The NCAA's latest data compiled through the Injury Surveillance System (ISS) indicate that injury rates for practices and games for several winter sports were generally below the cumulative average.

Rates were lower in all six sports surveyed: men's and women's basketball, men's and women's ice hockey, wrestling and women's gymnastics.

The system, in its 21st year, monitors injuries in 15 different sports, including the six in the winter season.

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 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 to reduce injury rates through suggested changes in rules, protective equipment or coaching techniques, based on ISS data.

Men's and women's basketball

In men's basketball, practice (3.9) and game (9.0) injury rates were slightly lower than the 16-year averages for the sport. Assuming 10 game participants, the game rate equates to one injury every 11 games in the sport.

The ankle, knee and lower back were the top body parts injured in games, accounting for 47 percent of the game-related injuries. Sprains, contusions and strains were the top three types of injuries in both practice and games.

Twenty-nine percent of game injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 9.5 percent resulted in surgery. Contact with another player accounted for 54 percent of all game injuries. Fifty-eight percent of game injuries occurred within the lane.

Women's basketball had practice (4.0) and game (8.7) injury rates that were slightly lower than the 16-year averages for the sport. Assuming 10 game participants, the game rate equates to one injury every 11.5 games in the sport.

The ankle, knee and head were the top body parts injured in games, accounting for 58 percent of the game-related injuries. Sprains, contusions and concussions were the top types of game injuries. Women basketball players had a three times higher risk of anterior cruciate ligament injuries than their male counterparts in games.

Thirty-four percent of game injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 17 percent resulted in surgery. Contact with another player accounted for 51 percent of all game injuries. Fifty percent of all game injuries occurred in the lane.

Men's and women's ice hockey

Men's ice hockey showed practice (1.9) and game (15.9) injury rates slightly lower than the 18-year averages for the sport. Assuming 15 game participants, the game rate equates to one injury every four games in the sport.

The pelvis (groin and hip), shoulder and head were the most common body parts injured in practice, accounting for 42 percent of reported injuries. The shoulder, knee and head were the top injuries in games, accounting for 51 percent of reported injuries. Strains, sprains and contusions were the top three types of injuries in practices. Concussions accounted for 13 percent of game injuries.

Forty percent of game injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 4 percent resulted in surgery. In games, player contact accounted for 51 percent of all injuries.

Women's ice hockey showed practice (2.3) and game (10.4) injury rates that were slightly lower than the four-year averages for the sport. Assuming 15 game participants, the game rate equates to one injury every six games in the sport.

The foot, knee and shoulder were the top three body parts injured during practice, accounting for 45 percent of the reported injuries. The head, knee and ankle accounted for 62 percent of the reported injuries in game competition. Thirty-four percent of all reported game injuries were concussions. Concussions, contusions, and sprains were the top types of injuries in games.

Thirty-two percent of women's ice hockey game injuries restricted participation for seven days or more, while 4 percent resulted in surgery. Forty-five percent of game injuries resulted from player contact.

Wrestling

Practice (6.0) and match (25.7) injury rates were lower than the 19-year averages for the sport. Wrestling-match injury rates equate to one injury every four matches for a team of 10 participants.

The knee, face and shoulder were the most prevalent body parts injured in practice, accounting for 40 percent of all reported injuries. The knee, shoulder and neck accounted for 52 percent of all reported match injuries. Skin infections accounted for almost one-fourth of the practice time lost. Sprains and strains were the top two types of match injuries.

Fifty-two percent of all match injuries required restricted or missed participation for seven days or more, while 9 percent of match injuries required surgery of some type. Takedown was the highest risk match activity with a risk of injury 2.5 times higher than any other move.

Women's gymnastics

In women's gymnastics, data show lower practice (3.5) and meet (14.0) injury rates than the 18-year averages for the sport. Assuming eight meet participants, the injury rate for meets equates to one injury every nine meets in the sport.

The ankle, knee and lower back were the most common body parts injured in practice, accounting for 54 percent of reported injuries. The knee, ankle and elbow accounted for 65 percent of the reported injuries in meets. Sprains, contusions and strains were the top three types of injuries in practices and meets.

Seventy percent of meet injuries resulted in time loss of seven days or more, while 25 percent resulted in surgery. Dismount and landing were the top mechanisms for meet injuries.

How the ISS works

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. The selected institutions amount to a minimum 10 percent sample of the membership sponsoring the sport; therefore, the resulting data should be representative of the total population of NCAA institutions.

The system does not identify every injury that occurs at NCAA institutions in a particular sport. Rather, it collects a sampling that is representative of a cross section of the NCAA.

An athlete exposure (A-E) is one athlete participating in one practice or game in which he or she is exposed to the possibility of athletics injury. For example, five practices, each involving 60 participants, and one game involving 40 participants, would result in a total of 340 A-Es for a particular week.

A reportable injury in the ISS is defined as one that:

Occurred as a result of participation in an organized intercollegiate practice or game; and

Required medical attention by a team athletic trainer or physician; and

Resulted in restriction of the student-athlete's participation or performance for one or more days beyond the day of injury.

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 is then 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 research staff at the NCAA national office, or on the NCAA's Web site at www.ncaa.org.