Information about project titled 'Alpine collision injuries - a 6-year injury registration'
Alpine collision injuries - a 6-year injury registration
| Details about the project - category | Details about the project - value |
|---|---|
| Project status: | Published |
| Project manager: | Roar Rønning |
| Coworker(s): | Tom Gerner, Kjetil Dalheim, Lars Engebretsen |
Description
New alpine venues were built in the Lillehammer area in connection with the Olympic Winter Games in 1994. An increase in numbers of alpine and telemark skiing and snowboarding injuries has been seen as a result of more skiers in the slopes. The introduction of snowboarders in the alpine slopes were thought by many to be a hazard regarding collision injuries.
The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between collision injuries and type of equipment, and calculate the incidence rate per 100 injuries (IR). Data from the Injury Register at Oppland Central Hospital Lillehammer (OCHL) were used. Injuries from the six-year period from the winter season 1995 to 2000 were included. In this period 4692 (17,7 %) of 26547 injuries were skiing injuries (cross-country and ski-jump included).
In alpine skiing 1632 skiers were injured, 233 because of a collision, IR = 14,7 (95 % CI = 12,6 to 16,2). In telemark skiing 22 collisions in 166 injuries, IR = 13,3 (95 % CI = 8,7 to 20,1). In snowboarding 66 collisions in 922 injuries, IR = 7,2 (95 % CI = 5,6 to 9,1). This shows a significant lower rate of being injured because of a collision when snowboarding compared to alpine skiing. From our earlier studies on skiing injuries we know that snowboarders have a three to four times higher risk of injury than alpine and telemark skiers.
It has been a significant decrease in the total incidence rate of collision injuries from 17,3 (95 % CI = 14,9 19,9) in the winter seasons 1995 to 1997, to 7,9 (95 % CI = 6,6 to 9,3) in the seasons 1998 to 2000.
Our study does not support the view that introduction of snowboarding has given rise to more collision injuries in the alpine areas.