Study: 150% Rise in School P.E. Injuries

(AP)  Injuries to American children during physical education classes increased by 150 percent from 1997-2007, a new study finds, a possible drawback to a movement encouraging more vigorous exercise in schools.

Yet that may have less to do with lively gym programs than with lack of adult supervision, experts said. A decline in school nurses and larger class sizes could be to blame, said the study's senior author Lara McKenzie of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

"Children got hurt by running into equipment or having contact with structures or other persons," McKenzie said. "They had heat stroke, fainting and heart palpitations." Boys had more cuts and broken bones than girls. Girls were more likely to suffer strains and sprains.

While the benefits of physical education classes outweigh the risks, McKenzie said, "being healthy doesn't have to hurt."

The study, based on hospital reports of phys ed injuries, was released Monday and appears in the September edition of Pediatrics. It suggests schools should renew their efforts to make gym class safer, said Cheryl Richardson of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education in Reston, Va.

Richardson noted some school districts don't require teachers to be certified to teach phys ed, particularly at the elementary school level.

"Classroom teachers who aren't trained in P.E. might not recognize situations that can cause injury," Richardson said. Certified physical education teachers know where to position themselves, the amount of space children need around them for activities and proper warmup exercises.

The federal Healthy People 2010 initiative has made it a goal to improve P.E. programs. That's led to more state policies supporting physical education, but not all schools comply because the policies aren't usually accompanied by funding to support them, Richardson said.

For the study, researchers analyzed emergency room reports of P.E.-related injuries in children, ages 5 to 18. The data came from 100 representative U.S. hospitals taking part in surveillance for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The researchers found nearly 12,000 injuries from those hospitals during the 11 years. From that, they calculated a national estimate of nearly 37,000 annual injuries on average, with fewer than 30,000 in 1997 and climbing to more than 60,000 injuries a year by 2007.

Rates per 10,000 students in those age groups also increased. The researchers weren't able to calculate a rate based on numbers of children taking gym classes, which would have given a more accurate picture. Based on other studies, the researchers believe there's been only a slight increase in P.E. participation and only in the past few years.

The authors said it's the first examination of P.E.-related injuries in a large nationally representative sample.

"Physical education in schools is one of our main tools to increase physical activity and prevent childhood obesity," McKenzie said.

[Rephoel]

Kids are wilder today because they have no respect for the welfare of others. They don't care if they push someone in their path. Many kids are more interested in watching the bodies of other kids rather than seeing them as other people.They are so used to video games that they cannot properly focus on what is happening around them. Many little injuries or scrapes that the school nurse,teacher or parent used to clean and bandage with a band-aid, are today sent to emergency rooms for free treatment which is then recorded in statistics.

[idcabouturproblems]

I just find all of your comments hilarious. Being fat or overweight is not the cause of injuries. These kids' knees aren?t breaking every time they go for a jog. I am in high school right now and I have taken PE. What I have noticed, looking back is that kids are out of control and have TOO MUCH energy. Kids are just beginning to get too physical with each other and I blame the TV and video games which portray violence as "cool". Obesity is not something that happens over night, it is a f****** life style which you attain from YEARS of poor diet and exercise. I have never met anyone over 200 pounds in high school before other than kids who are just big in general. Listen to how stupid you sound.

[saberhmmr]

This was a big issue with training in combat arms jobs in the Army. The US military as a whole has had to take steps to cut back on physical training because of a steady increase in the number of injuries entering personnel were experiencing. It's suspected that most of the injuries are the result of lower bone density, which is a problem with most American young people who have led sedentary lifestyles. Instead of playing outside, most American kids now spend a much greater time indoors watching TV, surfing the internet, or playing video games. Diet is to blame as well, with recent studies stating that 70% of children do not receive necessary amounts of Vitamin D, which is essential in the growth and development of a child's skeletal system.

[dragyn30]

This is another joke!!

Many school systems are trying to eliminate PE programs!!! One of the other posters mentions a lack of supervision - they are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!!!

