A Prospective Injury Surveillance Study on Ski Touring

Abstract

Background: Ski touring is an outdoor sport with growing popularity in alpine countries. Information about injuries in ski touring is limited. Purpose: To determine injury rates, mechanisms, causes, and risk factors in ski touring. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Between November 2015 and May 2016, a total of 191 participants from the Alps region were prospectively tracked via personalized online questionnaires. Injury rates were calculated per 1000 hours of sports exposure. Risk factors were assessed per multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 3900 ski tours were performed, with 10,955 hours and 4,108,503 m in height ascension (uphill) recorded. The overall injury rate was 2.5 injuries per 1000 hours of ski touring. A total of 27 injury-events were reported, of which 18 (67%) were classified as mild, 7 (26%) as moderate, and 2 (7%) as severe. Hands (28%) and knees (16%) were the most commonly involved anatomic regions. Most injuries were limited to the soft tissue, such as bruises (31%) and abrasions (18%). Significantly more injuries happened during the descent (n = 17; 63%) than during the ascent (n = 6; 22%) (odds ratio, 5.96; P = .004), while poor weather conditions, icy surface, and inattentiveness were the most often reported reasons for injury. Sidecountry ski touring was identified as the only significant independent risk factor for injury ( P < .001). Conclusion: In this prospective injury surveillance study, the majority of ski touring injuries were mild and limited to the soft tissue. Ski touring injuries were more likely to happen during the descent of a tour, and sidecountry ski touring was the only significant independent risk factor for injury. Bad weather, icy surface, and inattentiveness were found to be the leading causes for an injury-event in this study.

Injury-Related Behavioral Variables in Alpine Skiers, Snowboarders, and Ski Tourers—A Matched and Enlarged Re-Analysis

“…The injury rates in SB have decreased over time, however, they are still higher compared to skiers [9,10,11,12]. In slope ST, where usually a lower distance is skied compared to AS or SB [4], the data show an injury risk of 2.5 injuries per 1000 h of ST [13].…”

Musculoskeletal injuries in UK Service Personnel and the impact of in-theatre rehabilitation during Cold Weather Warfare training: Exercise CETUS 2020

“…When compared with published studies in trained personnel, the knee and lower back are recognised as most frequent injury locations 17. Surveys of occupational groups working in cold weather environments have similarly identified the lower back as a common injury location 18 19. Shoulder injuries do not occur as frequently as lower limb injuries within trained military populations.…”

Mortality in Different Mountain Sports Activities Primarily Practiced in the Winter Season—A Narrative Review

“…The risk of injury and mortality varies dramatically depending on the terrain (secured ski slopes, off-piste slopes, glaciers, and rock and ice slopes) where alpine ski touring is performed [42][43][44][45][46]. Studies from the Austrian Alps reported an annual death rate of 1.83 per 100,000 alpine ski tourers [47].…”