[Injuries in parasailing. A collective GOTS study].

Regulations permitting the sport of paragliding were issued on April 15, 1987 by the Department of Transportation in Germany. With the rising number participants in this sport, the number of reported injuries has also been steadily increasing. The herein reported epidemiologic study presents the incidence, localization and degree of injuries associated with this sport documented in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. During the period from 1. 1. 1987 until 31. 12. 1989, 218 injuries associated with paragliding were reported in the above mentioned countries. 181 occurred during landing, 28 during start procedures and 9 during flight. The average age of the patients was 29.6 years. The analysis of the localization of the trauma related injury documented 33.9% spinal injuries, 13.8% injuries of the upper extremities and 41.3% of the lower extremities. Over half of these injuries were treated surgically and in 54 instances permanent disability remained. In the sport of paragliding the lower extremities are at greatest risk for injury during the landing phase. Proper equipment especially sturdy shoes, exact training in landing techniques and especially improved instruction in procedures during aborted or crash landings of the individual paraglider is required to reduce the frequency of these injuries.