Most common outdoor recreational injuries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did a study to find out what were the most common injuries from outdoor recreational injuries, which was published in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.

According to the press release issued by Department of Health and Human Services, “almost 213,000 people were treated each year in emergency departments for outdoor recreational injuries from 2004 to 2005…Of those injured, about 109,000 (51.5%) were young people between the ages of 10 and 24.”

The most common injuries for all were fractures and sprains, with most of these injuries happening to the arms or legs, followed closely by head or neck injuries. One scary statistic is that 6.5% of outdoor injuries were traumatic brain injuries.

Which activities were the major culprits?

• snowboarding
• sledding
• hiking

Again, according to the press release:

The study points out that wilderness injury prevention begins with planning, preparation, and problem anticipation. Outdoor adventurers can help prevent injuries by:

• Maintaining their levels of fitness, knowing their skill levels and experience, and not exceeding their limits.
• Checking and maintaining their equipment and replacing if needed.
• Carrying a first-aid kit (and, if appropriate for the situation, a two-way communication device.)
• Alerting others about where they are going.

So – be sure to get out there and have fun, just be careful doing it. I want you to be able to come back and read this blog!

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