Functional and Release Characteristics of Alpine Ski Equipment

Abstract

Releasable bindings were developed to reduce the risk of lower leg injuries. However, the relationship between the incidence of specific alpine injury groups and the function and calibration of the release system has not been well understood. Over the 32 years between December 1972 and April 2004, the authors conducted a case control study at a northern Vermont ski area involving 17 967 injuries and 3617 uninjured controls. During that time, approximately 6.4 million skier visits were recorded at the area. Injured skiers were treated at clinic in the base lodge and their injuries diagnosed by the clinic staff. Data relating to the accident, the injury, and the equipment used were recorded. The release moments of equipment associated with lower extremity injuries and uninjured controls were measured using a commercially available test device. Case studies of 43 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprains, 79 lower leg injuries, and 99 uninjured controls were conducted using data collected over seven years between December 1997 and April 2004. In terms of quantitative critical defects, 17 % of the control group, 14 % of the ACL group, and 39 % of the lower leg group exhibited release levels more than 30 % above recommended. When qualitative critical defects were considered, 27 % of the control group, 25 % of the ACL group, and 54 % of the lower leg group were found to exhibit one or more defects capable of having a significant effect on equipment function. The authors concluded that sprains, fractures, strains, and contusions of the lower leg among alpine skiers were associated with measurable or observable qualities of the release system. Serious sprains of the knee were not. A substantial reduction of injuries below the knee can be expected if potentially defective equipment can be identified and repaired, or replaced.

Self-Release of Ski Bindings: A Sex Comparison

“…No increase in injuries from inadvertent binding release through reduced binding settings has been found [21]. However, these findings mean an association, and not definitely "cause and effect" relationship, because another study at the same time showed a decrease in ACL injury risk without reducing binding settings [22] which might be due to the introduction of the short and shaped carving skis at this time [11]. Interestingly, the ISO 11088 standard accepts a deviation of 15% between the measured release moment ("reference moment") determined according to the setting tables in ISO 8061 and ski binding settings may also be lowered by the same magnitude upon request of the skier [23].…”

ACL Injury Mechanisms and Related Factors in Male and Female Carving Skiers: A Retrospective Study

“…However, Burtscher et al [2] showed that the gender specifi c knee injury rate remained constant with the introduction of carving skis while the overall injury rate has decreased by 9 % . In addition, Ettlinger et al [7] reported a signifi cant decrease in the risk of sustaining an ACL injury in recent years as carving skis became more popular. While ACL injury mechanisms on traditional skis are In recreational alpine skiing, ACL injury risk is 3 times greater in females.…”

“…There are some indications that the incidence of ACL injuries in alpine skiing is aff ected by the introduction of the short and shaped carving skis. First of all, Ettlinger et al [7] reported a signifi cant decrease in the risk of sustaining an ACL injury in previous years when carving skis became more popular. In addition, other studies revealed even a lower risk for sustaining an ACL injury when skiing with carving skis compared to traditional skis [20,23] .…”

Factors associated with self-reported failure of binding to release among recreational skiers: an epidemiological study

“…In a case-control study, they found that lower binding release values in female skiers set 15 % lower than those recommended by the ISO 11088 standard would clearly reduce knee injuries in these persons (LaPorte et al, 2008). However, these findings mean an association, and not definitely a "cause and effect" relationship, because another study at the same time showed a decrease in ACL injury risk without reducing binding settings (Ettlinger, Johnson & Shealy, 2006) which might be partly due to the introduction of the short and shaped carving skis (Ruedl et al, 2011). Summing up, actual binding settings according to the ISO 11088 standard do not include a sex-related factor although females are skiing at lower mean speeds (Brunner et al, 2015;Shealy et al, 2005), showing an on average lower proportion of risk taking behaviour and having less muscle strength than males.…”