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A prospective study of kitesurfing injuries
Christoph Nickel1, Oliver Zernial, Volker Musahl
1Klinikum Elmshorn, Elmshorn, Germany.
Background:
To date, the pattern and rate of kitesurfing injuries are largely unclear.
Hypothesis:
The pattern and rate of kitesurfing injuries are comparable to that of contact sports such as football and soccer.
Study Design:
Prospective study.
Methods:
The study was conducted over a 6-month period of 1 season and included 235 kitesurfers.
Results:
The number of self-reported injuries was 124, for an overall self-reported injury rate of 7 per 1000 hours of practice. One fatal accident (polytrauma) and 11 severe injuries occurred during the study period (2 knee ligament injuries and 9 fractures at various sites). The most commonly injured sites were the foot and ankle (28%), skull (14%), chest (13%), and knee (13%). Fifty-six percent of the injuries were attributed to the inability to detach the kite from the harness in a situation involving loss of control over the kite. There was a tendency for athletes using a quick-release system to sustain fewer injuries than athletes without such a release system.
Conclusion:
Kitesurfing can be considered a high-risk sport.
Clinical Relevance:
The use of a quick-release system that enables the surfers to detach the kite in case of an accident might aid in the prevention of injuries.
