Epidemiology of sporting and recreational injuries in a paediatric orthopaedic outpatients department.

Knowledge of the number and type of injuries attending the paediatric orthopaedic outpatients is crucial in the future planning of any new paediatric hospital. We prospectively collected data on all new patients attending two paediatric orthopaedic out-patients departments, over a four month period. There were a total of 1,791 completed questionnaires. Sporting and recreational injuries represented 270% and 28% of the total attending, respectively. The new use of heelies represented 11% of the recreational injuries. The upper limb injuries represented 74% of the total, with the lower limb accounting for 25%. Treatment was nonoperative or operative. The number of patients, and the types of injuries presenting demonstrates the workload involved in diagnosing and treating these injuries. A total of 827 casts were applied. With almost half of those attending the clinic requiring a cast, the workload on the plaster technicians is substantial, and has implications for future service planning.