Sports Injuries in the Services 1969-1980

Abstract

This paper reviews sports injuries in the Armed Services 1969-1980 to establish their incidence and to analyse trends over time. There were on average 2135 sports injuries per year showing a falling trend over time until 1979 and then rising. Playing soccer was the cause of 43% of the sports injuries over the years 1969-1980. By far the greatest proportion 85% the injuries occurred in the under 30 age group. The number of medical discharges fell until 1974 when it rose to a new level of between 22 and 31 per year. The number of deaths showed no particular trend over time but half of the deaths were caused by drowning.