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The most frequent sports injuries according to ERGO accident statistics
The Winter Olympics are over, the football World Cup is just around the corner. Elite athletes push their bodies to the absolute limit – not always healthy, but endlessly fascinating for people around the world. Sport is fun even when there are no medals or trophies at stake. In Germany alone, almost 30 million people are members of sports clubs. But amateur athletes are not immune to injury either: for 2025, the latest ERGO accident statistics record 6,487 sports-related accidents – roughly the same number as in the previous year.
Amateur sport is generally good for your health and provides a valuable counterbalance to a stressful daily routine. But strength and speed can be difficult to control – and the result can be accidents and injuries. The latest analysis by ERGO accident insurance shows in which sports policyholders were most likely to be injured in 2025. In total, the 2025 ERGO accident statistics list 6,487 sports accidents. These are spread across a wide range of sports, but very unevenly: the ten sports with the most reported accidents account for just under 73 percent of all incidents. Even this figure, however, only tells part of the story.
op 3: Most sports accidents occur in football, skiing and cycling
In fact, just three sports – football, skiing and cycling – account for around 60 percent of all sports injuries. Given how popular these activities are, that is perhaps not especially surprising: almost seven million people in Germany play football, three quarters of all households own at least one bicycle, and around eleven million people go skiing at least occasionally.
The ten sports with the highest accident rates are the same as last year – only the order has changed.
1st place: Football
With 2,308 reported accidents (35.6 percent), football remains well out in front in the statistics. Quick changes of direction, tackles, high speeds – injuries are hardly uncommon.
Despite a slight decline of 4.8 percent compared to the previous year, football is still the sport with the highest number of accidents. Given the large number of active players, this is hardly surprising. Football has always been one of the most popular sports in Germany; the upcoming World Cup could boost interest even further. The average payout per accident is 4,806 euros.
2nd place: Skiing
Skiing (including skibob) comes second with 1,001 accidents (15.4 percent). Falls on the slope or collisions are particularly common causes of injury.
Compared to the previous year, the number of reported skiing accidents rose by 7.8 percent. Winter sports remain very popular despite changeable snow conditions and mild winters – many people still head to the Alpine resorts during the holidays. One key reason for accidents is the lack of natural snow. On the one hand, the increased use of artificial snow makes the slopes significantly harder and faster. On the other, the risk of injury also rises at the edges of the pistes when the skiable sections are narrowed due to a lack of snow. Falls and collisions are the result. Among the top 10 sports, skiing causes the highest average costs – around 7,224 euros per accident.
3rd place: Cycling
With 579 accidents (8.9 percent), cycling takes third place. Falls or collisions are among the most common causes of accidents here.
Compared with the previous year, however, the number of reported cycling accidents has fallen significantly – down by 15.4 percent. At the same time, cycling remains one of the most popular leisure activities in Germany: not least thanks to the boom in e‑bikes and pedelecs, more and more people use bicycles in both their free time and everyday life. Does the decline in accidents point to improved safety technology? It will be interesting to keep an eye on future developments. The average payout per accident is 6,136 euros.
4th place: Handball
With 189 accidents (2.9 percent), handball ranks fourth in the statistics. This fast-paced sport, with numerous tackles and jumps, frequently leads to injuries to joints or ligaments.
Handball is one of the most popular team sports in Germany and is widely played both in clubs and in schools. The 2024 European Championship on home soil further increased interest in the sport.
5th place: Equestrian sport
Equestrian sport (including polo) accounts for 162 accidents (2.5 percent). Falls from a horse can sometimes have serious consequences – compared with many other sports, riding accidents particularly often result in more severe injuries.
As one of the few sports in which people work together with animals, equestrianism remains very popular. Riding is also widely recognised as having many beneficial effects on muscles, coordination, balance and self-confidence.
6th place: Volleyball
With 145 accidents (2.2 percent), volleyball comes in sixth. Injuries often occur when jumps end in awkward landings or as a result of unfortunate movements during play.
The sport has long been popular in both clubs and casual settings. A relatively recent development is the growing popularity of beach volleyball – in summer, more and more courts are appearing in public spaces and leisure facilities.
