Epidemiology of upper extremity injuries in lacrosse: A 20-year analysis of high school and collegiate athletes.

Abstract

Lacrosse participation is increasing, with a corresponding rise in upper extremity injuries. This study aims to comprehensively analyze lacrosse-related upper extremity injuries among high school and college-aged athletes. Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a large-scale database providing nationally representative estimates, were analyzed for lacrosse-related upper extremity injuries from 2004 to 2023. Patients aged 14-23 years were included and categorized into high school (14-18) and college (19-23) age groups. Weighted analyses were conducted to estimate national injury rates and patterns. An estimated 50,042 upper extremity injuries were reported, with an overall incidence rate of 14.61 injuries per 1000 athlete exposures. Higher-acuity injuries were common overall; fractures were the most common injury type (IR: 5.61). Males experienced upper extremity injuries at more than four times the rate of females (IRR: 4.44). Athletes in the high school age group were more likely to sustain fractures, while athletes in the college age group had higher risks of dislocations and avulsions. The shoulder was the most commonly injured body part overall. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of upper extremity injuries in lacrosse among high school and college-aged players. The findings highlight significant patterns in injury distribution and reveal important differences based on sex and age group. These findings can help guide continued research, improved protective equipment, and tailored injury prevention strategies to ensure the long-term health and safety of lacrosse athletes at all levels of play.