Glenohumeral dislocations in snowboarding and skiing.

BACKGROUND: Glenohumeral dislocations occurring during snowboarding and skiing are severe and often leave after effects. However, little is known about their aetiology and injury pattern. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the feature of glenohumeral dislocations in these winter sports.
METHODS: The injuries sustained by snowboarders and skiers, who were admitted to our hospital during five ski seasons from 2004 to 2009, were analysed using questionnaires and patients' records. A retrospective cohort study and a multivariate regression analysis were performed to reveal the epidemiology and injury pattern of glenohumeral dislocations.
RESULTS: The overall rate of glenohumeral dislocation was 0.0583 per 1000 participant days (0.0676 per 1000 participant days in snowboarders and 0.0295 per 1000 participant days in skiers). Glenohumeral dislocations in snowboarding were significantly more common in higher age, male gender, injuries resulting more from falls, wet snow conditions, injuries of the leading-side joint and engaging the toe-side edge of the snowboard. Similarly, in skiers, glenohumeral dislocations were significantly more common in higher age, male gender, higher skill level, injuries resulting more from falls and injuries occurring on steep slopes. Nearly all (95.8%) of the glenohumeral dislocations were of the anterior type, and the prevalence of fracture-dislocations of the glenohumeral joint was higher in skiing (33.9%) than in snowboarding (12.4%). The variables strongly associated with glenohumeral dislocations in snowboarding and skiing were age, gender, snow condition and skiing speed.
CONCLUSION: Snowboarding and skiing are sports with increased risk of glenohumeral dislocation compared with the general population, and the injury pattern differs between them. In snowboarding, injury patterns seem to be influenced by performance style.