SPORTS
INJURY REPORT
In
July 2003 a Sports Injury Report was released that will be of interest
to all sports participants and administrators.
The report was commissioned by Medibank Private and highlighted
the fact that sports injuries are costing Australians $1.5 billion
dollars annually. On
analysis they found that men and women aged between 15 and 29 years
are twice as likely as others to incur a sporting injury that requires
medical treatment.
The
Medibank Private Sports Injury report combines authoritative,
independent research into sports injuries in Australia, with Medibank
Private’s own extensive database on the cost of injury.
There
is a clear link between actively participating in sport (defined as
physical exercise – professional, amateur or recreational) and being
fit and healthy, however the Medibank Private report found that some
sports are more likely to result in a trip to the emergency department
or the local sports clinic. The
report identified the 10 most injury prone sports as follows: -
-
Australian
Rules Football 21.6%
-
Cycling
10.0%
-
Soccer
8.0%
-
Rugby
Union/League 7.8%
-
Cricket
7.3%
-
Basketball
6.9%
-
Netball
6.6%
-
Hockey
2.6%
-
Martial
Arts 1.9%
-
Dancing
1.9%
(Sport
and active recreation injuries in Australia: evidence from emergency
department presentations, Caroline Finch, Giulietta Valuri and Joan
Ozanne-Smith, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 1998).
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The
football codes, cycling, cricket, basketball and netball ranked as the
most injury prone sports. Surprisingly
some sports generally perceived to be of lower impact, like dancing,
are among the causes of hospital admission, demonstrating that just
because a sport is not “high impact”, the chances of injury are
not eliminated.
The
average cost of surgery and rehabilitation for common injuries are: -
| Knee |
$10,000 |
to |
$15,000 |
| Shoulder |
$5,000 |
to |
$6,000 |
| Wrist |
$4,000 |
to |
$5,000 |
| Ankle |
$3,000 |
to |
$5,000 |
| Elbow |
$3,000 |
to |
$5,000 |
(Figures
combine detailed analysis of 13,500 claims by Medibank Private members
in 2002 and information from the Melbourne Sports Medicine Clinic -
includes direct costs only). The
report finds that $20 million is claimed by Medibank Private members
each year for knee surgery alone. (Based
on an analysis of Medibank Private’s claims for surgical procedures
in 2002)
The
report identifies the top ten facts about sports injury: -
-
One
in 17 Australians experience sports injury each year – costing
$1.5 billion. (Based
on an actuarial assessment by Medibank Private of the cost of
health and previous figures.
Includes direct and indirect costs).
-
15
to 29 year olds are twice as likely as any other age group to
incur a sporting injury requiring medical treatment. (“A
profile of patients attending sports medicine clinics”, CF Finch
and MAR Kenihan, British Journal of Sports Medicine 2001, page
253).
Continued
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