Regional differences in emergency department utilization for skiing and snowboarding injuries

Background: Evidence suggests that ski and snowboard injuries vary by location: eastern ski trails are narrower and more crowded with a higher risk of collision, western ski trails are wider which may lead to more high-speed events. This is the first study to use a nationally representative sample of emergency department visits to examine ski and snowboard injuries the U.S. and make comparisons across regions.

Methods: 2009 data from the National Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) were used to analyze the likelihood of sustaining one of several injuries between the west and northeast regions of the U.S. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted.

Results: Compared to western skiers, eastern skiers were more likely to present with knee ligament damage (OR: 7.41, p<0.001) or knee sprain (OR: 1.55, p=0.002). No regional differences for skiers were observed to tibia/fibia fractures, spleen injuries or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Compared to eastern snowboarders, western snowboarders were more likely to present with a clavicle fracture (OR: 1.48, p-value: 0.000), clavicle dislocation (OR: 2.08, p<0.001) or wrist fracture (OR: 1.29, p=0.007). Humerus fractures, spleen injuries and TBI were not significantly associated with either region.

Conclusions: Injury patterns among skiers and snowboarders vary regionally. These findings suggest the need for additional research to identify underlying factors (e.g., trail design) to inform prevention interventions.