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Self-reported skill level and injury severity in skiers and snowboarders.

J Sci Med Sport. 2010 Jan;13(1):39-41

Authors: Goulet C, Hagel BE, Hamel D, Légaré G

There is evidence to suggest that the rate of injury is lower for expert skiers and snowboarders than for beginners. A better understanding of the relation between injury severity and skill level is also needed for planning injury prevention strategies. Our objective was to examine the severity and location of injuries sustained by self-reported expert and beginner skiers and snowboarders. A case-control study design was used. Injured skiers and snowboarders had to report their skill level on a 5 point scale (1: “beginner”; 5: “expert”). Two sets of severely injured cases were defined based on the type of injury and ambulance evacuation. Controls were those who did not sustain severe injuries. Logistic regression analyses were performed to relate injury severity to skill level. Subjects were 22 078 injured skiers and snowboarders who reported to the ski patrol with an injury sustained on the slopes of an alpine ski centre of the Canadian province of Québec during the seasons 2001-2002 to 2004-2005. Compared with beginners, experts had an increased risk of suffering from a severe injury (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.58-2.23). Expert snowboarders were also more likely to suffer from a severe injury or be evacuated by ambulance (AOR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.02-1.38). Results suggest that the type of activities or manoeuvres performed by expert skiers and snowboarders may increase the risk of sustaining a severe injury compared with beginner participants.

19124272

– Self-reported skill level and injury severity in skiers and snowboarders.

Upper extremity sports injury: risk factors in comparison to lower extremity injury in more than 25 000 cases.

Clin J Sport Med. 2010 Jul;20(4):256-63

Authors: Sytema R, Dekker R, Dijkstra PU, ten Duis HJ, van der Sluis CK

OBJECTIVE: To analyze differences in sports injury characteristics of the upper and lower extremity and to identify factors that contribute to the risk of sustaining an upper extremity injury compared with the risk of sustaining a lower extremity injury. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: An emergency department of a large European level I trauma center. PATIENTS: A total of 25 120 patients with a simple sports injury, attending during 1990-2005. ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS: Independent variables used to assess risk factors were extracted from a local database. These include age, sex, type of injury, site and side of the injury, type of sport, injury mechanism, and data on admission. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main outcome measure was the relation of various risk factors to the occurrence of either upper or lower extremity injury. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors for upper extremity injury. RESULTS: Thirty-five percent upper and 53% lower extremity injuries were recorded. Most injuries were sustained when playing soccer (36%). Fractures were more frequently diagnosed in the upper than in the lower extremities (44% and 14%, respectively), especially in children. Falling was the main cause of upper extremity injury. Further risk factors were young age and playing individual sports, no-contact sports, or no-ball sports. Women were at risk in speed skating, inline skating, and basketball, whereas men mostly got injured during skiing and snowboarding. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of sports injuries are sustained to the upper extremity. Different risk factors were identified for both sexes. These risk factors should be taken into account when designing preventive measures.

20606510

– Upper extremity sports injury: risk factors in comparison to lower extremity injury in more than 25 000 cases.