Investigating reaction times and stopping performance of skiers and snowboarders.

On-slope experiments were performed to determine the reaction time of recreational skiers and snowboarders. Volunteers riding a slope were instructed to brake to a complete stop after a visual and acoustic signal. Reaction time and parameters such as the duration of the braking manoeuvre and the corresponding stopping distance were recorded. A total of 70 runs were evaluated, including 37 runs with snowboarders and 33 runs with skiers. The average time until the first observable reaction (reaction time) for all athletes was 420 ms; there was no statistically significant difference between skiers and snowboarders. Participants needed on average an additional 470 ms until they actually started braking. Snowboarders needed significantly more time to prepare for braking than skiers and it took snowboarders significantly longer to stop (p<0.05). In line with these findings, snowboarders also exhibited significantly less deceleration during braking compared to skiers. This study quantifies the reaction times of skiers and snowboarders and provides data related to braking of skiers and snowboarders. This data is useful for the development of injury prevention measures and can be used to ensure reasonable slope design.