Within a 3-year period, from 1980 to 1982, 1124 sports injuries of children aged 6-15 years were treated in the Turku University Central Hospital casualty department. Two-thirds (69%) of the injuries were sustained by boys. Sports injuries represented 21% of the diagnoses related to accidents in this age group. Half of the sports accidents occurred during the 4 winter months. Boys were injured most commonly in ice hockey (36%) and football (20%) and girls in skating (18%) and riding (18%). One quarter (26%) of the injuries were located in the head and neck, 36% in the upper extremities, 33% in the lower limbs, and 4% in the trunk. The most common types of injuries were fractures (26%), sprains and strains (24%), contusions (22%) and wounds (17%). The proportional occurrence of fractures increased with age in boys (P < 0.001) and decreased in girls (P < 0.001), luxations (P < 0.05) and sprains (P < 0.001) increased with age in girls; skull injuries (P < 0.01)and contusions and wounds (P < 0.001) decreased in boys. Girls had more sprains (P < 0.001) but fewer contusions and wounds (P < 0.001). Most of the injuries were mild; 9% of the cases were hospitalized. Minor surgery was performed in 16% and reconstructive surgery in 2% of all injuries. About 70% of the injuries occurred in nonorganized sports.