Serious winter sport injuries in children and adolescents requiring hospitalization.
To describe the epidemiology of serious winter sports-related injuries resulting in hospitalization in children and adolescents, we prospectively collected and analyzed records of all winter sports-related injuries requiring hospitalization at our respective institutions from 1996 to 2000. We identified 101 patients with a mean age of 10.7 years, of whom 68% were male and 32% female. Skiers accounted for 71% and snowboarders 26% of injuries; 3% of injuries were snowmobile-or luge-related. Leading mechanisms of injury were ground level falls (50%), crashes into trees, (18%), and falls from ski lift (13%). Approximately 26% of the patients met criteria for trauma-team activation. Leading diagnoses were head injury (20%), femur fracture (18%), and concussion (11%). Five patients required admission to the intensive care unit. The median injury severity score (ISS) was 7; 8% of patients had an ISS score > 15. Abbreviated Injury Scale-1990 scores of > or = 3 were noted in 34% of the patients. We conclude that Injuries sustained through participation in winter sports may be severe, especially in the case of injuries involving the head. Injury-prevention strategies should focus on head injuries.
Skokan
Elisabeth Guenther
EG
Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, and the Intermountain Injury Control Research Center Salt Lake City, Utah 84113, USA.
Junkins
Edward P
EP
Kadish
Howard
H
D015998:Abbreviated Injury Scale; D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D012865:Skiing / Q000293:injuries*; D038161:Snow Sports / Q000293:injuries