Policy statement—Boxing participation by children and adolescents

Pediatrics. 2011 Sep;128(3):617-23. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-1165. Epub 2011 Aug 28.

Abstract

Thousands of boys and girls younger than 19 years participate in boxing in North America. Although boxing provides benefits for participants, including exercise, self-discipline, and self-confidence, the sport of boxing encourages and rewards deliberate blows to the head and face. Participants in boxing are at risk of head, face, and neck injuries, including chronic and even fatal neurologic injuries. Concussions are one of the most common injuries that occur with boxing. Because of the risk of head and facial injuries, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Paediatric Society oppose boxing as a sport for children and adolescents. These organizations recommend that physicians vigorously oppose boxing in youth and encourage patients to participate in alternative sports in which intentional head blows are not central to the sport.

Publication types

  • Consensus Development Conference

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Athletic Injuries / epidemiology
  • Athletic Injuries / prevention & control
  • Boxing / statistics & numerical data*
  • Brain Concussion / epidemiology
  • Brain Injuries / epidemiology
  • Brain Injuries / prevention & control
  • Brain Injury, Chronic / epidemiology
  • Canada / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Female
  • Head Injuries, Closed / epidemiology
  • Head Injuries, Closed / prevention & control
  • Head Protective Devices
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neck Injuries / epidemiology
  • Neck Injuries / prevention & control