Stefan Fröhlich1,2, Moritz Helbling1,2, Sandro F Fucentese3, Walter Karlen4, Walter O Frey2, Jörg Spörri5,6. 1. Sports Medical Research Group, Department of Orthopaedics, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Lengghalde 5, Zurich, 8008, Switzerland. 2. University Centre for Prevention and Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. 3. Knee Surgery, Department of Orthopaedics, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. 4. Mobile Health Systems Lab, Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. 5. Sports Medical Research Group, Department of Orthopaedics, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Lengghalde 5, Zurich, 8008, Switzerland. joerg.spoerri@balgrist.ch. 6. University Centre for Prevention and Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. joerg.spoerri@balgrist.ch.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Prospective studies assessing the injuries occurring in elite competitive alpine skiers are lacking, and a full picture of all injuries, including those not requiring medical attention, is absent. Likewise, little is known about the sex-specific injury risks and patterns of elite skiers throughout an entire season (i.e. an off-season preparation period and a competition period). Accordingly, this study investigated the injuries of a national team cohort with respect to season period and sex. METHODS: Over an entire season, all injuries occurring in 44 Swiss National Ski Team members (25 females and 19 males) were registered, regardless of whether they required medical attention. Skiers were prospectively monitored by the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre (OSTRC) questionnaire and by continuously updated team medical records. Finally, these data were used as a reference for supplemental interviews, in which the correctness and completeness of the prospective data were verified. RESULTS: The risk of suffering at least one injury during an entire season was 75.0% with a 95% confidence interval (73.1%, 76.9%) for traumatic injuries, and 52.3% (50.0%, 54.5%) for overuse injuries. Traumatic injuries concerned the head, lower leg and knee, while overuse injuries affected the lumbar spine, knee and hip. During the competition period, skiers were more prone to traumatic injuries, while during the off-season preparation period, skiers' risk was higher for overuse injuries. Over an entire season, there were no sex differences. However, females were more vulnerable to traumatic injuries during the preparation period and overuse injuries during the competition period, while males had a higher risk for overuse injuries during the preparation period. CONCLUSIONS: When prospectively registering injuries among elite competitive alpine skiers over an entire season, regardless of whether the injuries required medical attention, the injury risks were alarmingly high and substantially larger than those previously reported. Moreover, since injury risks and patterns are season period and sex dependent, it is strongly recommended that (1) injury registration focuses on both the off-season preparation period and the competition period and (2) prevention efforts are specifically tailored to the sex of the athletes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.
PURPOSE: Prospective studies assessing the injuries occurring in elite competitive alpine skiers are lacking, and a full picture of all injuries, including those not requiring medical attention, is absent. Likewise, little is known about the sex-specific injury risks and patterns of elite skiers throughout an entire season (i.e. an off-season preparation period and a competition period). Accordingly, this study investigated the injuries of a national team cohort with respect to season period and sex. METHODS: Over an entire season, all injuries occurring in 44 Swiss National Ski Team members (25 females and 19 males) were registered, regardless of whether they required medical attention. Skiers were prospectively monitored by the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre (OSTRC) questionnaire and by continuously updated team medical records. Finally, these data were used as a reference for supplemental interviews, in which the correctness and completeness of the prospective data were verified. RESULTS: The risk of suffering at least one injury during an entire season was 75.0% with a 95% confidence interval (73.1%, 76.9%) for traumatic injuries, and 52.3% (50.0%, 54.5%) for overuse injuries. Traumatic injuries concerned the head, lower leg and knee, while overuse injuries affected the lumbar spine, knee and hip. During the competition period, skiers were more prone to traumatic injuries, while during the off-season preparation period, skiers' risk was higher for overuse injuries. Over an entire season, there were no sex differences. However, females were more vulnerable to traumatic injuries during the preparation period and overuse injuries during the competition period, while males had a higher risk for overuse injuries during the preparation period. CONCLUSIONS: When prospectively registering injuries among elite competitive alpine skiers over an entire season, regardless of whether the injuries required medical attention, the injury risks were alarmingly high and substantially larger than those previously reported. Moreover, since injury risks and patterns are season period and sex dependent, it is strongly recommended that (1) injury registration focuses on both the off-season preparation period and the competition period and (2) prevention efforts are specifically tailored to the sex of the athletes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.
Authors: Paul McCrory; Willem Meeuwisse; Jiří Dvořák; Mark Aubry; Julian Bailes; Steven Broglio; Robert C Cantu; David Cassidy; Ruben J Echemendia; Rudy J Castellani; Gavin A Davis; Richard Ellenbogen; Carolyn Emery; Lars Engebretsen; Nina Feddermann-Demont; Christopher C Giza; Kevin M Guskiewicz; Stanley Herring; Grant L Iverson; Karen M Johnston; James Kissick; Jeffrey Kutcher; John J Leddy; David Maddocks; Michael Makdissi; Geoff T Manley; Michael McCrea; William P Meehan; Shinji Nagahiro; Jon Patricios; Margot Putukian; Kathryn J Schneider; Allen Sills; Charles H Tator; Michael Turner; Pieter E Vos Journal: Br J Sports Med Date: 2017-04-26 Impact factor: 13.800
Authors: Tobias Götschi; Jonas Hanimann; Nicole Schulz; Simon Huser; Victoria Held; Walter O Frey; Jess G Snedeker; Jörg Spörri Journal: Front Bioeng Biotechnol Date: 2022-06-09
Authors: Stefan Fröhlich; Seraina Pazeller; Afsaneh Safar Cherati; Erich Müller; Walter O Frey; Jörg Spörri Journal: BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med Date: 2020-12-24
Authors: Kirsten Kiers; Lynn Ellenberger; Julia Jermann; Felix Oberle; Walter O Frey; Jörg Spörri Journal: Front Physiol Date: 2022-04-11 Impact factor: 4.755