Sex Differences in the Clinical Incidence of Concussions, Missed School Days, and Time Loss in High School Student-Athletes: Part 1.

BACKGROUND: Sports-related concussion (SRC) injury rates are well established in collegiate athletics through epidemiological studies using the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System. However, few studies have examined sex differences, time loss, and missed school days in high school athletes, especially at the state level.

PURPOSE: To identify sex differences in the clinical incidence of SRCs, missed school days, and time loss in high school student-athletes.

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiological study.

METHODS: A total of 193,757 (116,434 male and 77,323 female) student-athletes (10th grade ± 1.1) participating in Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA)-sponsored athletic activities were recorded in the Head Injury Reporting System. Certified athletic trainers, school athletic administrators, and coaches from MHSAA high schools reported SRC data and overall participation for the 2015-2016 academic year. Total concussive injuries, as well as missed school days and time loss for each concussive injury, were reported. The clinical incidence was calculated by dividing the number of SRCs in a particular category by the number of participants in that category and presented with 95% CIs. Relative risk ratios (RRs) were determined for sex-comparable sports.

RESULTS: The overall clinical incidence for all sports was 1.7 per 100 player-seasons (95% CI, 1.6-1.8) and 1.9 (95% CI, 1.8-2.0) for male sports and 1.5 (95% CI, 1.4-1.6) for female sports. Female athletes were at a 1.9 (95% CI, 1.8-2.2) times greater risk for enduring SRCs than male athletes in sex-comparable sports, with a greater risk in baseball/softball (RR, 2.7 [95% CI, 1.9-3.8]), basketball (RR, 2.5 [95% CI, 2.1-2.9]), and soccer (RR, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.4-1.9]). Female student-athletes had significantly longer time loss than male student-athletes ( P < .001). The mean number of missed school days did not differ between sexes ( P = .70).

CONCLUSION: High school female student-athletes have a higher risk for an SRC in all sex-comparable sports except lacrosse. This may be because of biomechanical differences of the head-neck segment, hormonal differences, and the fact that female athletes are more likely to report symptoms after a suspected SRC.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Despite sex differences in the clinical incidence of SRCs and time loss from participation in high school sports, the numbers of missed school days are relatively similar between sexes.