Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Tennis (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) ranks #63 of 838 by danger score (44/100) at ER-volume #116 of 838 (20,779/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #63
- danger rank of 838
- #116
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 44/100
- danger score
- 20,779/yr
- estimated ER visits (avg)
Danger score combines injury volume, hospitalization, fatality, and five-year trend. ER volume is the average annual NEISS estimate alone. Rank 1 is highest on each list.
Where this category's danger score sits nationally
Danger score (44/100) across 838 scored CPSC product categories
44 Higher than most more dangerous than 90% of 838 product categories
scored CPSC product categories, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more product categories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source CPSC NEISS, PlainSafety danger-score model · 2024
Composite verdict
Composite Safety Score: 71/100
One verdict blending 4 independently-sourced dimensions from two separate CPSC systems, each benchmarked against all 838 scored product categories by percentile rather than raw value, so no single huge-volume category can dominate the scale.
| Dimension | Value | National percentile | Weight applied | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injury severity (hospitalization + fatality blend) | 13 | 84th | 35% | CPSC NEISS 20-year severity index |
| Annual ER injury volume | 20,779 | 82nd | 30% | CPSC NEISS estimated annual ER-treated injuries |
| 5-year injury trend | -17% | 40th | 15% | CPSC NEISS 5-year % change in ER-treated injuries |
| Consumer incident reports | 18 | 55th | 20% | CPSC SaferProducts.gov public incident report count |
Methodology: each dimension is ranked against the full population's p10/p25/p50/p75/p90 breakpoints and interpolated to a 0-100 percentile; the composite is the weighted average of available percentiles. See methodology for the full benchmark table.
Where 415,594 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 3284. Segments sum to 415,594 - a body-map mix, not a danger score or ER-volume rank.
Two danger lenses
Same-group peer scores and this product's dial
The bars compare PlainSafety danger scores inside the Sports Protective Equipment & Gear group (same CPSC NEISS extract). The dial is this product's score alone on the Low/Moderate/High bands. Do not read a peer bar as an ER-visit count.
Sports Protective Equipment & Gear danger scores
How this 44/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for tennis (activity, apparel or equipment) - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume 20,779 ER visits/yr High volume
- Severity (hospitalization rate) 10.3% High admission rate
- Fatality rate 0.28% Elevated fatality rate
- 5-year trend-17%
Band labels compare this category against the corpus of 838 scored CPSC product categories, see the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Across the 20-year NEISS window from 2005 to 2024, injury counts for tennis (activity, apparel or equipment) are declining by about 17% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2012 (24,224 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2020 (13,697 estimated visits). The single most common ER diagnosis is strain, sprain to the ankle, accounting for approximately 37,577 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by other to the upper trunk (26,019 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 71,280 cases over the NEISS window, and females appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 10.3% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.28%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 18 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how tennis (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 Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 1,598 | 1,193 | |
| 5-14 | 33,967 | 26,780 | |
| 15-24 | 35,468 | 35,812 | |
| 25-34 | 15,259 | 10,767 | |
| 35-44 | 19,986 | 15,697 | |
| 45-54 | 24,940 | 22,857 | |
| 55-64 | 27,275 | 26,212 | |
| 65-74 | 40,633 | 28,143 | |
| 75+ | 33,413 | 15,435 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| All Parts Body | Other | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Lower Leg | Strain, Sprain | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Wrist | Fracture | |
| Knee | Strain, Sprain | |
| Wrist | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Arm | Fracture | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Knee | Other | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
9 YOF WAS HIT IN EYE WITH A TENNIS BALL DX: ABRASION CORNEA
28YOM WAS PLAYING TENNIS WHEN HE FELT SOMETHING POP IN HIS RIGH ANKLE DX:STRAINED ACHILLES TENDON
77YOF WAS PLAYING TENNIS FOR TWO HOURS WHEN SHE SUDDENLY DEVELOPED CHEST PAIN WITH TIGHTNESS DX: ACUTE CHEST PAIN
74YOM FELL ONTO LEFT ELBOW TWO DAYS AGO WHILE PLAYING TENNIS SUSTAINED AND ABRSION TO ELBOW NOW INFECTED DX:CELLULITIS LEFT ELBOW
53YOF WAS PLAYING TENNIS TODAY WHEN SHE WAS RUNNING TOWARDS THE WALL AND ACCIDENTALLY STEPPED ON THE TENNIS BALL CAUSING HER TO FALL INJURING HER RIGHT KNEE DX: FRACTURED RIGHT KNEE; FRACTURED LEFT HUMERUS
10 YOM. ABDOMINAL PAIN AFTER PT WAS PLAYING TENNIS, WAS HIT BY THE BALL. DX: BLUNT TRAUMA OF ABDOMINAL WALL
81 YOF FELL WHILE PLAYING TENNIS, C/O RIGHT HAND PAIN, DX: HAND FRACTURE
84 YOM C/O RIGHT WRIST AND FACIAL PAIN AFTER FALL INTO NET WHILE PLAYING TENNIS, DX: RIGHT WRIST FRACTURE, NASAL BONE FRACTURE
14YOM HAD PLAYED TENNIS FOR FOUR HOURS STRAIGHT YESTERDAY NOW IS HAVING PAIN IN RIGHT SHOULDER DX: ROTATOR CUFF INJURY
10 YOF C/O RIGHT SHOULDER PAIN AFTER THROWING A TENNIS BALL VERY HARD YESTERDAY, DX: RIGHT SHOULDER SPRAIN
79 YOF WAS PLAYING INDOOR TENNIS LAST NIGHT WHEN SHE FELL BACKWARDS LANDING ON HER TAILBONE AND HIT HER HEAD, DOES NOT TAKE BLOOD THINNERS, DX: CONCUSSION
64YOF WAS PLAYING TENNIS AND DEVELOPED PAIN IN CHEST DX: CHEST PAIN
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
The consumer stated that she purchased a pack of 3 tennis balls. She stated that when she opened the packaging there was a load noise and a strong chemical smell was emitted from the inside of the packaging. The consumer stated that she placed the balls outside to air it out and they still have the strong chemical odor. The consumer stated that she was not injured, but she breathed in the chemicals when she opened the packaging. The consumer stated that she will not be contacting the manufacturer but she will be taking the product back to the retailer.
