Head injuries in ice hockey highlight the latest NCAA Injury Surveillance System reports.

Men's ice hockey showed lower practice injury rates (1.8) and higher game injury rates (19.3) than the 15-year averages for the sport. Assuming 15 game participants, the game rate equates to one injury every 3.5 games in the sport.

Head, shoulder and knee were the most common body parts injured in practice, accounting for 50 percent of reported injuries; the same three were the top injuries in games. Contusions, sprains and concussions were the top three types of injuries in games. Concussions accounted for 13 percent of game injuries.

More than a third -- 39 percent -- of game injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 6 percent resulted in surgery. In games, player contact accounted for more than half (55 percent) of all injuries.

The pelvis/hip, head and knee were the top three body parts injured during practices, accounting for 55 percent of the reported injuries. The knee, head and clavicle accounted for 54 percent of the reported injuries in game competition. A total of 18 percent of all reported game injuries were concussions. Sprains, concussions and contusions were the top types of game injuries.

Thirty-five percent of women's ice hockey game injuries restricted participation for seven days or more, while only 2 percent resulted in surgery. Forty-one percent of game injuries resulted from contact with another player.

The winter 2000-01 survey conducted as part of the Injury Surveillance System (ISS) provides a baseline of injury data from a national sampling. Researchers should be cautious when comparing ISS results with injury data from other studies.

No common definition of injury, measure of severity or evaluation of exposure exists in athletics-injury literature. The information in the summary must be evaluated under the definitions and methodology outlined for the ISS.

The system, in its 18th year, monitors injuries in 15 different sports, including seven in the winter: men's basketball, women's basketball, men's ice hockey, women's ice hockey, wrestling, women's gymnastics and men's gymnastics.

Men's and women's basketball

Thirty-two percent of game injuries required restricted or missed participation for seven days or more, while 9 percent of injuries required surgery of some type. Fifty-three percent of game injuries occurred inside the lane while 54 percent of game injuries involved player contact.

The 2000-01 data for women's basketball show practice (5.1) and game (9.2) rates similar to the 13-year averages for the sport. Assuming 10 participants, the game rate equates to one injury every 11 games in the sport.

More than a third -- 37 percent -- of game injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 7 percent resulted in surgery. Player contact was the mechanism of injury in 40 percent of game injuries, a majority of those in the lane. The overall (practice and game) risk of anterior cruciate ligament injuries was three times higher than in the men's game.

Wrestling and gymnastics

In wrestling, practice (4.8) and match (24.1) injury rates were lower than the 16-year averages for the sport. Assuming 10 match participants, the match rate equates to one injury every four matches in the sport.

The knee, shoulder and head were the top three body parts injured in practice, while the knee, shoulder and ribs were the top match injuries (accounting for 43 percent). Concussions accounted for 6 percent of all match injuries.

Skin infections accounted for 15 percent of time loss events in practices; sprains, strains and contusions were the top three types of injuries in matches.

A total of 45 percent of match injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 4 percent resulted in surgery. Half of match injuries occurred during a takedown maneuver.

Ankle, knee and lower back were the most common body parts injured in practice, accounting for half of reported injuries; knee, shoulders and ankles were the top injuries in matches. Sprains, strains and fractures were the top three types of injuries in matches.

More than half -- 52 percent -- of match injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 36 percent resulted in surgery. Floor exercise and uneven bars were the most injury-prone events, while the majority of injuries in any event occurred during a landing in the routine or dismount.

No report was generated for men's gymnastics this year because of limited data submitted for that sport.

How the system works

* Injuries. A reportable injury in the ISS is defined as one that: (1) Occurred as a result of participation in an organized intercollegiate practice or game; (2) Required medical attention by a team athletic trainer or physician; or (3) Resulted in restriction of the student-athlete's participation or performance for one or more days beyond the day of injury.

* Injury rate. An injury rate is a ratio of the number of injuries in a particular category to the number of athlete exposures in that category. This value then is multiplied by 1,000 to produce an injury rate per 1,000 athlete exposures.

For example, six reportable injuries during a period of 563 athlete exposures would give an injury rate of 10.7 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures [(6 divided by 563) x 1,000].

Additional information on the report is available from the health and safety staff at the NCAA national office.