Olympic Hurtfuls; August 2012; Scientific American Magazine; by Mark Fischetti; 1 Page(s)

We rarely see it happen on television, but one in 10 Olympians will get hurt during the games, if the past is any guide (left). About three quarters of the injuries occur during some phase of competition and one quarter during warm-ups or on-site training, according to Lars Engebretsen of the University of Oslo in Norway, who compiled the data. Summer athletes tend to ruin their legs; winter athletes bang their heads (below). The causes vary greatly: collisions (soccer), stick strikes (field hockey), high-speed wipeouts (bobsledding). The damage leadersnowboard crossinvolves frequent contact between boarders in a free-for-all downhill race. Sailing is nearly harm-free. Engebretsen says injury rates in most professional sports, such as football and soccer, are higher, although data are inconsistent.

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN ONLINE
Find a review of leading injuries in specific sports at ScientificAmerican.com/aug2012/graphic-science