Self-Release of Ski Bindings: A Sex Comparison

Abstract

Background: Among recreational skiers, ACL injury risk is about three times greater in females compared to males and female skiers suffering from ACL injury reported about 20% points more frequently a failure of binding to release compared to male skiers with an ACL injury. Performing a daily self-release test of ski bindings, however, can prevent skiing-related injuries of the lower extremity.Aim: To evaluate to what extent uninjured male and female skiers are able to selfrelease their ski bindings which were recently adjusted to the ISO 11088 standard.Methods: A total of 15 male and 15 female healthy and physically active young adults with a mean age of 23.0 ± 1.7 years and without any previous injury of the lower extremities participated in this study. Subjects had to perform an isometric leg test and the self-release test of ski bindings with both legs on a Kistler force plate. For each attempt to release the binding, torques calculated via the force plate were normalized to torques calculated by a binding adjustment system (Relative Release Torques-RRT) and represented by percentage values.Results: Sexes significantly differ regarding body mass and BMI, but not regarding relative maximum isometric leg strength. Eleven out of the 15 male subjects (73%) and three out of the 15 female (20%) subjects released their ski bindings at least once with both legs. Regarding a total of 90 self-release trials among each sex (3 trials × 2 legs × 15 subjects), failure of binding release was significantly higher among female compared to male trials (84 vs. 54%, p < 0.01). The mean relative release torques (RRT) of the 76 female trials of failure of binding release were significantly lower compared to the 49 male trials of failure of binding release (40.9 ± 20.2 vs. 50.6 ± 20.1%, p = 0.009).Conclusion: Three times more females than males were unable to self-release their ski bindings although their bindings were correctly adjusted according to the ISO 11088 standard for binding setting values. In addition, females reached about 20% lower RRT values within failure of binding release trials although males and females did not differ with regard to relative isometric leg strength.

Impact of lowering ski binding settings on the outcome of the self-release test of ski bindings among female recreational skiers

“…After performing a standardized warming up program on a stationary cycle ergometer, the maximal isometric leg strength of both legs was tested by isometric leg strength test. Afterward, the self-release test of ski bindings was conducted in accordance with the methods described by Posch et al 15 …”

“… 15 In a recent study among 30 physically active young adults with a self-reported advanced skiing skill level, Posch et al 15 clearly showed that more females than males were unable to self-release their ski bindings within the self-release test (80% vs 27%, p <0.01) at least once with both legs, although all bindings were correctly adjusted according to the International Standards Organization (ISO) 11088 standard for binding setting values using an electronic test device and sexes did not differ regarding the relative isometric leg strength. In addition, the study by Posch et al 15 also revealed a 20% difference of measured relative release torques (RRT) among trials of failure of binding release between the two sexes (males 50.6%±20.1%, females 40.9%±20.2%, p =0.009), characterizing a huge difference to the recommended ISO 11088 binding setting values. LaPorte et al 16 already demonstrated that lowering binding release values by 15% among female recreational skiers could reduce knee injuries without an increase of inadvertent releases.…”

Equipment Became Better in Backcountry Skiing—Did Severity of Injuries Decrease? An Analysis from the Swiss Alps

“…The same applies to other causes of accidents on backcountry tours such as falls or getting lost in foggy conditions, which should also be less common due to technical developments such as GPS (Global Positioning System), making orientation easier. Furthermore, the extreme development of the ski-shoe-binding unit for backcountry skis should also result in lower injury rates [3,27,28]. Nowadays, modern plate bindings of backcountry skis have a safety mechanism that has been present in alpine skiing for years [3,27,28].…”

“…Furthermore, the extreme development of the ski-shoe-binding unit for backcountry skis should also result in lower injury rates [3,27,28]. Nowadays, modern plate bindings of backcountry skis have a safety mechanism that has been present in alpine skiing for years [3,27,28]. The modern pin bindings of backcountry skis with inserts in the front of the shoe also have a security mechanism [3,27,28].…”

“…Nowadays, modern plate bindings of backcountry skis have a safety mechanism that has been present in alpine skiing for years [3,27,28]. The modern pin bindings of backcountry skis with inserts in the front of the shoe also have a security mechanism [3,27,28]. Despite these positive developments, literature regarding injury patterns and severity in backcountry skiing injuries is scarce for Switzerland.…”