990 consecutive patients aged >= 15 years who presented to the Orthopaedic Trauma Unit of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with sports-related fractures between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008 were reviewed. Acute fractures of the upper limbs, lower limbs, pelvis, and cervical spine were included, but those of the skull, facial bones, and thorax were excluded, as were stress and chronic fractures. Results. The incidence of sports-related fractures was 1.8/1000/ year (82% involving men). The median age of patients was 25 (interquartile range, 19-35) years. Sports-related fractures accounted for 24.6% and 5.1% of all fractures in men and women, respectively. Men aged 15 to 19 years were 9 times more likely to have sports-related fractures than women of the same age. The sports-related fractures involved the upper limbs (52.4%), lower limbs (45.4%), and axial skeleton (2.2%). 12 of 49 sports (football, rugby, skiing, snowboarding, 3 cycling disciplines, horse riding, motocross, basketball, martial arts, and ice skating) accounted for 82.8% of all sports-related fractures. Upper limb fractures outnumbered lower limb fractures in all sports, except for horse riding and motocross that the proportions were similar. Conclusion. In South East Scotland, most sports-related fractures involved the upper limbs