No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
Injury pattern caused by aggressive inline skating
Abstract
In order to evaluate the special injury pattern of aggressive inline skating, a field study was conducted in a local, non-commercial skate park equipped with all the typical features like ramps, halfpipes, gully areas. 66 unselected aggressive inline skaters were randomly enrolled and interviewed concerning their skating habits and their skating injury history. Average age was 15 (10 to 41) years, skating was performed since 2.1 (0.1 to 6) years, as aggressive skating since 1.3 (0.1 to 4) years. Medical treatment in a doctor's practice or in a hospital had been necessary in 66 cases, averaging 1.4 times per skater and year, averaging one injury per 586 hours of aggressive skating. The injury pattern reflected the regions typically injured in fitness skating, too, with a higher percentage of injuries concerning knee, tibia and ankle region. The use of protective devices varied from 41 % (wrist guards) to 94 % (knee pads), with an average of 69 %. Only 32 % of skaters wore all protective devices. As the personal thrill is an important motivation for aggressive skating, safer skating campaigns are quite unlikely to decrease the risk of injury in aggressive skaters.
... Skin lesions and contusions appear to be the most common injuries [8], followed by fractures and distortions [6]. Distal forearm and wrist in the upper limbs [6], lower leg, knee, and ankle in the lower limbs [9], have been described to be the frequently injured regions. 10% of total injuries affect the head [8], making it vital for athletes to wear helmets [10]. ...
Objectives
Determining the rate of injuries related to a certain sport is accepted as the primary step toward designing, implementing and evaluating injury prevention programs. This observational and retrospective study was to examine the injuries sustained by elite young Spanish inline speed skaters during a season.
Methods
Athletes participating in the national championship (n= 80) were surveyed via an anonymous online questionnaire to screen for injury characteristics: incidence, location, and tissue affected; plus training information and demographics.
Results
A total of 52 injuries were recorded across 33,351 hours of exposure, which gives a rate of 1.65/1,000 h. The lower body comprised 79% of the total amount of injuries (1.3/1000 h), and the main areas affected were the thigh and foot, accounting for 25% and 19.2% of the recorded injuries, respectively. Musculotendinous injuries were the most frequent, with an incidence of 0.92/1000 h. No significant gender differences were observed for any of the variables studied.
Conclusion
Speed skating can be considered a low injury rate sport based on our findings. The risk of sustaining an injury was independent of gender, age, and BMI.
... This is a completely new form of recreation, the biomechanics of which are yet to be elucidated [5]. Safety is a primary concern, given that only one text on the medical treatment of participants has been published [6]. Without exception, all arbitrarily chosen katers interviewed in that study had visited a doctor for one reason or the other pertaining to this activity, averaging 1.4 visits per skater per year, averaging one injury per 586 hours of aggressive skating. ...
It was not until many years later that six principles appeared in 1957 in the book The Principles and Art of Plastic Surgery by Gillies and Millard [2]. This book was a review of Gillies' career of forty years, which included 1,100 cases from World War I. Making a plan with a pattern and having a backup plan, returning tissues to their normal position, replacing lost tissue by similar tissue, not discarding anything, treating the primary defect first, and treating each case individually were some of their important dictums. These principles not only applied to plastic surgery problems but also, in a more general way, to the philosophy of life [3]. All of them are self-explanatory. Observation, diagnosis, maintaining records, and after-care were a few of the important additions to the original ones. In fact, it appears that Gillies and Millard used their principles in their daily life too. One of the principles, "Never do today what can honorably be put off till tomorrow," has an interesting story associated with it. Before Millard was to leave for America, one late evening he went to Gillies' house to get his autograph on his photographs. Gillies signed one photograph without a word. When Millard pulled out another photograph for a signature, Gillies flatly refused to sign it. Using one of his principles, applied in practice as always planning a safeguarded alternative, Millard told him, "Just trying to play it safe with a lifeboat, Sir." In the same vein, Gillies promptly countered this with another principle: "Never do today what can be put off until tomorrow." This principle calls for the surgeon to delay any intervention not seen immediately necessary seeing as things may work out spontataneously. The next day he signed the photograph.
... In Germany, trendy inline skating as the modern variant of rollerskating has become a popular sport and is performed by almost every age group. We can distinguish between various subgroups such as, for example, speed skating, fitness skating, aggressive skating, or skater-hockey, which differ with respect to injury frequency and injury pattern [9]. Even fatal accidents are known [15]. ...
