Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
Am J Sports Med. 2013 Mar;41(3):652-6. doi: 10.1177/0363546512472045. Epub 2013 Jan 16.
Differences in injury patterns among alpine skiers and snowboarders have previously been recognized, and controversy remains about the safety implications that snowboarding may pose to a ski resort. A change of policy at Taos Ski Valley provides a unique and modern perspective on the effect that snowboarders have on ski resort injuries.
The addition of snowboarders to a large ski resort may result in a significant change in both the rate and pattern of injuries treated.
Descriptive epidemiology study.
Patient records from the Mogul Medical Clinic at Taos Ski Valley were reviewed from the 2006-2007 ski season through the 2009-2010 season (approximately 2 years before and after snowboarding was allowed) and recorded for age, sex, diagnosis, body region, anatomic location, injury type, and sport (skiing, snowboarding). The total numbers of mountain visits for the time periods with and without snowboarding were used to determine injury rates.
The overall rate of persons injured increased from 206.7 per 100,000 mountain visits without snowboarders to 233.8 with snowboarders. The relative risk ratio was 1.131, also represented as a 13.1% increased risk of injury (IRI) (statistically significant; 95% CI, 3.5%-23.6%). Increases were seen in the rate of upper extremity injuries (IRI, 39.1%; 95% CI, 14.3-69.4) and head/neck injuries (IRI 30.8%; not significant), while lower extremity and trunk/pelvis injuries remained relatively constant. Distal radius fractures, closed head injuries, and acromioclavicular separations showed statistically significant increases with the addition of snowboarding. The most frequent injuries among snowboarders were distal radius fractures, wrist sprains, closed head injuries, and acromioclavicular separations. The most frequent injuries among skiers were anterior cruciate ligament tears, knee sprains, closed head injuries, and gastrocnemius tears. The median age of injured persons decreased from 39 years (range, 4-100 years) without snowboarders to 31 years (range, 4-99 years) with snowboarders, and this was significant. Approximately 45% of injured persons were female, and this did not change with the addition of snowboarders.
In this study, there was a small but statistically significant increase in the likelihood of injury with the addition of snowboarding to a large ski resort. It is likely that factors such as younger demographic, elevated risk-taking behavior, or increased mountain crowding are involved. The difference in injuries is largely because of a significant increase in distal radius fractures, closed head injuries, and acromioclavicular separations. On mountain safety precautions such as widening of runs and streamlining of high traffic areas, training medical providers to recognize and treat sport-specific injuries, and promoting the use of wrist guards and helmets may be useful in reducing the effect that snowboarders have on ski resort injuries.
高山滑雪者和单板滑雪者的受伤模式存在差异，单板滑雪可能对滑雪胜地造成的安全影响仍存在争议。陶斯滑雪谷政策的改变为单板滑雪者对滑雪胜地受伤的影响提供了一个独特而现代的视角。
大型滑雪胜地增加单板滑雪者可能会导致治疗的受伤率和模式发生重大变化。
描述性流行病学研究。
陶斯滑雪谷莫格尔医疗诊所的患者记录从 2006-2007 滑雪季到 2009-2010 滑雪季（允许单板滑雪前后大约 2 年）进行了回顾，并记录了年龄、性别、诊断、身体部位、解剖部位、受伤类型和运动（滑雪、单板滑雪）。使用有和没有单板滑雪的时间段的总登山次数来确定受伤率。
在没有单板滑雪者的情况下，每 10 万次登山受伤人数从 206.7 人增加到有单板滑雪者的 233.8 人。相对风险比为 1.131，也表示受伤风险增加 13.1%（统计学意义；95%CI，3.5%-23.6%）。上肢受伤率（IRI，39.1%；95%CI，14.3-69.4）和头部/颈部受伤率（IRI，30.8%；无统计学意义）均有所上升，而下肢和躯干/骨盆受伤率保持相对稳定。桡骨远端骨折、闭合性头部损伤和肩锁关节分离的发生率随着单板滑雪的增加而具有统计学意义。单板滑雪者中最常见的受伤是桡骨远端骨折、手腕扭伤、闭合性头部损伤和肩锁关节分离。滑雪者中最常见的受伤是前交叉韧带撕裂、膝关节扭伤、闭合性头部损伤和腓肠肌撕裂。无单板滑雪者受伤者的中位年龄从 39 岁（4-100 岁）降至 31 岁（4-99 岁），有统计学意义。大约 45%的受伤者为女性，这一比例没有随单板滑雪者的增加而改变。
在这项研究中，随着单板滑雪者加入大型滑雪胜地，受伤的可能性略有增加，但具有统计学意义。可能涉及年轻人口统计学、风险行为增加或山区拥挤等因素。受伤的差异主要是由于桡骨远端骨折、闭合性头部损伤和肩锁关节分离的显著增加。在山上采取安全预防措施，如拓宽跑道和简化高流量区域，培训医疗服务提供者识别和治疗特定运动的损伤，并促进使用手腕保护器和头盔，可能有助于减少单板滑雪者对滑雪胜地受伤的影响。
