Sport Participation Levels Among New York City’s Kids Remain Low Months After the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in decreased sports participation due to social distancing policies and strict return-to-play protocols. This effect has been felt profoundly in New York City, one of the earliest COVID-19 hotspots, even as restrictions have eased. The goal of this study was to characterize sport participation rates in New York City prior to and following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study utilized a retrospective survey on children aged 6-17 with musculoskeletal complaints, assessing sports participation before and after the pandemic. Participants included parents of 242 children (123 males, 119 females) with an average age of 12.5 years ±3.2 years. Even 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, significant decreases were observed in gym class (p<0.001), pick-up games/free play (p=0.0027), basketball (p=0.002), and soccer (p<0.0001) in New York City's children, with a pronounced impact on female adolescents in gym class and pick-up level games (p<0.05). Efforts to reverse the decline in sports participation among children post-pandemic are crucial for their overall well-being. These interventions can contribute to lifelong benefits, necessitating attention in clinical settings and public health initiatives.