Knee Injuries in Downhill Skiers

Abstract

Background:Knee injuries account for approximately one third of injuries in skiers. Researchers have proposed several mechanisms of knee injury in skiers. However, the frequencies of these mechanisms have varied in different studies.Purpose:To identify the most common knee injury mechanisms in recreational downhill skiers and to assess injury frequencies across several demographics.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Methods:Over 6 ski seasons, 541 patients with acute knee injuries completed a survey. Patients selected 1 of 6 injury classifications; age, sex, height, weight, years of experience, ability level, and ski binding release were also recorded.Results:The overall injury distribution was valgus–external rotation (32.9%), phantom foot (22.5%), hyperextension (19.0%), boot induced (7.8%), collision (2.2%), and other (15.6%). The phantom foot mechanism was most common in ages 30 to 40 years (36.3% of all injuries within this mechanism; P < .01). Children and adults showed no significant difference in distribution of injury mechanism. Of 80 youth skiers, valgus–external rotation was most common (35.4%), followed by phantom foot (25.3%). Adult and youth skiers who identified as “advanced” skiers had a higher prevalence of valgus–external rotation than did less experienced skiers (51.5% of total valgus injuries; P < .01). Bindings released in 19.3% in adults and 53.7% in youths (P < .01) during injury. Female skiers comprised 60.0% of total respondents, but only 39.7% of injuries occurred in female children (P < .01).Conclusion:Valgus–external rotation is the most common injury mechanism for recreational skiers in general. Previous studies have suggested that the phantom foot injury is the most common injury, but in this series, it was the second most common, representing 22.5% of injuries in this study. Individuals between the ages of 30 and 40 years showed an increased risk for the phantom foot mechanism, and the prevalence of injuries was significantly higher for females compared with males in this cohort (P < .01). Children and adults appear to have similar mechanisms for ski-related knee injuries, with valgus–external rotation being most common and advanced skiers having the highest frequency of this mechanism. Binding release was more likely to occur in youth skiers.

Factors associated with self-reported failure of binding release among ACL injured male and female recreational skiers: a catalyst to change ISO binding standards?

“…In accordance with other studies, the most common type of self-reported fall among knee injured skiers seems forward falling with body rotation (‘valgus external rotation’) 14 18 19. The larger amount of reported binding release among forward falls with and without body rotation becomes plausible because current bindings are mostly designed to release during a simple forward fall (upward release function of the heel piece) or during a forward fall with body rotation (side release function of the toe piece of the ski binding) 20.…”

An Epidemiological Investigation of Skiing Injuries in Erciyes Ski Centre

“…Erkeklerde (%60.4) kadınlara (%39.6) göre %20.8 oranında daha fazla yaralanma görüldüğü belirlendi. Bilimsel çalışmalarda sporcu veya rekreasyonel kayakçılarda yaralanma ve sakatlık vakalarının erkeklerde kadınlara göre daha fazla olduğu belirtilmiştir (10,11,14,21 (14). Costa--Score ve ark.…”

“…Daha önceki bi--limsel çalışmalarda da kayak nedenli yara--lanmaların %50'den fazlasının alt ekstre--mitede, daha sonra ise üst ekstremitede olduğu bildirilmiştir (10,11,14,15). Özel--likle kayak yaparken kayağın, boardun veya kızağın kontrolünde yer alan alt ekstremite daha fazla fiziksel strese ma--ruz kaldığı için, bu bölgede yaralanma oranı da daha fazladır (18).…”

“…Shea ve ark. (2014), ABD'de altı sezon boyunca rekreasyonel ka--yakçılarda görülen yaralanmaları incele--dikleri çalışmalarında 565 vaka içerisinde en fazla yaralanmanın 30--40 yaş (n=129; %24.1) ve 40--50 yaş (n=120; %22.4) aralığındaki kişilerde olduğunu sap--tamışlardır (10). Bu çalışmanın bulguları araştırmamızın bulgularıyla benzerlik göstermektedir.…”

“…Ancak çocuklarda ve gençlerde tecrübesizliğin yaralanma risklerini arttırdığı da belirtil--miştir (9,10,13,18). İleri yetişkinlik ve yaşlılık döneminde ise birçok toplumda olduğu gibi ülkemizde de fiziksel aktiviteye katılım oranı düşmektedir (22).…”