The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) 80:25-32 (1998)
© 1998 The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.
Skiing Injuries in Children, Adolescents, and Adults*
M. C. DEIBERT, M.D. ,
D. D. ARONSSON, M.D. ,
R. J. JOHNSON, M.D.,
C. F. ETTLINGER, M.S. and
J. E. SHEALY, PH.D.#, BURLINGTON, VERMONT
Investigation performed at the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, McClure Musculoskeletal Research Center, The University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington
We prospectively gathered data on skiing injuries that had been sustained at the Sugarbush North ski area since 1972 and at the Sugarbush South ski area since 1981. The purpose of the current study was to document the overall rates of injury in children, adolescents, and adults participating in alpine skiing. We also sought to determine the ten most common injuries in each age-group. Finally, we analyzed short-term and long-term trends to determine if changes in equipment had had an effect on the frequency or pattern of injury.
From the 1981–1982 to the 1993–1994 season, there were 2.79 injuries per 1000 skier days: 4.27 injuries in children, 2.93 in adolescents, and 2.69 in adults. During the last eight years of the study, the most common injuries were a contusion of the knee in children, a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb in adolescents, and a grade-III sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament in adults. The short-term trends revealed that, in children, the frequency of tibial fractures decreased 10 per cent while that of fractures of the upper extremity increased 8 per cent. The long-term trends showed that, in adults, the rate of tibial fractures decreased 89 per cent while that of injuries of the anterior cruciate ligament increased 280 per cent. The overall rate of injury decreased 43 per cent from the beginning of the study in 1972 to the end of the study in 1994; the decrease was 58 per cent in children, 45 per cent in adolescents, and 42 per cent in adults.
Data on the types of equipment and the binding-release values were collected prospectively from injured skiers and from 2083 non-injured skiers. Of the fifty-nine skiers who sustained a spiral fracture of the tibia, forty-two (71 per cent) had binding-release values that were higher than the average for the uninjured group. We believe that the use of properly functioning modern equipment will decrease the rate of injury, particularly in children.
 CiteULike  Connotea  Del.icio.us  Technorati What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
|
|
 
C. Shanmugam and N. Maffulli
Sports injuries in children
Br. Med. Bull.,
June 1, 2008;
86(1):
33 - 57.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Ackery, B E Hagel, C Provvidenza, and C H Tator
An international review of head and spinal cord injuries in alpine skiing and snowboarding
Inj. Prev.,
December 1, 2007;
13(6):
368 - 375.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Pujol, M. P. R. Blanchi, and P. Chambat
The Incidence of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries Among Competitive Alpine Skiers: A 25-year Investigation
Am. J. Sports Med.,
July 1, 2007;
35(7):
1070 - 1074.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Sulheim, I. Holme, A. Ekeland, and R. Bahr
Helmet Use and Risk of Head Injuries in Alpine Skiers and Snowboarders
JAMA,
February 22, 2006;
295(8):
919 - 924.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Torjussen and R. Bahr
Injuries Among Competitive Snowboarders at the National Elite Level
Am. J. Sports Med.,
March 1, 2005;
33(3):
370 - 377.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. E Hagel, I B. Pless, C. Goulet, R. W Platt, and Y. Robitaille
Effectiveness of helmets in skiers and snowboarders: case-control and case crossover study
BMJ,
February 5, 2005;
330(7486):
281.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
H Xiang, L Stallones, and G A Smith
Downhill skiing injury fatalities among children
Inj. Prev.,
April 1, 2004;
10(2):
99 - 102.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Langran and S. Selvaraj
Increased Injury Risk Among First-Day Skiers, Snowboarders, and Skiboarders
Am. J. Sports Med.,
January 1, 2004;
32(1):
96 - 103.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E J Bridges, F Rouah, and K M Johnston
Snowblading injuries in Eastern Canada
Br. J. Sports Med.,
December 1, 2003;
37(6):
511 - 515.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J M Clingenpeel and S W Marshall
Helmet rental practices at United States ski areas: a national survey
Inj. Prev.,
December 1, 2003;
9(4):
317 - 321.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P Sharma, K. Luscombe, and N Maffulli
Sports injuries in children
Trauma,
October 1, 2003;
5(4):
245 - 259.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Giza, C. Fuller, A. Junge, and J. Dvorak
Mechanisms of Foot and Ankle Injuries in Soccer
Am. J. Sports Med.,
July 1, 2003;
31(4):
550 - 554.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M Langran and S Selvaraj
Snow sports injuries in Scotland: a case-control study
Br. J. Sports Med.,
April 1, 2002;
36(2):
135 - 140.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. L. Tuggy and R. Ong
Injury Risk Factors Among Telemark Skiers
Am. J. Sports Med.,
January 1, 2000;
28(1):
83 - 89.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. M. Oates, D. P. Van Eenenaam, K. Briggs, K. Homa, and W. I. Sterett
Comparative Injury Rates of Uninjured, Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Deficient, and Reconstructed Knees in a Skiing Population
Am. J. Sports Med.,
September 1, 1999;
27(5):
606 - 610.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Goulet, G. Regnier, G. Grimard, P. Valois, and P. Villeneuve
Risk Factors Associated With Alpine Skiing Injuries In Children: A Case-Control Study
Am. J. Sports Med.,
September 1, 1999;
27(5):
644 - 650.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