In my school district we got a new Athletic Director who really did an excellent job of trying to turn things around. He also worked closely with the "Booster Club" (parents group that support ALL athletics at the high school level). This year with the cooperation of the Athletic Director, Gym Teachers and Coaches they held training workshops on preventing ACL injuries open to all. Because girls are more prone to this than boys because of physical attributes, special focus was given to the girl athletes and certain exercises and pre-game workouts were demonstrated to prevent injury.

Kids have become "vidiots" the convenience of the electronics encourages kid to sit rather than get up and move. We are breeding couch potatoes!!

[credibility2]

Kids are in poor condition in general because their play time is usually in front of the tv, computer, wii, etc. They're uncoordinated because they're generally lax and immobile. Blame it on over protective parents and schools that have eliminated recess. Kids need conditioning and they're not getting it.

[doctajim]

I teach in the high schools, often asked to fill in for PE teachers who are out. Problem #1 - the stats are inflated, the increase in the number of injuries is due to the drop in injuries during the preceeding decade (when PE was de-emphasized), and then rebounding back over the last decade. Thus, the return to the higher percentages is what's called "normal" (though there are problems that lead to injuries). Problem %2 - bullying on the schoolyard, kids getting pushed from behind (especially in basketball), blindsided, and cheap-shotted. There is now a complete lack (not of supervision), but of fair-play and decency. Problem #3 - cell phones, mp3 players, snuck onto the tracks and other areas (I personally witnessed 2 girls colliding with runners when they jutted in front of them, listening to their headphones). Lastly, lack of discipline, lack of effective warmups - "dogging it", inappropriate clothing and footwear, and the lack of effective recourse by teachers to do anything about it.

[Sloughfoot]

This for the most part is a numbers manipulation game. Does anyone really think that poli-crats are going to release positive figures that may threaten their existence.

Also, we are seeing are more sedate children confronted by the results of obesity and lazziness. Fat little toaddy frog get irregular heart beats when they chase after their thinner companions. Couch potatoes scratch knee and cry when they fall down for the first time in their life. Get the blubber butts out of the house, let them experieince some of life's unpleasantries and let's get to work making them responsible and fit members of society. Gees!

[anitaymoore]

This isn't news, this is no surprise at all. Simply walk around, anywhere, take a look at today's youth...they are seriously overweight and unfit. Kids these days (and man does that make me sound old, and I'm not)...spend too much time in front of the tv, in front of their computer, sitting around texting their friends, or playing hand-held video games. Gone are the days of playing outside with your friends until dark, today's generation is sedentary and lazy.

My son, who just turned six...is not allowed to just sit around in front of the tv, or play on the computer all day. FWIW, he will NEVER have a cell phone that isn't something like a FireFly either (where only a few numbers can be programmed into it mine, his dad's, & 911)...until HE can pay for it.

It saddens me to see so many kids walking around these days with pot-bellies on them. I was never a really skinny girl, but I was always FIT and not flabby. I understand what it's like to have weight issues (as my adoptive family was naturally really tiny and I wasn't.) But I was always FIT. So many of the kids today cannot even run a mile, they should be able to. They struggle just trying to do 25 sit-ups or crunches...forget about climbing a rope. It's really sad.

I'm glad they are promoting P.E. again...but with so many unfit kids out there, injuries are going to happen. They need to make sure they are dedicating enough time to stretching and working up to things...not expecting these unfit kids to do strenuous things right off the bat...they are going to have to work up to it...just as anyone else does who is unfit and decides to join a gym.

[parisdakar]

Getting hurt a little is part of life. That's how you learn and grow as a person. No risk, no reward.

[docpeter1953]

"While the benefits of physical education classes outweigh the risks, McKenzie said, "being healthy doesn't have to hurt."
_________________________

Now they tell me, I just started back to the gym and I hurt all over, must be doing something wrong.

Guess I'll go back to the couch eat my Oreos and ice cream and nurse this keg, the rest of you can go out and get the six pack.