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Risk Factors Associated with Serious Ski Patrol-reported Injuries Sustained by Skiers and Snowboarders in Snow-parks and on Other Slopes

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Abstract

Background

Over the past years, the rate of injuries sustained at the alpine ski hills in Quebec significantly increased. This raises concern over a possible increase in risk of severe injuries associated with snow-park use. The main objective of this study was to examine the severity of injuries sustained by skiers and snowboarders in snow-parks compared with other slopes from 2001 to 2005.

Methods

A case-control study design was used. Subjects were injured skiers and snowboarders who reported to the ski patrol with an injury. Two sets of severely injured cases were defined based on the type of injury and ambulance evacuation. Injured controls were those who did not sustain severe injuries. 50,593 injury report forms were analyzed. A logistic regression analysis was performed to relate the severity of injury to the type of slope used when the injury occurred. All analyses were controlling for age, sex, skill level, helmet use, season, and type of activity.

Results

There was evidence to suggest that, for skiers (adjusted OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.21- 1.53) and snowboarders (adjusted OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.05-1.23), participation in a snowpark increased the risk of being evacuated by ambulance. Severe injuries in skiers were also more likely to occur in snow-parks, but snowboarders had similar risk of severe injury in snow-parks and on other slopes.

Conclusions

These results provide evidence that the type of activities performed in snowparks may increase the risk of sustaining a severe injury compared with participation on other slopes.

Résumé

Contexte

Au cours des dernières années, le taux de blessures subies dans les stations de ski alpin du Québec a augmenté significativement. Cette situation est préoccupante et soulève des interrogations quant aux risques de blessures graves associées à la fréquentation des parcs de surf acrobatique. L’objectif général de cette étude était d’analyser la gravité des blessures subies par les skieurs alpins et les planchistes dans les parcs de surf acrobatique, comparativement aux blessures survenues sur les autres pistes, de 2001 à 2005.

Méthode

Une étude cas-témoins a été réalisée. Les sujets étaient les skieurs et planchistes s’étant présentés à des pisteurs secouristes avec des blessures. Deux types de cas ayant subi des blessures graves ont été définis, selon le type de blessure et la nécessité d’évacuer le blessé par ambulance. Les témoins étaient les skieurs et planchistes dont les blessures n’étaient pas graves. Les données de 50 593 rapports de blessure ont été analysées. Par régression logistique, nous avons étudié la relation entre la gravité des blessures et le type de pentes où elles s’étaient produites. Toutes les estimations ont été ajustées selon le sexe, l’âge, le niveau d’habileté, le type d’activité pratiquée au moment de la blessure, le port du casque et la saison.

Résultats

Pour les skieurs (rapport de cotes ajusté = 1,36; IC de 95 % = 1,21–1,53) et les planchistes (RC ajusté = 1,14, IC de 95 % = 1,05–1,23), la pratique d’activités dans les parcs de surf acrobatique augmentait le risque d’être évacué par ambulance. Pour les skieurs, le risque de blessure grave était plus grand dans ces parcs, tandis que pour les planchistes, ce risque était le même dans les parcs de surf acrobatique et sur les autres pistes.

Interprétation

Les résultats de cette étude suggèrent que, comparativement aux blessures qui surviennent sur les autres pistes, les activités et les manoeuvres que l’on pratique dans les parcs de surf acrobatique peuvent accroître le risque de subir une blessure grave.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education, Laval University, PEPS, Suite 2115, Québec, QC, G1K 7P4, Canada

    Claude Goulet PhD

  2. Departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Brent Hagel PhD

  3. Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Direction de la planification, de la recherche et de l’innovation, Québec, QC, Canada

    Denis Hamel MSc & Gilles Légaré MSc

Authors
  1. Claude Goulet PhD
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  2. Denis Hamel MSc
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  3. Brent Hagel PhD
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  4. Gilles Légaré MSc
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claude Goulet PhD.

Additional information

Was at the ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport du Québec (Québec Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sport) when this study was undertaken.

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Goulet, C., Hamel, D., Hagel, B. et al. Risk Factors Associated with Serious Ski Patrol-reported Injuries Sustained by Skiers and Snowboarders in Snow-parks and on Other Slopes. Can J Public Health 98, 402–406 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03405428

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03405428

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