An epidemiologic study of ski injuries: Vail, Colorado

Skiing is one of the most rapidly growing participant sports in the world. Despite advances in the reliability and safety of the equipment, the injury rate remains the same. This study was designed to focus on the 'holiday skier'. Specifically, how do injured skiers differ from noninjured skiers, and what are the common denominators among these injured skiers. All reported ski injuries during a two-week interval from December 26 through January 8. 1980 in Vail, Colorado were evaluated. 194 reported to the Vail Medical Center emergency room and 305 reported to the clinic yielding an overall accident rate of 3.34 injured skiers per 1000 skier days from a population of 149,300 skiers. A questionnaire was administered to the injured group seen in the Emergency room and results compared to a randomly selected 'at risk' population. This injured group significantly tended to be younger, female and less experienced. Lower extremity injuries out-numbered upper extremity injuries two to one, yet this varied with ability. The odds-ratio were calculated for the sex, age, and ability of the skier and specific recommendations were formulated for high risk groups.