All-Terrain Vehicle-Related Distal Upper-Extremity Injury Rates and Patterns.

PURPOSE: All-terrain vehicle (ATV)-related upper-extremity injuries are commonly seen and treated in the emergency room. Despite existing research on patterns of injuries in ATV-related trauma, there has not been a comprehensive study on patterns of upper-extremity injuries from ATV use. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence, trends, and characteristics of ATV-related distal upper-extremity injuries across the United States.

METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was utilized to investigate distal upper-extremity injuries specifically related to the use and operation of ATVs from 2013 to 2022. Demographic factors such as age, sex, race, and incident location were also examined. The injuries were further assessed to include diagnosis, involved body parts, and disposition. The injuries were also categorized based on their locations. Further subcategorization was done for forearm injuries to include ulna, radius, both, and unspecified.

RESULTS: Although there has been a decrease in emergency department visits for ATV-related injuries, there has been a gradual uptrend in the number of distal upper-extremity ATV injuries, with a peak of 19,973 in 2020. The number of male patients reported was approximately twice the number of female patients (68.87% vs 31.13%). Adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years experienced the highest incidence of ATV-associated distal extremity injuries (41.1% of reported). The sports field was the most common reported location of the incident (18.9%). Among all the injuries listed, fractures were the most common reported injury for each body part and overall. Of all reported forearm fractures, the radius was most involved.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a predominance of injuries in males and the 10-19-year age group and fractures as the most reported associated injury type. Given that the rate of ATV-related upper-extremity injuries has not followed the declining trend of overall ATV-related injuries, more attention should be focused on the effectiveness of upper-extremity injury prevention.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic III.