Inline skating is becoming more and more popular all over the world. This results in a rapid increase in sports injuries. The aim of our study was to analyse injury patterns and injury causes as well as the influence of the social status on possessing and using protective equipment.
We recorded and evaluated 76 accidents in our outpatient department by means of standardised questionnaires over a period of 18 months. We checked the direct circumstances of the accident, social situation and aspects of the family's social status.
The average age of the injured person was 12.5 years. The most common injury localisations were the distal forearm (39.5 %) and the wrist (9.2 %), the most common types of injuries were fractures (51.9 %, especially upper extremity) and distortions (17.6 %). Most injuries happened in easy driving situations, like gliding, turning and braking. The injured children did not differ significantly from the general population. The willingness of children to wear special safety gear increased with the social status of their family.
Learning the fundamental techniques can improve driving skills and reduce the number of injuries. Integration of skating lessons in physical education at school is desirable, especially regarding the injured person's age and would improve their willingness to wear protectors, independent of the social status.
Background
Patella fractures in the pediatric age group often have a dilemma in their ease of diagnosis and treatment required. Indications for conservative management or surgical intervention in the pediatric population during growth phase are not clearly defined. The current systematic review aims to provide a consensus on the morphological types, treatment options, indications, the outcomes expected and complications and their management.
Methods
The review was conducted as per the PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were (a).
Articles published in English, (b) Age <18 years, (c) Patellar fractures including osteochondral fractures. Exclusion criteria includes articles with incomplete data, case reports, biomechanical studies, case series with sample size <2, biomechanical studies, reviews, letter to the editor, or editorials and Non-English language.
Results
The review search yielded a total of 18 articles. A total of 288 patients with patellar fractures were included in the review. The average age ranged from 9.6 years to 16 years. The follow-up period ranged from 3 months to 20 years. In total, 49 individuals underwent immobilization with cast or brace application, 4 with spica cast application and 48 with cylindrical cast in extension. Overall, 83 patients in 13 studies underwent surgical fixation most of which underwent wiring.
Conclusion
Pediatric patella fracture/dislocations or Osteochondral fractures (OCF) although being a rare event, may be associated with a child with knee injury and swelling. Conservative management in terms of casting and immobilization may be an alternative but surgical intervention should be the primary mode of treatment in such cases.
Skating includes several types of ice and roller skating. Injuries from skating are typically traumatic injuries or overuse injuries. Novice and less experienced skaters fall more often and sustain concussions and fractures of the wrist and ankle. Experienced skaters fall when they attempt risky techniques, but tend to get more overuse tendinitis, bursitis, blisters, and patellofemoral pain.
Introduction:
Parkour sport is the playfully breaching of obstacles originally not created to get from A to B in the fastest manner. There have been only few publications on injuries in this young and trendy sport mainly performed in urban areas. The aim of this study is to analyse parkour-related acute injuries and their factors.
Methods:
For the retrospective cross-sectional study, a total of n = 266 traceurs (m: n = 255, w: n = 11) completed anonymized online questionnaires.
Results:
On average, each traceur sustained 1.9 injuries per sport career/year, or 5.5 injuries/1000 h training, respectively. The upper extremity was the most affected body region (58 %), followed by the lower extremity (27 %), head and the back. An increase of injuries from proximal to distal was observed in the upper extremity. However, for the lower extremity it was the opposite. Of all injuries, the most common were skin abrasions (70.3 %). Muscle injuries were observed in 13.1 % of the traceurs, followed by dislocations (6.1 %), and soft tissue (e. g., ligaments, tendons) injuries (5.3 %). Passive precautionary measures were abandoned by the majority of the traceurs (88 %). Landing belonged to the movement elements resulting in most of the injuries (61 %), followed by supportive and static efforts of the arms (10.7 %). Overestimation (23 %) as well as misjudging the situation (20 %) were the most common causes.
Conclusion:
Other than expected, parkour is an urban movement style with most of the injuries being neither severe nor common despite the lack of precautionary measures. Localisation and type of injuries reflect the characteristic movement elements. There is a need for further investigations to allow a more differentiated analysis in order to develop injury prevention concepts.
Since 1980 Inline-Skating has become one of the fastest growing sports in the world. The most common injury according to inline-skating is the distal fracture of the radius, which occurs in 50% of all fractures. The majority of skaters do not wear proper protective equipment and many users of inline-skates can not handle their skates in dangerous situations. All skaters prevent injuries by using protection. Novice skaters should additionally attend special skating-schools to learn skating, breaking and the right falling techniques.
