title: Femur fractures in alpine skiers.
abstract: From the years 1982 to 1989, 377 patients with alpine skiing-related injuries were admitted to St. Anthony's Hospital (a level one regional trauma center). Fifty femur fractures were recorded in 48 patients: 29 femoral shaft fractures (2 open), 15 hip fractures, and 6 supracondylar fractures (2 open). In the femoral shaft fracture group, the predominant fracture pattern was a short, transverse, comminuted fracture, illustrating the high kinetic energy of the accident. In this group, 11 patients returned to skiing, 7 of whom had hardware in place. Of the 10 Garden femoral neck fractures, 4 progressed to avascular necrosis. Three patients required press-fit total hip arthroplasties. Only 4 of these 10 patients returned to skiing. Median injury severity scores were 9.1 in 345 patients (94%), suggesting isolated trauma. Collisions with trees or poles accounted for 32% (15 patients) of all injuries. Follow-up data on return to skiing was available on 43 patients and of these 19 (44%) returned to skiing.
authors.affiliation: Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, CO 80045.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spezia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brugman
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Friermood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012865:Skiing / Q000293:injuries*