Perspectives on injuries in snowboarders

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Injury Prevention
• Gerontology

Background:

• Snowboarding injury prevention is challenging, particularly for older adults.
• The Haddon Matrix is a key framework for developing interventions.
• Understanding participant motivations and behaviors is crucial for effective prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the meanings and behaviors associated with snowboarding and injury prevention in older adults.
• To apply these findings to the Haddon Matrix framework for intervention development.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving nine older adult recreational snowboarders.
• Two in-depth interviews per participant, analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenology.
• Findings reinterpreted through the lens of the Haddon Matrix.

Main Results:

• Snowboarding is linked to holiday happiness and life re-evaluation.
• Prevention practices are limited and time-bound, influenced by a 'learning-by-doing' holiday mindset.
• Experienced riders use off-piste areas and protective gear; group dynamics increase injury risk.
• Minor injuries are often untreated.

Conclusions:

• Integrating phenomenological insights with the Haddon Matrix is valuable.
• Subjective meanings of snowboarding impact prevention strategies.
• Resort-based injury control may be more effective for older snowboarders.