School sports activity (SSA) is beneficial to gaining and maintaining optimal health among elementary and middle school students but might increase risks for school sports injury (SSI). This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the incidence and identify risk factors of SSI among Chinese elementary and middle school students in Shanghai. Students in grades 4-5 (elementary) and 7-9 (middle) from three k-12 schools (aged from 9 to 16 years old) in Shanghai selected via the method of cluster random sampling were invited to participate in the study. Information on socio-demography, sleep duration, individual internal and external risk factors, and SSI experiences in the past 12 months was collected. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to estimate the risk factors of SSI. A total of 1303 participants completed the questionnaires, with an overall SSI incidence rate of 29.5%. Along with boys, elementary school students, and sports team members, students scoring high on internal and external risk factors were at higher risk for SSA. In summary, SSI was prevalent among elementary and middle school students in Shanghai, China, and was associated with several modifiable risk factors. The findings provide insights regarding actions that could be taken to reduce the occurrence of SSI and maximize the benefits of SSA, including improvements in safety education, maintenance of facilities and equipment, and completion of warm-up exercises.
Keywords: adolescents; children; internal and external risk factors; sports injuries.