Statutory accident insurance stops exactly where most accidents happen – during leisure time, in the home or while playing sport. That’s why private cover is so important.
7th place: Basketball
Basketball ranks seventh with 133 accidents (2.1 percent). This fast game, with many changes of direction and jumps, carries an increased risk of sprains and ligament injuries.
After the German men’s national team won the World Cup in 2023, basketball enjoyed a fresh surge in popularity. Their victory at the 2025 European Championship is likely to ensure that the boom continues for some time.
8th place: Tennis
ERGO recorded 80 tennis accidents (1.2 percent). Here too, rapid movements and abrupt stops can lead to injuries.
The sport has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity for several years. During the pandemic in particular, many people discovered tennis as a non-contact outdoor sport – a trend that is still noticeable in many clubs.
9th and 10th place: Ice skating and water sports
As in the previous year, ice skating and water sports occupy the last two spots in the top 10 ranking. Ice skating is in ninth place with 65 accidents (1 percent). No one who has already made painful contact with the hardness of frozen water during their first, tentative steps on skates will doubt that falls on the ice can cause injuries.
Water can also be problematic in its liquid form: with 60 accidents (0.9 percent), water sports (including water polo) complete the top ten.
Long-term trends: No real change
A look back over the last ten years shows that the three sports topping the 2025 statistics were already the most injury-prone in previous years: over the entire period from 2016 to 2025, most sports accidents occurred in football (32.6 percent). This is followed by skiing (15 percent) and cycling (11.2 percent). Athletics has now dropped out of the top ten – both this year and last – although over the past decade it still accounted for a notable 1.4 per cent of all accidents. New sports are only slowly making their way up the accident rankings. Yet some trendy activities, such as padel tennis, do carry a noticeably higher risk of injury.
Preventing injuries
Many sports accidents can be avoided. The key factors are good preparation, suitable protective gear depending on the sport, and a realistic self-assessment. Most measures are easy to implement:
warming up and stretching before training
appropriate protective clothing, such as helmets or pads
sufficient breaks and time to recover
consideration for team-mates and other people taking part in sport
Anyone who follows these basic rules can significantly reduce the risk of injury – both for themselves and for others.
Benefits from accident insurance in the event of a claim
Serious accidents in particular often require time before injuries are fully treated and a permanent level of disability can be determined. This degree of disability results in a one-off lump-sum payment and – if agreed – a permanent accident pension. This was the case for a 21‑year‑old customer who had a serious skiing accident in Austria in 2023. Her spinal injuries resulted in a disability level of 45 percent. Under her accident insurance, she received a lump-sum payment of 113,000 euros. In addition, she receives a monthly pension of 695 euros. Projected over her statistical life expectancy, this amounts to almost 517,000 euros – a total of 630,000 euros. The conclusion: in individual cases, customers receive significantly higher benefits than the average figures suggest – in the case of the accident pension, even for life.
Private cover matters
Even with good preparation and sensible behaviour, accidents in sport cannot always be prevented. Statutory accident insurance generally only applies to work-related and commuting accidents – for example on the way to work or during professional activities.
Sport in your free time is not normally covered by statutory accident insurance. Yet the majority of accidents happen away from work, school or training. The financial consequences can be substantial – for example due to rehabilitation costs, loss of income or even the cost of adapting your home if you suffer long-term health impairments.
Private accident insurance can close this gap. It offers protection – anytime, anywhere. Private accident insurance provides financial support if an accident leads to permanent health damage. Depending on the level of cover, it can also include the costs of rescue services, rehabilitation or practical help with everyday tasks.
Sport is good for your health – almost always. In all those cases where things turn out differently, good insurance cover can make all the difference.
The top 10 sports injuries
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You can download the ERGO accident insurance statistics on the top 10 sports accidents of recent years as a PDF file in the German version here.
The data are not representative of Germany. They are taken from ERGO’s accident statistics based on claims reports in private accident insurance.
Would you like to learn more?
Our expert on the topic:
Olaf Bläser
Chair of the Board of Management of ERGO Versicherung AG and Member of the Board of Management of ERGO Deutschland AG, responsible for property/casualty insurance.
Our press office arranges interviews and background discussions on request.
