# Base Jumping
If you thought jumping off an airplane with 15,000 feet to go dangerous, think again. This isn't challenging enough for many, and hence, they choose cliffs and artificial objects like towers. Jumping from such heights may sound safer, while in reality, they tend to be trickier due to virtually no time available to deploy the parachutes or deal with any problems. The BASE is actually an acronym for the type of objects people jump off. It stands for Buildings, Antennas (tower), Spans (or bridges), and Earth (natural formations like cliffs, canyons, gorges, etc.). First developed by Carl Boenish in 1978, it has grown in popularity since.
# Horse riding
Ever hoped to one day own your very own pony and ride on it every single day? Well, I'm sure many of us have, but did you know that horseback riding also happens to be considered a hazardous sport? Fatal injuries and even deaths are caused every year by horse riding accidents. The most common cause of injury is getting trampled while on the ground near the horse. The hooves are potent that could easily make you a permanent fixture in the hospital. Other causes include getting thrown off your horse or fatal kicks while leading the horse into the paddock. So should you get that pony you dreamed of, please do remember to exercise extreme caution?
# Scuba diving
Scuba diving is an underwater sport fast gaining popularity across the planet. This recreational sport involves using SCUBA - Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus to stay underwater long enough to savor the serene beauty of marine life. While for some, the allure of scuba diving lies in the charm of underwater life, it's the thrill of exploring a wreck or a cave for others. The danger in this sport chiefly lies in the changes in pressure. These changes in pressure could potentially rupture a lung, ear-drums or damage the sinuses. Prolonged exposure to high-pressure gases can result in the build-up of nitrogen and helium in our bloodstream, leading to damage to tissues, blocking of small blood vessels, or even shut down of blood supply! Other casualties could be due to the failure of diving equipment.
# Running of the bulls
The festival of San Fermin, or running of the bulls as it is more popularly known, takes place on the 6th of July in Pamplona, Spain. It was originally meant to transport bulls from bred to the bull ring where they would be slaughtered. Youngsters would jump in beside these bulls to show off their bravado. Over the years, it developed into a festival marked by music, dancing, and markets. After the first two rockets, the run starts and ends with the third and fourth rockets signaling that the bulls have entered the bull-ring. The dangers of running with bulls are imaginably immense. Every year, 50-100 people get injured due to goring, asphyxiations, piling up of people leading to suffocation, and even getting crushed by the bulls.
# Jallikattu
Jallikattu, also known as bull-taming, is another sport that involves bulls though it occurs on a different continent with a different set of rules. In villages across Tamil Nadu during the Pongal (thanksgiving for plentiful harvests) festival, this is a sport in which the only one emerges the winner - man or bull. In one form of this sport, a person has to hold on to the bull for a specified time or distance to win, while a variant to this game involves releasing the bull into an open field with the participants trying to subdue the bull. As can be anticipated, the dangers are many, and as many as 200 have died in this sport over the last two decades. Also, due to protests by animal activists against the cruelty meted out to the beasts, the sport has been banned in the country.
# Bull riding
This rodeo sport involves staying mounted on a bull for as long as possible while the bull tries to buck off the rider. The very mention of mounting a 1000kg bull invokes jitters amongst us, so I guess much needn't be said about the perils entailed in the actual sport. It has been considered one of the most dangerous sports globally, with damage to the neck, head, and face besides concussions accounting for most of the injuries. In 1989 after a bull gored and punctured the heart of cowboy Lane Frost it was made compulsory to wear protective vests made of ballistic material. This and a slew of other protective measures have brought down the accidents in the sport, but despite this, it continues to be the "most dangerous 8 seconds in sports".
# Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport that tests balance, strength, flexibility, and control. Though originally devised to test soldiers for the war in the military, it now is an Olympic sport contested by many. This sport that invokes an image of graceful women and men in leotards has an ugly face. Yes, I'm referring to the risks involved. Wrist fractures, spinal fractures, ankle sprains, cartilage damage are some of the various injuries involved. Julissa Gomez was a victim of one of the worst accidents in gymnastics history. In May 1988, months before the Olympics, she slipped and slammed her head during a warm-up, resulting in a neck-down paralysis that lasted until she died in 1991.
# Boxing
A contact sport where the participant's sole goal is to punch his opponent, it doesn't come as a surprise that this isn't an injury-free sport. Statistics reveal that 90% of boxers suffer brain damage during the course of their career. They could even be prone to diseases like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's later in their lives. Sounds scary, doesn't it? But with proper protective gear, the risk of sustaining injuries can be minimized.
# Soccer
Soccer is ranked second on this list, probably due to the frequency of injuries in this sport. This could be ascribed to the vast number of players playing football, but it still deserves mention due to the frightening statistics of injuries and death in this sport. Statistics claim there's a 75% chance of getting a concussion in this game instead of 5% in other games. Every footballer is conscious of the risk to their body and brain throughout their career, but the sheer love for the sport and massive fan following keeps the fire alive in them.
# Cycling
Biking, also called cycling, is sported first on this list due to the high number of casualties. Many might immediately jump to the conclusion that the injuries can be ascribed to extreme mountain biking while in reality, the major cause of injury is, wait for it, 'other vehicles.' This has been documented vividly in the film Premium Rush. Every second of the film will keep you on the edge of your seat, such as the risk involved. The streets could prove to be a perilous place to frequent on your cycle and possibly a gateway to the hospital.
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