Ice-skating and roller disco injuries in Dublin

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Orthopedics
• Traumatology

Background:

• Ice-skating and roller skating are popular recreational and competitive activities.
• Both sports carry inherent risks of injury, necessitating an understanding of their specific injury patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comparatively analyze the types and severity of injuries sustained in ice-skating versus roller skating.
• To identify demographic differences and injury characteristics between the two skating disciplines.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective comparative study of 72 ice-skating and 57 roller skating injuries over 16 months.
• Data collected included patient demographics, injury types, and severity, with a focus on fractures.

Main Results:

• Ice-skaters (average age 20.5) sustained more severe injuries than roller skaters (average age 16.5).
• Fractures were significantly more common in ice-skating injuries (40%) compared to roller skating injuries (14%).
• Females predominated in both groups (72% ice-skating, 77% roller skating) and accounted for most ice-skating fractures.

Conclusions:

• Ice-skating poses a higher risk of severe injuries, especially fractures, compared to roller skating.
• Injury prevention strategies should be tailored to address the specific risks associated with each sport, with a focus on female ice-skaters.