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[Injury patterns and prevention in World Cup windsurfing]
G Gosheger1, K Jägersberg, S Linnenbecker
1Klinik und Poliklinik für Allgemeine Orthopädie der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster. goshegg@uni-muenster.de
Summary
Professional windsurfers experience frequent lower extremity injuries, particularly ankle strains, due to footstrap fixation. Head injuries from jumps are also common, with low helmet usage indicating a need for improved safety measures.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Biomechanics
- Occupational Health
Context:
- Professional windsurfing involves high-risk aerial maneuvers like one-handed jumps and loops.
- Participant data collected from 49 professional windsurfers (39 male, 10 female) via questionnaires in multiple languages.
Purpose:
- To analyze injury patterns and identify common injury sites in professional windsurfing.
- To investigate injury prophylaxis methods and their effectiveness among elite windsurfers.
Summary:
- A total of 260 injuries were reported, with the lower extremity being the most affected (59%).
- Ankle joint injuries were most prevalent (22% of all injuries, 61% of windsurfers reporting ankle issues), followed by knee injuries (30 windsurfers, 80% severe ligament/meniscus tears).
- Head injuries (17%) were linked to aerial jumps, while lower extremity injuries were associated with foot strap fixation causing rotational knee forces and ankle strain.
Impact:
- Findings highlight the significant risk of lower extremity injuries in professional windsurfing, primarily due to equipment design.
- Low helmet usage (10%) indicates a need for increased awareness and adoption of protective headgear.
- Recommendations include mandatory helmet use and development of specialized foot straps for improved safety and injury prevention.