Fractures of the patella in children and adolescents are rare injuries with particular characteristics. The aim of this study was an analysis of epidemiology, treatment strategy and outcome of this injury. Between 1992 and 2006 all fractures of the patella in patients with an age 5 16 years were included in a case control study. Besides outcome analysis using the modified HSS knee score, radiological follow-up was evaluated. During that time period, 23 children (6 girls, 17 boys) with patella fractures were seen in our institution; the incidence of patellar fractures was 0.44%. The average age was 12.4 years. The fractures mainly occurred during sports and leisure activities, followed by traffic accidents. Specific to children are avulsions of the lower or upper pole of the patella. Eleven children were non-operatively treated. Surgical techniques used were screw osteosynthesis, tension band wiring, transosseous suture, and refixation with biodegradable pins. In 7 cases an arthroscopy was performed in order to evaluate intraarticular lesions. Twenty-one children were recruited for a follow-up examination after an average of 40 months. A very good result was achieved in 16 cases and a good result in 5 cases. The radiological result at short term did not correlate with the clinical outcome. Patella fractures in children are a rare injury with a good shortterm prognosis ; long term outcome may significantly depend on the accompanying cartilage damage. In two cases an Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation was performed two years after the injury.
Inline skating has become one of the fastest growing sports since its appearance in 1980. The increasing number of inline skaters has also led to a rising incidence of injuries. The most common injury is the distal fracture of the radius, which occurs in 50% of all fractures. There are several reasons for increasing serious injuries in inline skating. The majority of skaters do not wear proper protective equipment (helmet, elbow, knee and wrist protectors), however, many users can not handle their inline skates in dangerous situations. All skaters should take care by buying industrially tested inline skates and appropriate protective equipment; novice skaters should additionally attend special skating schools to learn skating, braking and the the correct falling techniques.
Knee injuries in young athletes include not only the typical adult bone injuries, ligament and cartilage, but also the growth plate lesions. Osteochondroses are idiopathic, self-limited disturbance of enchondral ossification in which a rapid growth spurt is present. The patella could be affected by two different kinds of osteochondroses: Kohler syndrome and Sinding-Larsen-Johansson. Here we are reporting the first case of simultaneous location of osteochondroses of the two ossification centers of both patella. A 9-year-old boy, competitive skater, presented a history of anterior knee pain involving both knees. Standard X-rays, axial patellar view, MRI and arthro-MR were performed. In order to follow the natural history of the pathology and the evolution of the healing, examinations at 2 years were repeated. We proposed the young skater a medical and a physiotherapeutic treatment based on unloading, isometric exercises, NSAID. As the symptoms improve a gradual return to competitive sports activity was allowed. The case mentioned above can be considered an atypical case because the patient suffered for a bilateral knee osteochondroses, involving simultaneously the primary ossification centre (Kohler syndrome) and the secondary ossification centre (Larsen syndrome) of the patella.
Of the estimated 22.5 million people participating in in-line skating in the United States in 1995, about 100,000 were sufficiently injured so as to require emergency department care. We investigated the effectiveness of wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and helmets in preventing skating injuries.
We used data from the 91 hospital emergency departments participating in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a national probability sample of randomly selected hospitals with 24-hour emergency departments. Injured in-line skaters who sought medical attention between December 1992 and July 1993 were interviewed by telephone. We conducted a case-control study of skaters who injured their wrists, elbows, knees, or heads as compared with skaters with injuries to other parts of their bodies.
Of 206 eligible injured subjects, 161 (78 percent) were interviewed. Wrist injuries were the most common (32 percent); 25 percent of all injuries were wrist fractures. Seven percent of injured skaters wore all the types of safety gear; 46 percent wore none. Forty-five percent wore knee pads, 33 percent wrist guards, 28 percent elbow pads, and 20 percent helmets. The odds ratio for wrist injury, adjusted for age and sex, for those who did not wear wrist guards, as compared with those who did, was 10.4 (95 percent confidence interval, 2.9 to 36.9). The odds ratio for elbow injury, adjusted for the number of lessons skaters had had and whether or not they performed trick skating, was 9.5 (95 percent confidence interval, 2.6 to 34.4) for those who did not wear elbow pads. Non-use of knee pads was associated with a nonsignificant increase in the risk of knee injury (crude odds ratio, 2.2; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.7 to 7.2). The effectiveness of helmets could not be assessed.
