ricki
06-16-2005, 07:47 AM
There is another study regarding kitesurfing injuries conducted in 2002 and published in 2004:
DOI: 10.1177/0363546503262162
A Prospective Study of Kitesurfing Injuries
Christoph Nickel,* MD, Oliver Zernial,â€*MD, Volker Musahl,‡MD, Ute Hansen,§MD,
Thore Zantop,|| MD, and Wolf Petersen,¶|| MD
From *Klinikum Elmshorn, Elmshorn, Germany, the â€*Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,
University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Kiel, Germany, the ‡Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the §Department of Abdominal Surgery,
University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Kiel, Germany, and the ||Department of Trauma, Hand,
and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
Background: To date, the pattern and rate of kitesurfing injuries are largely unclear.
Hypothesis: The pattern and rate of kitesurfing injuries are comparable to that of contact sports such as football and soccer.
Study Design: Prospective study.
Methods: The study was conducted over a 6-month period of 1 season and included 235 kitesurfers.
Results: The number of self-reported injuries was 124, for an overall self-reported injury rate of 7 per 1000 hours of practice.
One fatal accident (polytrauma) and 11 severe injuries occurred during the study period (2 knee ligament injuries and 9 fractures
at various sites). The most commonly injured sites were the foot and ankle (28%), skull (14%), chest (13%), and knee (13%).
Fifty-six percent of the injuries were attributed to the inability to detach the kite from the harness in a situation involving loss of
control over the kite. There was a tendency for athletes using a quick-release system to sustain fewer injuries than athletes with-
out such a release system.
Conclusion: Kitesurfing can be considered a high-risk sport.
Clinical Relevance: The use of a quick-release system that enables the surfers to detach the kite in case of an accident might
aid in the prevention of injuries.
Keywords: kitesurfing; injury mechanism; polytrauma; prevention; knee
The complete study can be accessed without registration or fees at:
http://ajs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/32/4/921
DOI: 10.1177/0363546503262162
A Prospective Study of Kitesurfing Injuries
Christoph Nickel,* MD, Oliver Zernial,â€*MD, Volker Musahl,‡MD, Ute Hansen,§MD,
Thore Zantop,|| MD, and Wolf Petersen,¶|| MD
From *Klinikum Elmshorn, Elmshorn, Germany, the â€*Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,
University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Kiel, Germany, the ‡Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the §Department of Abdominal Surgery,
University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Kiel, Germany, and the ||Department of Trauma, Hand,
and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
Background: To date, the pattern and rate of kitesurfing injuries are largely unclear.
Hypothesis: The pattern and rate of kitesurfing injuries are comparable to that of contact sports such as football and soccer.
Study Design: Prospective study.
Methods: The study was conducted over a 6-month period of 1 season and included 235 kitesurfers.
Results: The number of self-reported injuries was 124, for an overall self-reported injury rate of 7 per 1000 hours of practice.
One fatal accident (polytrauma) and 11 severe injuries occurred during the study period (2 knee ligament injuries and 9 fractures
at various sites). The most commonly injured sites were the foot and ankle (28%), skull (14%), chest (13%), and knee (13%).
Fifty-six percent of the injuries were attributed to the inability to detach the kite from the harness in a situation involving loss of
control over the kite. There was a tendency for athletes using a quick-release system to sustain fewer injuries than athletes with-
out such a release system.
Conclusion: Kitesurfing can be considered a high-risk sport.
Clinical Relevance: The use of a quick-release system that enables the surfers to detach the kite in case of an accident might
aid in the prevention of injuries.
Keywords: kitesurfing; injury mechanism; polytrauma; prevention; knee
The complete study can be accessed without registration or fees at:
http://ajs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/32/4/921