Youth Sports Injury Statistics 2026

Comprehensive data on youth sports injuries sourced from peer-reviewed research and government health agencies.

Key Statistics

3.5 million children ages 14 and under are injured annually in sports (Safe Kids Worldwide)
Over 50% of youth sports injuries are preventable (CDC)
50% of youth sports injuries are overuse injuries (AAP)
Female athletes tear their ACLs at 4-8x the rate of males in the same sport
Prevention programs reduce youth sports injuries by 40% (NIH)
Only 37% of schools have a full-time athletic trainer (NATA)