Wrist guards and elbow pads are effective in protecting in-line skaters against injuries.
Objective.-To describe the estimated relative frequency, types of injuries, and demographic features of people injured while in-line skating, rollerskating, and skateboarding in the United States. Design.-Case series. Setting.-Emergency department visits to hospitals participating in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Participants.-All persons treated for a product-related injury involving in-line skates, rollerskates, or a skateboard between July 1, 1992, and June 30, 1993. Results.-Approximately 30 863 persons (95% confidence interval, 23 073 to 38 653) were treated for in-line skating injuries during the study period. For every in-line skating injury, approximately 3.3 rollerskating and 1.2 skateboarding injuries occurred (P<.0001). The median age of those injured in these three sports was 15, 12, and 13 years, respectively (P<.0001). Sixty-three percent of injured in-line skaters had a musculoskeletal injury, including 37% with a wrist injury, of which two thirds were fractures and/or dislocations. Five percent of all injured in-line skaters had head injury and 3.5% of the injured in-line skaters required hospitalization. Conclusions.-In-line skating and skateboarding injuries resulted in a similar number of emergency department visits, but fewer than that for rollerskating injuries. Because wrist fractures were the most common type of injury in all three sports, wrist protection is needed. Head protection by helmets is recommended.
Hundred patients aged 15 years or younger and 100 patients aged 16 years or older presented with inline skating injuries over a 30-month period. 14% were admitted to hospital, 10% required operative treatment. Falling to the extended arm caused most of the injuries (children 55%, adults 29%). Children had an especially high risk of sustaining fractures (60% vs 32%). Injuries of the elbow, forearm, wrist and hand accounted for 55% of all cases and 71% of all fractures. The wrist was the region most frequently involved (children 51%, adults 18%). Other regions of interest were hand (children 11%, adults 12%), head (children 9%, adults 17%), knee (children 8%, adults 11%), elbow (children 7%, adults 12%) and ankle region (children 7%, adults 11%). Protective equipment was often used only concerning uninjured regions, whereas the injured regions had most often been left unprotected.
One hundred and eighty-two patients presented with 200 inline-skating injuries over a 30-month period. Of these, 14 % were
admitted to hospital, 10 % required operative treatment. Fractures (49 %), contusions/lacerations (27 %) and capsular/ligamentuous
injuries (16 %) were the most prevalent types of injury. Children had an even higher risk of sustaining fractures (62 %).
Falling on the extended arm caused 44 % of all injuries. Thirteen percent resulted from torque mechanisms of the leg, whereas
direct trauma to elbow or knee (5 % each) were uncommon injury mechanisms. Injuries of the elbow, forearm, wrist and hand
accounted for 55.5 % of all cases and 71 % of all fractures. Head (13 %), knee (9.5 %) and ankle (9 %) were other regions
frequently involved. Protective equipment was often used only for uninjured regions, whereas the injured regions had most
often been left unprotected.
In einem 30-Monats-Zeitraum wurden 200 Inline-Skatingverletzungen bei 182 Patienten behandelt; 14 % der Patienten wurden stationär
aufgenommen, 10 % operiert. In 49 % handelte es sich um Frakturen, in 27 % um Prellungen oder Schürfungen und in 16 % um Kapsel-Band-Verletzungen.
Bei Kindern lag der Frakturanteil mit 62 % noch deutlich höher. 44 % aller Verletzungen und 75 % aller Frakturen entstanden
durch den Sturz auf die ausgestreckten Arme. Der zweithäufigste Verletzungsmechanismus (13 %) war ein Verdrehtrauma des Beins;
Stürze auf die Knie oder die angewinkelten Ellbogen betrafen nur je 5 %; 55,5 % aller Verletzungen und 71 % aller Frakturen
traten an Ellbogengelenk, Unterarm, Handgelenk und Hand auf; andere häufig verletzte Regionen waren Kopf (13 %), Knie (9,5
%) und Sprunggelenk (9 %). Während die Skater ihre Gelenkschützer an den nicht verletzten Gelenken ebenso häufig angelegt
hatten wie unverletzte Vergleichsskater, waren gerade die verletzten Regionen auffallend schlecht geschützt.
