Scratch…Descriptive epidemiologic study of billiards-related injuries

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive epidemiological study is to identify billiards-related injuries that presented to the United States emergency departments from 2000 to 2020. This is a study using secondary data from emergency departments from 2000 to 2020 and presented with billiards-related injuries. No applicable intervention, but the main outcome measure was a description of injuries sustained due to participation in billiards. Billiards-related injury was captured by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System – All Injury Program database. We extracted information on age, gender, injury, and disposition. A collective total of 78,524 (n = 1214) estimated patients, had emergency department visits after incurring billiards-related injuries as a sample. The mean age was 24.9 years. Most injuries occurred in males, 54,915 (n = 851, 69.9%). More injuries appeared to be soft-tissue contusions and abrasions, 19,000 (24.2%, n = 280), followed by lacerations, 17,520 (22.3%, n = 269). The most common cause of injury was being struck by a ball or cue, 39,705 (51.1%, n = 643). While the majority of injured patients were discharged home after evaluation, 2527 (3.2%, n = 45) of them required hospitalization. While a small number of billiards-related injuries presented to the emergency department in comparison to other sports-related injuries, some required more intensive treatment or hospitalization.