By: Emma Wright '21
When thinking of the most dangerous sports, most people’s initial reaction is to steer clear of those such as skydiving and bungee jumping. In reality, the danger lies much closer to home. Some of the most dangerous and injury prone sports are those played in high school today. The danger may come from methods of coaching, violations of the rules of the sport, and unnecessary aggression from another player.
Livescience.com listed the most dangerous sports based on injuries treated in the emergency room in 2005. At the top of the list was basketball with 512,213 injuries in 2005. Football was third with 418,260 which was followed by soccer with 174,686 and Baseball with 155,898.
In basketball, the most common injuries are foot/ankle injuries, hip injuries, and knee injuries. These include sprains, breaks, and pulled muscles. Foot/ankle injuries are extremely prevalent in the game due to its fast-paced nature requiring quick and sudden movements. These injuries can be prevented by wearing the correct basketball shoes and wrapping the ankle beforehand to create extra support. Concussions are also seen in the sport, although they are not as common.
Common injuries in football include muscle strains, sprains, and tendonitis, and concussions. According to reverehealth.com, all high school football players have a 75% chance of getting a concussion at some point. These injuries can be prevented by using different styles of tackling to avoid causing harm to the head.
Cheerleading is also an exceptionally dangerous sport. It has one of the highest death rates and those who play it are prone to catastrophic injury. These are usually caused by falling during a stunt.
When asked how to prevent injuries before they happen, the school’s physical therapist, Matt Wisswesser, said that “Making sure the level of playing is even” and “doing strength training to improve your skills” are both important in ensuring the safety of players. He also said, “any sport that isn’t coached properly, I would consider dangerous.”
As fun as some sports may be to play, parents still find themselves hesitant to allow their children to participate. Especially when considering contact sports which are more physical and can get aggressive.
Despite the risks associated with sports, one must balance them against the risk of an inactive lifestyle that can lead to a plethora of physical issues. One must protect against injury to minimize the risk while continuing to play.