In einem 30-Monats-Zeitraum wurden exakt 100 Inline-Skating-Verletzungen bei Jugendlichen bis 15 Jahren und weitere 100 bei
Erwachsenen ab 16 Jahren behandelt. 14% der Patienten wurden stationär behandelt, 10% operiert. Die meisten Verletzungen entstanden
durch Sturz auf die ausgestreckten Arme (Kinder 55%, Erwachsene 29%). Unter den jugendlichen Verletzten war der Frakturanteil
deutlich höher (60%) als bei den Älteren (32%). Die meisten Verletzungen traten im Bereich „distaler Unterarm/Handgelenk”
auf (Jugendliche 51%, Ältere 18%). Andere häufig verletzte Regionen waren Hand (Kinder 11%, Erwachsene 12%), Kopf (Kinder
9%, Erwachsene 17%), Knie (Kinder 8%, Erwachsene 11%), Ellbogen (Kinder 7%, Erwachsene 12%) und Sprunggelenk (Kinder 7%, Erwachsene
11%). Während die Skater ihre Gelenkschützer an den nichtverletzten Gelenken ebensohäufig angelegt hatten wie unverletzte
Vergleichsskater, waren gerade die verletzten Regionen auffallend schlecht geschützt.
Hundred patients aged 15 years or younger and 100 patients aged 16 years or older presented with inline skating injuries over
a 30-month period. 14% were admitted to hospital, 10% required operative treatment. Falling to the extended arm caused most
of the injuries (children 55%, adults 29%). Children had an especially high risk of sustaining fractures (60% vs 32%). Injuries
of the elbow, forearm, wrist and hand accounted for 55 of all cases and 71% of all fractures. The wrist was the region most
frequently involved (children 51%, adults 18%). Other regions of interest were hand (children 11%, adults 12%), head (children
9%, adults 17%), knee (children 8%, adults 11%), elbow (children 7%, adults 12%) and ankle region (children 7%, adults 11%).
Protective equipment was often used only concerning uninjured regions, whereas the injured regions had most often been left
unprotected.
In a field study the injury pattern as well as the active and passive injury prophylaxis of 1036 inline skaters were evaluated. Of them, 60% had already been injured. Every 124 h an injury occurred during inline skating. While 61% of the injuries affected only soft tissue, 31% were joint distorsions, and 8% were fractures. Altogether 37% of the 626 injured skaters required medical treatment. The upper extremities are especially at risk: 78% of the fractures and 48% of the distorsions affected the fingers, wrist, forearm or elbow. It is obvious that the inline skaters' passive prophylaxis measures are still unsatisfactory. Only 17% of the questioned used complete protection, whereas 16% were wearing no protective gear at all. Of the rest, 49% were skating with wrist guards, 66% were using knee pads, and 31% elbow pads. A high percentage of injuries is due to the lack of basic knowledge and techniques. The survey revealed that only 24% can stop immediately. While 51% had only slight problems with braking, 16% admitted having great difficulties, and 7% were not able to brake at all. These numbers reveal that there are still large deficits regarding braking techniques and education on the risks of injury. Therefore, athletes who use this equipment for the first time should learn the basic techniques of skating, braking and falling with the help of a qualified instructor. Most of all those questioned wanted to have more information, and half would be interested in special educational programmes.
In-line skating, also known as rollerblading, is an increasingly popular recreational activity that carries with it the potential for injury. As reported in the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program database (CHIRPP), 194 children were injured while in-line skating. Fractures to the radius and ulna were the most common type of injury sustained (57.5%), followed by lacerations and abrasions (14.9%). Five children had concussions and very few children reported wearing protective gear such as a helmet or wrist, elbow and knee protectors. Compared to the database overall, in-line skaters suffered more severe injuries and were more likely to require follow-up treatment. Safety implications in relation to protective gear and learning the sport of in-line skating are discussed.
To determine the frequency and patterns of use of the various types of protective equipment by in-line skaters and to determine if use of protective equipment was associated with the age, sex, group composition, or expertise of the skater.
A total of 1548 in-line skaters were observed during a 3-month period in Milwaukee, Wis. Identification and protective equipment data were recorded and analyzed by chi 2 tests with Pearson's correlation coefficient.
Overall, 491 skaters (31.7%) wore no protective gear. Wrist guards were worn by 999 skaters (64.5%). Helmets were worn by only 40 skaters (2.6%). Overall, adolescent males, children, and advanced skaters were the least likely to be observed wearing protective equipment.
Protective equipment is underused by many in-line skaters. Educating in-line skaters about the value of wearing protective equipment, as recommended by equipment manufacturers, may help reduce the severity or incidence of skating injuries.
