New research from law firm Dennis Hernandez Injury Attorneys showed more than 4.35 million sports- and recreation-related emergency department visits.
Exercise and exercise equipment caused more emergency room visits than any other sport or recreational activity, with nearly 565,000 injuries in a single year.
Cycling followed closely with 454,008 injuries, while basketball accounted for 385,777 visits, making it the most injury-prone organized team sport.
Football and wheeled recreational devices such as skateboards, scooters, and hoverboards also contributed heavily to ER volume, reinforcing the risks tied to both contact sports and balance-based activities.
Men accounted for nearly two-thirds of all sports-related ER visits, with injury rates significantly higher in football, basketball, and cycling, while a smaller group of activities saw more injuries among women.
Age plays a significant role in determining who is most likely to be injured during sports and recreation. Among the five sports associated with the highest injury counts, adults aged 25 to 64 experienced the highest-number of injuries, with exercise equipment and bicycles contributing the most.
Children aged 5 to 14 were also heavily affected, with football and basketball driving the majority of injuries in this age group. Young adults aged 15 to 24 had substantial injury counts as well, particularly in basketball and football, while older adults aged 65 and over were most often injured using exercise equipment or bicycles, highlighting balance and fall-related concerns.
Injury patterns differ sharply by gender across sports and recreational activities. Males accounted for nearly two-thirds of all injury-related emergency department visits, with approximately 2.88 million cases compared with approximately 1.47 million among females.
Football injuries among men were 91.2% higher than among women, while basketball injuries were nearly 77% higher for males. Cycling injuries were also skewed towards men, with injury rates roughly 69% higher, reflecting increased risk in high-speed and contact-heavy sports.
