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Alpine skiing, snowboarding, and spinal trauma.
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287-0882, USA. floyt@boiseortho.com
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery
|September 12, 2001
Summary
Alpine winter sports like skiing and snowboarding rarely cause significant spinal injuries. Most spinal injuries in these sports do not require surgery and have a low risk of permanent neurologic deficit.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Sports Medicine
- Traumatology
Background:
- Spinal injuries can occur during alpine winter sports.
- Understanding the incidence and patterns of these injuries is crucial for prevention and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and types of spinal and neurologic injuries in skiers and snowboarders.
- To analyze injury patterns and outcomes over an 11-season period.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of spinal injuries over 10 years at a destination ski resort.
- Analysis of injury data from skiers and snowboarders.
Main Results:
- One significant spinal injury occurred per 100,000 skier-days.
- 9% of spinal injuries required surgery.
- Cervical injuries had a 25% rate of temporary neurologic deficit.
- Thoracic injuries had a 4% rate of permanent neurologic deficit.
- Lumbar injuries did not require surgery or result in neurologic deficit.
- The incidence of death or permanent neurologic deficit was approximately one per two million skier-days.
Conclusions:
- Skiing and snowboarding are associated with a low incidence of significant spinal trauma.
- The risk of severe neurologic deficit or death from spinal injury in these sports is low.