Consumer experiences constant debilitating elbow wrist and shoulder pain due to playing with air injected tennis racket which results in ongoing physical therapy.
Consumer reports constant pain in the shoulder leading to multiple surgeries on the rotator cuff and labrum as a result of using hollow air injected tennis racket.
Consumer experiences constant debilitating elbow pain due to playing with air injected tennis racket which results in physical therapy, prolotherapy injections, nerve tests, and acupuncture as well as other therapies.
68 Year old Male suffered serious injury to his shoulder and arm after using the racket. He underwent medical treatment. Purchased the racket was purchased from Walmart stores. The product is also sold at Modell's and Amazon Statement from victim is as follows: "In the fall of 2012, I noticed accumulating tenderness in my shoulder as I played with my racquet. The more I played, the worse it got. The pain spread to my elbow and wrist. I saw [REDACTED], an orthopedist, about this. He said it was inflammation from tennis. He had me treat with naproxen twice daily (4 pills total) for two weeks, then two pills daily for two weeks. My shoulder and arm pain still persist and interfere with my sleep. I have lifted weights and done minimal yoga until this injury. This rigid tennis racquet caused the problem."
16 year old boy reports that he suffered permanent and serious injury to his shoulder after using the air injected tennis racket called the Babolat Pure Drive. HIs MRI showed a tear in the rotator cuff and is recommended for surgery. According to his doctor, the cause of the injury was the racket.
Consumer reports that he suffered serious injury to his elbow after using the racket
[REDACTED] age 62 underwent necessary shoulder surgery after being diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear by his doctor [REDACTED] after playing with a hollow air injected Wilson Triad racket The racket was purchased from Play It Again Sports in Chesapeake, VA
Showing 8 of 18 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to tennis (activity, apparel or equipment) on the CPSC website.
Compare beyond Sports Protective Equipment & Gear
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Tennis (activity, Apparel Or Equipment): cross-group products nearest on danger score (44/100), estimated annual ER visits (20,779/yr), and hospitalization share (10.3%). Same-group neighbours stay in Related Products above.
Similar danger score
Nearest cross-group products by PlainSafety danger score (100-point scale).
Similar ER visit volume
Nearest cross-group products by NEISS estimated annual ER visits.
- Workshop Grinders, Buffers Or Polishers, N.s. Home Communication & Entertainment 20,784/yr
- Slicers And Choppers Containers, Tableware & Packaging 20,882/yr
- Balls, Other Or Not Specified Swimming, Water & Beach Equipment 20,958/yr
- Room-sized, Wall-to-wall Or Outdoor Carpeting Home Furnishings & Fixtures 20,964/yr
Similar hospitalization rate
Nearest cross-group products by % of NEISS ER visits resulting in hospital admission.
Related Products in Sports Protective Equipment & Gear
Read with this product
About this data
CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports form the basis of this page. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments.
According to PlainSafety's CPSC NEISS corpus ranking, Tennis (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) ranks #63 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #116 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does tennis (activity, apparel or equipment) rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, tennis (activity, apparel or equipment) ranks #63 by PlainSafety danger score (44/100) and #116 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (20,779/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from tennis (activity, apparel or equipment)?
The most common injury is strain, sprain to the ankle, accounting for approximately 37,577 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from tennis (activity, apparel or equipment) increasing or decreasing?
Down 17% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for tennis (activity, apparel or equipment) injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 71,280 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by tennis (activity, apparel or equipment)?
Of all ER visits involving tennis (activity, apparel or equipment), approximately 10.3% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (89.7%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with tennis (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.
PlainSafety is rendered directly from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall and incident records, no number is typed in by an editor. Product recall timelines and hazard labels are drawn from CPSC recall records for this product. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.