Marching Band Injuries in Children Presenting to Emergency Departments in the United States, 2012-2021: A Trebling Tale

Abstract

Marching band is both a sport and a performance art. Organized athletics like American football, soccer, and cheerleading all have established epidemiologic trends of injury, including stigmata from head trauma. Despite the potential for mild to severe injury, there is a paucity of data on marching band-related morbidity. We examined the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 2012 to 2021 to describe demographic information and injury patterns. There were an estimated 20 335 marching band injuries (95% confidence interval: 12 892-27 777). The majority of injuries occurred in females (70%), and those aged 14 to 18 years (85%). Fifty percent of all injuries occurred in the lower extremity, and soft tissue injuries were the most frequently observed diagnosis (49%). Mild traumatic brain injury accounted for 6% of all injuries. Of marching band injury, 98% did not require escalation of care. Based on these findings, we suggest targeted public health intervention by sports medicine teams.