The final scrimmage or game associated with spring football has an injury rate that has decreased by half over the last seven years, according to the latest NCAA Injury Surveillance System report.

Spring football showed practice injury rates (9.2) that were lower than the 13-year average for the activity. While still almost twice as high as the fall practice injury rate for football, this rate has shown a consistent decline over the past four years.

Some of this decrease is due to safer spring games.

The spring 2001 survey, conducted as part of the 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 monitors injuries in 15 different sports, including five in the spring: baseball, men's and women's lacrosse, softball, and spring football.

Softball and baseball

Softball showed practice (3.3) and game (4.5) injury rates similar to the 15-year average for the sport. Assuming 10 game participants, the game rate equates to one injury every 22 games.

Shoulder, ankle and knee injuries were the top three body parts injured during practices, accounting for 43 percent of the reported injuries; the knee, ankle and head accounted for 38 percent of the reported injuries in game competition. Sprains, contusions and fractures were the top types of injuries in games.

Thirty-four percent of softball game injuries restricted participation for seven days or more, while 9 percent resulted in surgery. Base runners are the highest position at risk for injury during games, accounting for 23 percent of all injuries. Another 12 percent of reported injuries occurred from impact with a batted ball, including a number that were the result of fouled pitches striking the catcher or batter.

Baseball showed practice (2.0) and game (6.7) injury rates similar to the 15-year average for the sport. Assuming 10 game participants, the game rate equates to one injury every 15 games.

Shoulder, elbow, and ankle injuries were the top three body parts injured during practices, accounting for 48 percent of the reported injuries; the shoulder, upper leg and elbow accounted for 41 percent of the reported injuries in game competition. Strains, sprains and contusions were the top types of injuries in games.

Women's and men's lacrosse

Women's lacrosse showed slightly higher practice (4.2) and game (8.6) injury rates than the 15-year average for the sport. Assuming 15 game participants, the rate equates to one injury every eight games.

Ankle, lower leg and knee were the most common body parts injured in practice, accounting for 44 percent of reported injuries; the ankle, knee and head accounted for 55 percent of the reported injuries in games. Sprains, contusions and strains were the top types of game injuries, and concussions accounted for 11 percent of all game injuries.

Twenty-eight percent of injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 10 percent resulted in surgery. Thirty percent of game injuries resulted from contact with the ball or stick, while 19 percent resulted from contact with another player.

An estimated 326 injuries to the head or face occurred in practices and games last year. About 14 percent of those were to the eye.

Men's lacrosse showed lower practice (3.4) and game (12.0) injury rates than the 17-year average for the sport. Assuming 20 game participants, the rate equates to one injury every four games.

Thirty-one percent of game injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 9 percent resulted in surgery. More than 40 percent of game injuries resulted from contact with another player, while 23 percent of game injuries resulted from contact with the ball or stick.

How the system works

The ISS was developed in 1982 to provide current and reliable data on injury trends in intercollegiate athletics. Injury data are collected yearly from a representative sample of member institutions and the resulting data summaries are reviewed by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. The committee's goal continues to be reducing injury rates through suggested changes in rules, protective equipment or coaching techniques, based on ISS data.

* Sampling. Exposure and injury data were submitted weekly by athletic trainers from institutions selected to represent a cross section of NCAA membership. The cross section was based on the three divisions of the NCAA and the four geographical regions of the country. The selected institutions amount to a min-