The snowboarder's foot and ankle

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Traumatology

Background:

• Snowboarding is a popular winter sport associated with a significant risk of lower extremity injuries.
• Foot and ankle injuries are common among snowboarders, necessitating a detailed understanding of their types and distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively investigate the incidence, types, and patterns of foot and ankle injuries sustained during snowboarding.
• To analyze the correlation between snowboard boot type and the occurrence of specific foot and ankle injuries.

Main Methods:

• Prospective data collection from 3213 snowboarding injuries across 12 Colorado ski resorts (1988-1995).
• Categorization of injuries by location (foot/ankle), type (fracture, sprain, soft tissue), and association with boot type (soft, hybrid, hard).

Main Results:

• Ankle injuries constituted 15.3% and foot injuries 1.8% of all snowboarding injuries.
• Ankle fractures and sprains were the most common, followed by foot fractures and sprains.
• A high incidence of lateral process of the talus fractures (34% of ankle fractures) was observed, often requiring advanced imaging (CT) for diagnosis.
• Soft boot use was associated with fewer lateral talus fractures, and hybrid boots with fewer ankle sprains.

Conclusions:

• Fractures of the lateral process of the talus are a significant and potentially underdiagnosed injury in snowboarders.
• Physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for these subtle fractures in snowboarders presenting with anterolateral ankle pain.
• Boot type may influence specific injury patterns, suggesting potential for preventative strategies.