The real costs of sports injuries
A knee injury (ACL) will cost you $5,858 on average.
While playing sport is good for your general health, new figures from Bupa show that it might not be the best for your bank account.
A 2014 report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Australian sports injury hospitalisations 2011-12, found that 36,000 people over the age of 15 were hospitalised due to a sports-related injury that year.
The findings of the Bupa research take into account both the immediate treatment costs, such as hospitalisation and the ongoing costs, such as physiotherapy.
“We’ve looked at some of the most common sports injuries and identified the costs associated just with the time spent in hospital. On top of this would likely be ongoing, out of hospital rehabilitation such as physiotherapy," said managing director of Bupa Health Insurance Dwayne Crombie.
The report is designed to raise awareness of potential injuries and encourage those participating in sporting activities to ensure they have taken preventative measures to avoid injury.
“Many of these injuries are unavoidable, but it should reinforce the use of protective items if available for your sport and wear appropriate footwear to minimise the chance of injury as much as possible," Crombie said.
The average cost of various sporting injuries in Australia
| Injury | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Knee injury (ACL) | $5,858 |
| Broken leg | $4,836 |
| Broken jaw | $4,151 |
| Dental trauma | $3,695 |
| Broken arm/wrist | $3,371 |
| Concussion | $1,161 |
While the study takes into account the costs associated with medical treatments, these figures don't account for any lost potential earnings as a result of your inability to attend work due to an injury.
According to recent survey data, nearly two million Australians have taken time off work due to a sports related injury. And almost half a million Aussies have had to take unpaid leave because of a sports injury.
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