In-line roller skating is a growing recreational fitness activity, but little is known about the use of personal protective equipment, such as helmets, wrist guards, elbow and knee pads, by participants.
An unobtrusive observational study was performed on a stratified random sample of adult and child in-line skaters in Oakland County, Michigan. A follow-up observational study was performed on locations identified as having high rates of in-line skating activity.
The prevalence of personal protective equipment use varied greatly with the type of equipment. Helmet use was less than 10% in both phases of the study; wrist guard use ranged from 46% to 65%; and intermediate values were noted for the use of elbow and knee pads.
Recreational in-line skating is concentrated in paved public areas and is largely a young adult activity. The use of some items of personal protective equipment is common, although few skaters wear all recommended items. Efforts to prevent or reduce accidental injury should include consideration of all these factors.
Injuries sustained by patients using wheels-in-line roller skates were reviewed in a survey of 57 cases collected by the Roosevelt Hospital Hand Service and 444 cases compiled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Most patients were novice skaters in the second and third decades of life. Severe distal radius fractures and upper extremity soft-tissue trauma were the most common injuries in both groups. The distal radius (44.9%), scaphoid (13.9%), and radial head (10.4%) were the three most common fracture sites in the Roosevelt survey. Most (80%) skaters in this group did not wear protective equipment. In-line roller skating can and does produce disabling injuries. Also, several deaths were reported among skaters traveling in heavy traffic. To reduce the number of injuries, all skaters should wear protective gear, especially wrist and elbow pads. Splints reduce but do not eliminate the potential for trauma. In our study most injured skaters had not mastered controlled skating and stopping techniques. This new recreational sport is increasing in popularity and more injuries are expected if skaters fail to protect themselves properly.
To describe the estimated frequency and types of injuries associated with in-line skates in U.S. children and to compare in-line skating injuries to rollerskating injuries.
National case series.
Emergency departments of hospitals participating in the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.
Persons with injuries associated with the use of in-line skates or rollerskates reported to the USCPSC in 1992 and 1993.
There were an estimated 66,465 injuries associated with in-line skates; the incidence of injury was highest in children 11 and 12 years old. An estimated 40,730 in-line skate injuries involved children < 20 years old. The mean age of injured children was 11.8 years (median, 12 years); 68% were boys. Fractures (45%) were the most common injury; 66% of fractures involved the distal forearm. Five percent had head injuries. Two and one half percent required hospital admission; 90% of children admitted had a fracture and 11% had a head or face injury. There were an estimated 147,928 rollerskating injuries among children < 20 years old; the mean age was 10.5 years (median 10 years) (P < 0.001 vs in-line skates). Thirty-two percent were to boys (P < 0.001 vs in-line skates). Fractures were the most common injury; forearm fractures accounted for 72% (P < 0.001 vs in-line skates). Five percent had head injuries. One and one half percent were admitted to the hospital (P < 0.001 vs in-line skates). In 1993, the injury rate among children for in-line skates was 31/100,000, and the injury rate for rollerskates was 95/100,000.
Injuries associated with in-line skates are highest among preadolescents. Injuries associated with in-line skate use are less common than injuries associated with rollerskate use. Distal forearm fractures are the most common injuries related to both in-line skate and rollerskate use. Exposure data and analysis of the efficacy of protective gear, including wrist guards and helmets, are needed.
Seventy-eight fractures are reported in 61 children who fell while in-line skating. Distal radius or radius and ulna fractures as a result of falls on the outstretched hand occurred in > 75% of cases. Almost half of the patients were novices with < 4 weeks of experience on in-line skates. In fact, one in eight children sustained a fracture during the first attempt at the sport. Closed reductions were needed in 26 cases. Only two of 61 children were wearing any protective equipment at the time of the fracture.
Rollerblading is increasingly popular in the UK. Over 12 weeks, we treated 29 patients of whom 34 per cent required operative intervention. There was a wide range of injuries, those of the radius being most common, and some (e.g. femoral and pelvic fractures) being quite severe. The value of protective equipment is discussed.
To describe use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by in-line skaters at four different skate settings (rink, park, trail and street) in Melbourne and rural Victoria, and to compare local PPE with reported international use.
Unobtrusive observations of in-line skaters at four types of skate settings (rinks, parks, trails, street) in Melbourne and rural Victoria.
