[Snowboarding accidents 1991 to 1994--an analysis]

437 snowboard injuries were taken under surveilance in the years 1991 till 1994. The average age was 21.5 years. 422 (97%) injuries were caused by a crash, only 15 (3%) by a collision. 178 patients (41%) needed only one single office visit, 259 patients (59%) had to undergo longer outpatient treatment (mean 27d). Only 34 patients (8%) needed inpatient treatment with an average stay of 4.44 days. 127 patients (29%) were on sick leave for several days (mean 20.57d). The most common diagnosis was a distortion 183 (38%), followed by fractures 148 (31%) and contusions 98 (21%). The upper extremities were the predominant injury site in 51% (245) with no prevalence of left or right. The lower extremities were injured in 34% (163) with a prevalence of the left leg 2/3. Head, spine, chest and abdomen were injured in 15% (69). The typical snowboarders injury however is an injury of the wrist (182/27%). Here of 71 (39%) were fractures of the distal radius. The knee joint being the second most common injury sight in 109 (16%) cases, mainly with sprains (63p/60%), seldomly with meniscal tears and/or ligament ruptures (10p/10%) and rarely fractures (3p / 3%). The fixation of both legs during snowboarding seems to be protective against complex knee joint injuries. Other regions were injured in less than 10%.