Bowling (activity, Apparel Or Equipment)
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Sports & Recreation Equipment · CPSC Code 1206
Down 39% over 5 years
The verdict
Bowling (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) carry a danger score of 37/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 16,935 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 39% over the last five years.
- 37/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 16,935
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 4.0%
- end in hospital admission
- 15-24
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 1206 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 37/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for bowling (activity, apparel or equipment) - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume16,935 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)4.0%
- Fatality rate0.07%
- 5-year trend-39%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Bowling (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) (CPSC product code 1206, in the Sports & Recreation Equipment category) generate an estimated 16,935 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 338,699 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 37/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 39% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2010 (24,263 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2020 (7,322 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for bowling (activity, apparel or equipment) is strain, sprain to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 20,907 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by strain, sprain to the knee (20,527 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 49,235 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 4.0% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.07%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 2 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how bowling (activity, apparel or equipment) fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 14,627 | 11,198 | |
| 5-14 | 25,093 | 19,611 | |
| 15-24 | 25,750 | 23,477 | |
| 25-34 | 26,701 | 22,461 | |
| 35-44 | 25,004 | 22,275 | |
| 45-54 | 18,870 | 22,377 | |
| 55-64 | 15,928 | 17,515 | |
| 65-74 | 11,489 | 13,354 | |
| 75+ | 10,904 | 12,045 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Knee | Strain, Sprain | |
| Finger | Fracture | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Knee | Other | |
| Wrist | Strain, Sprain | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Finger | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Finger | Strain, Sprain | |
| Wrist | Fracture | |
| Knee | Contusions, Abr. |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
32 YOF INJURED SHOULDER BOWLING DX: PAIN
76 YOM WITH CHEST PAIN AFTER GOING BOWLING. DX NSTEMI
73YOF C/O RIGHT ARM WEAKNESS THAT OCCURED YESTERDAY. WAS BOWLING AT STOOD UP AND THEN HAD SUDDEN-ONSET OF RIGHT HAND WEAKNESS WHEN SHE TRIED TO PICK UP HER BOWLING BALL AND DROPPED IT. BLURRED VISION ASLO NOTED. SCANS WERE ENGATIVE. DX: TIA, RIGHT ARM WEAKENSS
67YOM C/O CONTUSION TO LEFT RIB S/P PT STATES 4 DAYS AGO HE WAS OUT BOWLING AND SLIPPED AND FELL ON TO HIS LEFT SIDE. DX: CONTUSION TO LEFT SIDE RIBS
50YOF WENT BOWLING AND DEVELOPED PAIN DOWN LOWER BACK DX: LOW BACK PAIN
48YOF C/O LOWER BACK PAIN S/P PT WAS AT A BOWLING TOURNAMENT WHEN SHE WAS SWINGING A BOWLING BALL BACK AND FORTH WHEN SHE SUDDENLY DEVELOPED BACK PAIN CAUSING HER TO FALL TO THE GROUND. DX:LOW BACK PAIN AND FALL
28YOM C/O WRIST SPRAIN S/P PT STATES HE WAS BOWLING AND TWISTED HIS RIGHT WRIST AND FELT A POP. DX: WRIST SPRAIN
28YOM C/O LOWER BACK PAIN S/P PT STATES HIS BACK PAIN WORSENED AFTER A NIGHT OF BOWLING. DX: LOWER BACK PAIN
56 YOF WITH LEFT ARM NUMBNESS. SHE WENT BOWLING A FEW DAYS AGO AND FELT A TWINGE IN HER RIGHT BACK. AWOKE THE NEXT DAY WITH NUMBNESS TO LEFT ARM DX ULNAR NERVE PARESTHESIAS LEFT ARM
23YOF C/O TOE STRAIN S/P PT STUBBED HER TOE WHILE BOWLING THIS MORNING. SHE WAS WALKING IN SOCKS WHEN IT HAPPENED. DX: STRAIN OF FIFTH TOE ON RIGHT FOOT
24YOF C/O LOWER ABDOMINAL PAIN S/P PT STATES SHE WENT BOWLING AND DEVELOPED SUPRAPUBIC ABDOMINAL PAIN. DX: LOWER ABDOMINAL PAIN
73YOF WAS BOWLING WHEN SHE DEVELOPED PAIN DOWN LOWER BACK DX: LUMBAR STRAIN
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Product was new out of the box. The bowling ball has three screws holding the two halves together. One of the three screws was not screwed into the plastic at all. It was just sitting in the small passage hole down to the screw boss. There is very little clearance between the screw head and the passage hole to the screw boss, so it must have held in during manufacturing and shipping. In any case I happened to bounce the ball on a carpeted floor one time, heard something unusual, and sure enough there was a screw on the floor. It appears that the screw was not at all engaged with the plastic screw boss. The screw is very small, having a 3 mm thread and 14 mm long. And with sharp threads. This may not necessarily be a choking hazard, but something that, if ingested by my 12 month old boy, could cause severe internal bodily damage. The heat staked code on the back of the display head (basketball net) is C57G101-H. If it's desired to get that ball and screw back for analysis, I am happy to cooperate. It's put away now.
I am an amateur bowler that bowls 3 to 4 times per week. On October 28, 2013 I purchased a KR Industries 3 ball rolling bag from a local pro shop that cost $129.95 plus $9.42 in sales tax that totally cost me $139.37. As I started using the bag I found that when going up or down stairs (the bag has wheels that allows the rolling function and also be able to take the bag up or down stairs using the wheels) that the palm of my hand would press on the handle release button and that would allow the handle to release from the lock position and I would lose control of the bag with more than 30 pounds of bowling balls inside that would cause me to lose my balance on the stairs and have come very close to falling in more than one instance. I contacted KR Industries and explained my safety concern and if they could provide a bag that would be safer for me. I am attaching the email response that I received from KR Industries. They are sorry that I am having difficulties with their equipment and suggested I go back to the pro shop that sold me their equipment and ask for relief from the pro shop. This makes no sense and this is why I am turning to the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to bowling (activity, apparel or equipment) on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are bowling (activity, apparel or equipment)?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, bowling (activity, apparel or equipment) have a danger score of 37/100 (low risk). An estimated 16,935 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from bowling (activity, apparel or equipment)?
The most common injury is strain, sprain to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 20,907 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from bowling (activity, apparel or equipment) increasing or decreasing?
Down 39% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for bowling (activity, apparel or equipment) injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 49,235 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by bowling (activity, apparel or equipment)?
Of all ER visits involving bowling (activity, apparel or equipment), approximately 4.0% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (96.0%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with bowling (activity, apparel or equipment)?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Sports & Recreation Equipment
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 37/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 15-24 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
