The study, published in the latest edition of the Medical Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, found an average of 26 crib-related injuries per day in the United States.
Most injuries were from falls in toddlers between ages 1 and 2 - generally old enough to attempt climbing out of a crib or playpen.
Researchers who studied 19 years of ER data say better prevention efforts are needed, but that recent safety measures including a ban on drop-side cribs likely will reduce those numbers.
The study found a gradual decrease in the injury rate between 1990 and 2008.
The study authors analyzed national 1990-2008 data on ER-treated injuries from the product safety commission. They focused on nonfatal injuries related to cribs, playpens and bassinets; information on injuries linked with specific models was not provided.
Overall, 181,654 infants were injured. Most children were not hospitalized. The data also show there were 2,140 deaths, but that doesn't include crib-related deaths in children who didn't receive ER treatment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
