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Risk for injury increased slightly when resort allowed snowboarding
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Injury rates reflected a small but statistically significant increase at a large Southwestern ski resort after it lifted its ban on snowboarding, according to recent study results.
Researchers at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center examined slope-related injury data from the Mogul Medical Clinic at Taos Ski Valley from the 2006-2007 through 2009-2010 seasons. Participant demographics and anatomic location of injuries were recorded, and mountain visits were used to calculate skier and snowboarder injury rates. Stratified analysis included data without snowboarding (start of study until March 18, 2008) and with snowboarding (March 19, 2008 through study conclusion).
David A. Rust
Injury rates rose from 206.7 per 100,000 mountain visits before snowboarding to 233.8 per 100,000 with snowboarders (P=.0067). Relative risk ratio for injured persons was 1.131, which represented a 13.1% increased risk for injury (IRI) (95% CI, 3.5%-23.6%), after the ban was lifted.
Upper extremity injuries (IRI=39.1%; 95% CI, 14.3-69.4) and head/neck injuries increased (IRI=30.8%; 95% CI, –6.8-83.5) when data included snowboarders, while lower extremity injuries remained constant. Snowboard injuries included distal radius fractures (27.7%), wrist sprains (9.9%), closed head injuries (9.6%) and acromioclavicular separations (5.8%). ACL tears (16.7%), knee sprains (10.3%) and closed head injuries (5.6%) were the most common skier injuries.
Researchers also noted the median age of injured persons decreased from 39 years to 31 years when Taos allowed snowboarders. Injury percentages by sex did not change with snowboarding; females accounted for 45% of all injuries.
“For athletes and parents wanting to know whether snowboarding is safe, the answer is yes,” researcher David A. Rust, MD, department of orthopaedics and rehabilitation, University of New Mexico, told Healio.com. “The injury patterns between the two sports are different, and the overall impact that snowboarders have on mountain safety, while real, is small when you consider there are more people and more risk-taking young athletes on the mountain.
“People who have been defending the ‘ski only’ resorts now have a study that shows a small, but statistically significant advantage to maintaining their stance against allowing snowboarders on the mountain.”
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