SEDL / STP / STP860-EB / STP46654S

Thumbs Up: The Changing Pattern of Ski Injuries

Young, Laurence R.
Professor, Man Vehicle Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Crane, Henry D.
Physician, Plymouth, NH

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 1985

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Abstract

Thumb injuries have climbed to nearly 16% of the total number of injuries reported to the ski patrol at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, and were second only to knee injuries (23.5%) during the 1981/82 season. Lower leg injuries, in contrast, have remained at 11%, and ankle injuries have dropped to less than 10% of all reported injuries. Thumb injuries are especially prevalent among advanced skiers and are significantly more likely to occur when skiing in powder or wet snow. They are also more likely to occur to beginning and intermediate skiers than to advanced skiers. Accidents in which a binding did not release are highly correlated with the occurrence of knee injuries. This study also shows a tendency for females to have a higher incidence of knee injuries than males. It confirms earlier findings relating injury rates to crowd size, skier characteristics, and equipment-related factors.