University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics sports medicine orthopedic surgeon Amit Momaya, MD, along with a team of researchers, published the first-ever study of spectator injuries at sporting events in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness.
Here are six insights:
1. Dr. Momaya initially began researching the topic after seeing reports of a young child who was struck by a foul ball during an MLB game. He was then motivated to pursue research due to the lack of information available on sport spectator injuries.
2. "You don't expect to be injured when you attend a sporting event as a spectator," Dr. Momaya said. "You certainly don't expect to die, yet there are any number of cases where spectators are injured, some fatally, at sporting events."
3. Dr. Momaya and a team of UAB researchers used data starting from 2000 of 181 spectator injuries sustained at the following types of sporting events:
• Automobile or racing — 123 injuries
• Cycling — 25 injuries
• Cricket — 12 injuries
• Baseball — 10 injuries
• Hockey — eight injuries
4. Of the 181 injuries, the team noted 62 were fatal. The results of fatal injuries were as follows:
• Vehicle racing — 38 deaths
• Cycling — 17 deaths
• Hockey — four deaths
• Baseball — two deaths
• Cricket — one death
5. Dr. Momaya said most of the injuries occurred after the spectator was struck by something, such as a ball, puck or vehicle, from the playing area. He also said there are instances in sports like cycling and basketball where a spectator might make contact with an athlete who inadvertently leaves the playing area.
6. In addition to the creation of a central database for recording the occurrence of spectator injuries during sporting events, Dr. Momaya and his team suggested implementing measures such as impenetrable barriers at racing events, increased use of netting at baseball stadiums, and higher, transparent barriers in hockey arenas to help decrease spectator injury.