title: [Impact of Self-Reported Fatigue on ACL Injuries in Alpine Skiing: A Sex Comparison].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recreational alpine skiing, about one third of all injuries affect the knee joint, and the most common diagnosis in adult male and female skiers is a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which makes up 15 - 21 % of all injuries. General preventive recommendations to reduce the incidence of ski injuries include avoiding fatigue. However, it seems unclear to what extent ACL injuries in male and female recreational skiers are related to perceived fatigue.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted as a prospective questionnaire-based investigation in two Austrian ski injury clinics during the five winter seasons between 2009/2010 and 2013/2014. In total, 588 skiers (67.9 % females) with a mean age of 42.1 ± 10.9 years were interviewed about demographics, skiing ability, skiing behaviour, fitness, day and time of accident, skiing duration and perceived fatigue at the moment of accident.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ACL injured males reported a significantly higher skiing ability and fitness level as well as a more risky behaviour on ski slopes compared to females. About one third of males and females injured their ACL within the first day of the ski trip and about 57 % within the first two days, with no sex differences. However, a significantly higher number of female skiers sustained an ACL injury during the first hour of skiing (28 vs. 17 %) as well as during the first two hours of skiing compared to males (52 vs. 44 %). About 81 % of males and females felt no fatigue or just a trace of fatigue in their legs at the time of accident, with no sex differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the findings of this study, fatigue does not seem to be a major risk factor for an ACL injury among male and female recreational skiers.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Sportwissenschaft Innsbruck, Österreich.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruedl
authors.affiliation: medalp sportclinic sölden - imst, Imst, Österreich.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Helle
authors.affiliation: medalp sportclinic sölden - imst, Imst, Österreich.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tecklenburg
authors.affiliation: medalp sportclinic sölden - imst, Imst, Österreich.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schranz
authors.affiliation: Gelenkpunkt - Zentrum für Sport- und Gelenkchirurgie, Innsbruck, Österreich.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.affiliation: Institut für Sportwissenschaft Innsbruck, Österreich.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Posch
authors.affiliation: Institut für Sportwissenschaft Innsbruck, Österreich.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burtscher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012865:Skiing / Q000293:injuries* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*