The five sports that caused the most injury claims to ACC last year, were rugby, football, netball, basketball and rugby league.
In Otago and Southland alone, more than 12,000 people playing those sports racked up injury claims, costing the taxpayer $28.4million to help them recover.
Nationwide, ACC received 162,263 claims for injuries related to those sports, costing $357m.
So, as sports enthusiasts gear up for this winter season, ACC is urging them to build into the season to stay injury-free.
ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker said many people might be surprised to learn that sports injuries do not peak late in the season as a result of bodies wearing out. ACC data showed the peak time for winter sport injuries was in May.
‘‘ACC injury claims for netball, basketball, rugby union, and rugby league consistently peak in May as seasons get under way.
‘‘Claims for football players peak a bit earlier — in April.’’
A common trend at this time of year was people went into their sport ‘‘too hard, too soon’’, and it left them on the sidelines with preventable injuries.
‘‘It’s really important to take a step back and think about how you can best prepare yourself for the upcoming season.
‘‘Smart things to focus on include increasing your fitness, refining your skills, and improving your physical condition.
‘‘We want everyone to get out and enjoy the sports they love, but we want them to be properly geared up so they reduce their chance of suffering an injury that puts them on the sideline.’’
He said ACC funded a range of national sports bodies to ensure players, coaches, and referees could access a range of injury prevention programmes that were designed to improve performance and reduce injury risk.
The data showed more often than not, the teams with the fewest injuries were the most successful at the end of the season, he said.
Across the five leading national winter sports in 2025, the most common injuries were strains and sprains, with knee, ankle and shoulder injuries consistently the most prevalent.
He said it was also important to look after your brain.
There were 5854 concussion-related injuries — rugby (3256), football (1258), rugby league (609), basketball (457) and netball (274).
Mr Whitaker urged teams to consult ACC’s national concussion guidelines for community sport.
‘‘We need to continue changing the culture, and provide a safe environment for reporting concussion.’’
