Injury patterns in children and adolescent skiers.

Over 3,500 students from five major high schools in the Seattle metropolitan area were studied as to skiing injuries. Each had skiied an average of 13.3 days. The average age of t'he group was 13.5 years, the ages ranging from 3 to 19 years. The students 10 years and under had the lowest incidence of injuries, those aged 11 to 14 years had the highest over-all injury rates, and the group 15 years of age and over laid midway between these two groups in injury rate. There was no evidence in the study that the open physis led to a higher incidence of epiphyseal injuries. The knee was more commonly involved than the ankle, and sprains, contusions, and fractures followed in that order as far as injury rates were concerned. The female was more prone to injury than the male. Skiiers with greater ability had fewer injuries than those with less skill in this particular sport.