AT 715 Epidemiology
Dr. Rauh

Ed Le Cara, DC, ATC, CCSP, CSCS, NASM-CES
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90 Mission Drive, Suite B
Pleasanton, CA 94566
FAX 925-462-5560

Please direct all correspondence to Ed Le Cara at the email address above.

A Comprehensive Review of Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Injuries

ABSTRACT

Objective: The purpose of this literature review is to collect all available published data on
injuries that occur in the sport of lacrosse. Of particular interest is the risk of injury based on
level of play, gender, and position. Data Sources: A comprehensive literature search was
performed in PubMed, High Wire Press, SPORTDiscus, Google Scholar, and Ovid using the
keywords Lacrosse Injuries, Epidemiology Lacrosse Injuries, Lacrosse Injury, Lacrosse AND
Injury. Years searched were from 1950 until 2008. Data Synthesis: Injury Rates; Injury Rates
in games compared to practice; Injury Onset; Injury Site Location; Injury Type; Injury Severity;
Injury by position; and Case Reports; Conclusions/Recommendations: Although there is such a
large increase in participation, there is relatively little data on the injuries that do occur. There is
no data at the professional level or the indoor game. Overall, the rate and severity of injuries per
Athlete Exposure is relatively low compared to other collision sports like football and hockey.
In females because the rules and equipment used are so drastically different then men, face and
hand injuries are of most prevalence. Increased efforts to identify key factors on the most
common cause of death in Lacrosse, Commodio Cordis, needs to be made so preventative
measures can be made to reduce the incidence of catastrophic injuries. Medical professionals
who cover lacrosse need to understand the injury types and injury rates. Knowledge of the types
of injuries they should expect to encounter will better prepare them for injuries they will need to
treat leading to better care for the athletes.

Key Words: Commodio Cordis, Epidemiology, Athlete Exposure Rate