Two-thirds of 490 observed in-line skaters (66.7%) wore none of the recommended PPE (wrist guards, elbow and knee pads and helmets). Only 2.2% wore all four pieces of PPE. Wrist guards were worn by 25.9% of skaters, knee pads by 23.5%, elbow pads by 6.9% and helmets by 5.5%. Younger skaters were least likely to wear any PPE. Trail skaters were more likely to wear PPE than skaters on rinks, parks and streets. Almost one-third of skaters did not have a heel brake on their skates. Use of PPE was influenced by group norms.
Personal protective equipment use is low among in-line skaters in Victoria, and varies according to skate location. The use of PPE in Victoria is much lower than that reported overseas.
Evidence of the effectiveness and the low use of PPE by skaters highlights the need to better promote the use of wrist guards, elbow and knee pads and helmets to skaters of all ages and abilities. There is opportunity for public health professionals to work in partnership with in-line skating bodies, organisers and sponsors of skating events, skate venue owners and managers, skating equipment manufacturers and hirers to promote PPE use.
In-line skating is an increasingly popular recreational activity for both children and adults. As with any high-speed sport, traumatic injury is an associated hazard. It was the purpose of this study to focus on the injuries in children associated specifically with in-line skating with an emphasis on education and prevention. During a 9-year period, 331 injuries were identified, with 105 families completing an in-depth epidemiologic questionnaire. Sixty-one percent of the victims were boys, with an overall average age of 12 years. The upper extremity was most commonly injured (64%); the head and neck area was injured in 16% and the lower extremity in 20%. Fractures represented 38% of all injuries, with inexperience appearing to be the most common cause. An analysis of preventive strategies for childhood in-line skating was undertaken using Haddon's 10 basic preventive principles. Educational programs regarding instruction in in-line skating and the value of protective equipment need to be part of the school curriculum.
To gain greater awareness and understanding of the circumstances leading to injuries associated with inline skating and to provide indices for determining preventive measures.
Data on injuries during inline skating were collected from seven member states of the European Union (EU) through the European Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System (EHLASS).
The mean incidence rate for injuries while inline skating is 17 per 100,000 inhabitants. In the EU in 1996, about 65,000 people were treated at an Emergency Department for an inline skate injury (excluding traffic injuries). About 60% of the victims are male, while the age group most at risk is 10-14 years old. Most injuries are due to a fall and wrist injuries are most common.
The results of the analysis give indications for possible preventive measures. Although the features of the injuries often differ per country, the countries can learn from each other in preventing these types of injuries. Educational campaigns should be targeted at young teenagers, use of protective equipment (like wrist protectors) and skating techniques. EHLASS has potential for intercountry comparisons, but its value will improve if selecting hospitals and coding agreements will be standardised.
Skateboarding and in-line skating are popular activities that attract millions of participants yearly and have spawned the development of skateparks (SPs). This study examined the types and distribution of injuries within a local commercial SP. Subjects were prospectively enrolled in a university Emergency Department (ED) after an injury at a local SP. One hundred subjects were enrolled over 1 year, representing 102 episodes and 106 injuries. Musculoskeletal injuries accounted for 80% of all injuries. Fractures and dislocations were the most frequent injuries (59%); six required operative management. One serious intra-abdominal injury occurred. Head and facial injuries occurred in 17% of subjects; none required operative repair. Admission rate was 9%. Safety equipment use was greater than 91%. Significantly more injuries occurred in the ramp/bars areas compared to the half-pipe and gully areas, suggesting that SP design may significantly influence injury patterns. A substantial number of injuries occurred at the SP, despite controlled conditions and equipment requirements.
Dedicated skate parks have led to an increase in pediatric fractures referred to the authors' unit. The authors performed a prospective analysis of all patients presenting to their unit with fractures sustained while Rollerblading or skateboarding over a 5-month period. Epidemiologic data, user experience, wearing of protective gear, place of injury, and mechanism of injury were collected. Fracture type and its treatment were also recorded. The findings indicated that the use of skate parks is associated with a significant increase in the severity of fracture. This was not related to mean length of experience, age, or sex. The use of skate parks had an increased relative risk of 8.35 for fractures requiring manipulation or invasive orthopedic treatment. Only 5% of children were wearing some form of limb/joint protective gear. The authors believe there should be closer supervision and training of children and more emphasis on limb protective gear. The current high incidence of significant skate park injuries will otherwise continue, with implications for the well-being of these children and the burden on the healthcare system.