Ulster University

Academic Institute

This study will be conducted as part of the ADRC-NI which was established to facilitate the use of linked administrative datasets in a safe manner for projects of this type.

Yes

E105

In Northern Ireland, over 1 million people regularly participate in sports. While sports provide physical and mental health benefits, they also carry a risk of injury. More serious sports injuries often require assessment and treatment in emergency departments, placing a strain on healthcare services and resulting in significant costs. For individuals, there is the added burden of enforced time off work, reduced physical and mental health, and the risk of re-injury. By better understanding sports injury patterns and identifying key modifiable risk factors, we can more effectively prioritize resources for prevention and develop targeted strategies to reduce injuries. This project will use anonymized hospital records from emergency departments across Northern Ireland to create a detailed picture of sports injuries over a 14-year period (2010-2023). We will categorize injuries by body part, diagnosis, and cause (e.g., type of sport played). By linking this data to other healthcare records, we will gain deeper insights into injury severity, the likelihood of re-injury, long-term treatment needs, and the cost to the healthcare system. The project will help identify which groups are most at risk of injury, as well as when and where these injuries are most likely to occur. With this information, healthcare providers and policymakers can make informed decisions about injury prevention and the efficient use of healthcare resources. The results will also assist sports organizations in improving their injury prevention programs, ultimately making sports safer for everyone.

Our research aims to give a clear picture of sports injuries in Northern Ireland: what types of injuries are happening, who is most affected, where and when they occur, how they impact people’s long-term health, and how they affect the healthcare system and economy. We will also explore which injuries might become more common in the future. Working alongside our public partners, we will use this knowledge to improve the prevention, treatment, and recovery from sports injuries across Northern Ireland. Sport NI & Sports Governing Bodies This research will show which sports have the highest rates of injury, what types of injuries are most common, and where in Northern Ireland they happen most often. This information can help sports organisations and governing bodies create policies to prevent injuries, especially in groups most at risk. For example, young athletes are often affected by the “relative age effect,” where older players in the same age group have an advantage due to differences in physical development. This research could encourage the use of methods like “bio-banding,” which groups players based on their physical maturity instead of their age, reducing the risk of injuries. The findings will also highlight patterns in when injuries are most likely to happen, such as during certain sports seasons. Sports organisations can use this information to provide extra support, such as better training, equipment, or awareness campaigns at critical times. By working with real-world data, we can not only inform policy, but also assess the effectiveness of new rules or policies aimed at reducing injuries. Healthcare organisations Our findings can help healthcare organisations plan better and use resources more efficiently. For example, knowing when and where sports injuries are most common can help hospitals and clinics prepare for busy times by ensuring they have enough staff and equipment. Understanding the long-term effects of certain injuries will also help health services prioritise resources. Some injuries may not happen often but can lead to long hospital stays, multiple surgeries, or recurring problems. By focusing on preventing these serious injuries, healthcare providers can improve patient recovery, shorten waiting list and reduce costs. Furthermore, by calculating the economic costs of specific sports injuries, we can give policymakers a clearer understanding of how these injuries affect the healthcare system and the wider economy. This will support better decisions about where to invest in prevention and treatment, ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients at a reasonable cost. Research institutes This project will highlight which sports injuries are the most common, the most severe, or the most expensive to treat. By analysing trends over time, we can also predict which injuries might become more common in the future. These insights will help researchers focus on the most important issues and design smaller, more targeted studies to address them. This research will shape the future of sports injury prevention by identifying the injuries, groups of people, and regions that need the most attention, helping to improve health and safety for everyone involved in sports.

03/03/2025

TRE