[Injuries in snowboarding--a prospective study]

180 patients with injuries effected through snowboarding were evaluated during a period of 2 1/2 months in both the hospitals and private surgeries of Oberwallis. This was done to determine the nature of the injuries and the risk factors that led to them. Snowboarders are on the average 21 years of age and only rarely over 40. One-third are women, and two-third are men. More than half are beginners with less than one week's training experience; one-fifth of the beginners met with the accident on the first "snowboard day". Over 80% of the injured said that riding mistakes and insufficient training and instruction were the cause; rarely were the conditions of the runway blamed. The accidents happened irrespective of snow and runway conditions. Accidents due to tearing of the fastenings always injured the lower extremity. Injuries of the upper and lower extremities take place in the same proportions. Injuries of the trunk and head are rare. Beginners usually injure the upper, while good snowboarders the lower extremities. The most common injuries are radius fractures, followed by ankle and knee distorsions. In the case of injuries to the lower extremities, the forward leg which is the "skating leg" or "standing leg", is affected more than 80% of the cases.