Top 10 Worst Sports Activities for Seniors

An April 2026 report on common sports injuries in older Americans found that exercise equipment causes the most accidents among seniors. A new study by Conboy Law Injury & Medical Malpractice Lawyers reveals which physical activities are most likely to send older adults to the emergency room.

• Treadmills and home gym equipment hurt 470K+ American seniors each year, causing more injuries than any other physical activity.
• Bicycling is another dangerous pastime for people over 65, sending 235K older adults to hospitals annually.
• 45K American elders get hurt while fishing every year, despite it being viewed as a safe recreational activity.

The research examined injury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to find which sports and recreational activities hurt older adults the most. The report looked at Americans aged 65 and up, tracking total injury records across different age ranges. Activities were ranked by how many people got hurt, showing which ones send the most seniors to hospitals. The study also identified peak injury ages, meaning the specific age when accidents happen most often for each activity.

Here’s a look at the top 10 most dangerous sports and activities for elderly Americans:

Sport / ActivityTotal (65+)Peak AgeAges 65–69Ages 70–74Ages 75–79Ages 80+

1. Exercise equipment

• Total injuries (65+): 470.9K
• Peak age: 85 and older
• Ages 65-69: 126K injuries
• Ages 70-74: 109K injuries
• Ages 75-79: 84K injuries
• Ages 80+: 151K injuries

Exercise equipment is the number one reason seniors end up in ERs. Treadmills, stationary bikes, and weight machines at home or in gyms cause nearly 471K injuries among people over 65 each year. That’s double the number caused by bicycles, the second-most dangerous activity. The risk climbs as people age, too. Americans 85 and older suffer more accidents on fitness equipment than any younger age group, with 151K injuries recorded in that bracket alone.

2. Bicycles

Bicycling comes second with 235K injuries reported among older riders yearly. Unlike exercise equipment, cycling is most dangerous for people in their mid-60s, when accident rates peak at 66 years old. Most people seem to stop biking past 70, as injuries drop from 75K cases in the early 70s to just 6K among riders over 80. However, despite being seen as gentle exercise, bike riding still sends more seniors to hospitals than swimming, fishing, and most team sports combined.

3. ATVs and mopeds

ATVs and mopeds rank third, causing over 77K injuries in the elderly population. Like exercise equipment, these motorized vehicles become more dangerous with age. Among the 85-and-older group, there are 20K injuries reported annually, while riders in their late 60s make up 27K cases. Those aged 70 to 74 see 17K incidents, and the 75-to-79 bracket records 13K. This indicates that older drivers don’t necessarily ride more safely as they age.

4. Swimming

Swimming takes fourth place with 45K injuries among older adults. Going to the pool is most dangerous for 70-year-olds, when injury counts reach their highest point. Swimmers in their late 60s account for 19K cases, while those 70 to 74 report 16K incidents. Most seniors appear to quit swimming after 75, as injuries drop to just 7K in that bracket and fall even further to 3K for those over 80.

5. Fishing

Fishing rounds out the top five, injuring about 35K seniors annually. This recreational activity is riskiest for 66-year-olds, matching the peak injury age seen in cycling. Anglers in their late 60s represent 16K cases, while those 70 to 74 account for 12K injuries. The numbers fall to 5K for people in their late 70s and drop further to just 2K for those over 80. Despite fishing’s reputation as a safer hobby, it seems slippery docks, uneven riverbanks, and tangled lines create real hazards for elders.

A legal expert from Conboy Law Injury & Medical Malpractice Lawyers commented on the study:

“As a lawyer, I’ve handled cases where retirement communities encouraged residents to use exercise equipment without proper training, or where product designers ignored basic safety features that could prevent falls. What really matters legally is whether someone else’s negligence contributed to the accident. A poorly designed product, lack of safety warnings, or inadequate supervision at a facility can all create liability, even if the person signed a waiver.”