Artificial ski slope injuries: a 1-year prospective study.

Skiing is one of the fastest growing sports in the United Kingdom. A prospective study of 119 patients who sustained injuries while skiing on the Edinburgh artificial ski slope was performed. The ratio of injury of the arm to that of the leg was 4.2:1, which is the reverse of that found with snow skiing. In particular, thumb injuries accounted for 32 per cent of all injuries. Attention is drawn to the high incidence of damage to the ulnar collateral ligament of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb, which is related to the construction of the 'snow slope' matting. The pattern of injury is described and the mechanisms of injury discussed.