Mechanisms of Basketball Injuries Reported to the HQ Air Force Safety Center

Background: Softball is a popular sport in civilian and military populations and results in a large number of lost-workday injuries. The purpose of this study is to describe the mechanisms associated with softball injuries occurring among active duty U.S. Air Force (USAF) personnel to better identify potentially effective countermeasures. Methods: Data derived from safety reports were obtained from the USAF Ground Safety Automated System in 2003. Softball injuries for the years 1993–2002 that resulted in at least one lost workday were included in the study. Narrative data were systematically reviewed and coded in order to categorize and summarize mechanisms associated with these injuries. Results: This report documents a total of 1181 softball-related mishap reports, involving 1171 active duty USAF members who sustained one lost-workday injury while playing softball. Eight