TY - JOUR
T1 - Telemark skiing injuries
T2 - A three-year study
AU - Federiuk, Carol S.
AU - Zechnich, Andrew D.
AU - Vargyas, George A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Telemark skiing is a specialized form of skiing which allows skiers to access and ski wilderness terrain. Telemarking, also known as free-heel or Nordic downhill skiing, combines elements of cross-country and downhill skiing to enable the skier to walk uphill and descend difficult alpine slopes. The hallmark of telemark skiing is the telemark tum. This graceful tum was developed by Sondre Norheim in the mid 1800s in the Telemark region of Norway. Norheim used the telemark tum to finish his landing at a ski jumping competition in Oslo in 1868. By dropping the rear knee and allowing the downhill ski to slide ahead, he could achieve A preliminary report was presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society, Kananaskis. Alberta, Canada. August 4, 1996. This study received funding from a 1995 research grant from the Wilderness Medical Society. *Address for correspondence: Department of Emergency Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Telemark skiing is an increasingly popular wilderness activity. Little is known, however, about the injuries incurred during modem telemark skiing. To determine the incidence and types of these injuries we carried out a prospective analysis of injured telemarkers over three ski seasons from November 1994 through May 1997 at the Mount Hood Meadows ski area medical clinic in Oregon. Injured telemark skiers presenting to the clinic were asked to fill out a one-page survey, and a diagnosis was provided by the clinic physician or nurse. During the 1995-1996 and 1996-1997 ski seasons, skiers were counted at the ski lifts to determine the proportion of telemark skiers, alpine skiers, and snowboarders using the lifts. Using these proportions and the total ticket sales for the year, the number of downhill skiers, snowboarders, and telemarkers over the season were estimated, and injury rates were calculated. During the three ski seasons, 33 injuries were identified in 28 injured telemarkers. Of the study participants, 75% (21) were male. The average age was 33.1 years. Self-described intermediate and advanced telemarkers accounted for 74% of the injured. In 96% of the injuries, the skier was performing a telemark turn. Powder snow or heavy, wet snow conditions were reported most often. Lower-extremity injuries were most common, accounting for 42.5% (14) of the total. Seven of the lower-extremity injuries were ankle injuries, and four were knee injuries. Upper-extremity injuries comprised 24.2% (8) and head and facial injuries 21.2% (7) of the total. The least number of injuries occurred in the spine, 12.1% (4). Release plates were used by 8 of 28 skiers and only released in two instances. Telemark skiers comprised 0.9% of skiers counted at the lifts during the 1995-1996 season and 1.8% in 1996-1997. Injury rates/1000 skier days in 1995- 1996 were 3.3 (95% CI: 3.27, 3.35) for downhill skiers, 4.1 (95% CI: 3.32, 5.22) for telemark skiers, and 6.8 (95% CI: 6.54, 7.00) for snowboarders. Injury rates/1000 skier days in 1996-1997 were 3.1 (95% CI: 3.05, 3.15) for downhill skiers, 1.7 (95% CI: 1.44, 2.11) for telemark skiers, and 5.6 (95% CI: 5.39, 5.78) for snowboarders. We conclude that telemark skiers comprise only a small proportion of skiers at a lift-served area. Lower-extremity injuries were most common, followed by upper-extremity and head and facial injuries. Injury rates for telemarkers are comparable to those for alpine skiers.
AB - Telemark skiing is an increasingly popular wilderness activity. Little is known, however, about the injuries incurred during modem telemark skiing. To determine the incidence and types of these injuries we carried out a prospective analysis of injured telemarkers over three ski seasons from November 1994 through May 1997 at the Mount Hood Meadows ski area medical clinic in Oregon. Injured telemark skiers presenting to the clinic were asked to fill out a one-page survey, and a diagnosis was provided by the clinic physician or nurse. During the 1995-1996 and 1996-1997 ski seasons, skiers were counted at the ski lifts to determine the proportion of telemark skiers, alpine skiers, and snowboarders using the lifts. Using these proportions and the total ticket sales for the year, the number of downhill skiers, snowboarders, and telemarkers over the season were estimated, and injury rates were calculated. During the three ski seasons, 33 injuries were identified in 28 injured telemarkers. Of the study participants, 75% (21) were male. The average age was 33.1 years. Self-described intermediate and advanced telemarkers accounted for 74% of the injured. In 96% of the injuries, the skier was performing a telemark turn. Powder snow or heavy, wet snow conditions were reported most often. Lower-extremity injuries were most common, accounting for 42.5% (14) of the total. Seven of the lower-extremity injuries were ankle injuries, and four were knee injuries. Upper-extremity injuries comprised 24.2% (8) and head and facial injuries 21.2% (7) of the total. The least number of injuries occurred in the spine, 12.1% (4). Release plates were used by 8 of 28 skiers and only released in two instances. Telemark skiers comprised 0.9% of skiers counted at the lifts during the 1995-1996 season and 1.8% in 1996-1997. Injury rates/1000 skier days in 1995- 1996 were 3.3 (95% CI: 3.27, 3.35) for downhill skiers, 4.1 (95% CI: 3.32, 5.22) for telemark skiers, and 6.8 (95% CI: 6.54, 7.00) for snowboarders. Injury rates/1000 skier days in 1996-1997 were 3.1 (95% CI: 3.05, 3.15) for downhill skiers, 1.7 (95% CI: 1.44, 2.11) for telemark skiers, and 5.6 (95% CI: 5.39, 5.78) for snowboarders. We conclude that telemark skiers comprise only a small proportion of skiers at a lift-served area. Lower-extremity injuries were most common, followed by upper-extremity and head and facial injuries. Injury rates for telemarkers are comparable to those for alpine skiers.
KW - Injury rates
KW - Skiing injuries
KW - Telemark skiing
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031406528&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1580/1080-6032(1997)008[0204:TSIATY]2.3.CO;2
DO - 10.1580/1080-6032(1997)008[0204:TSIATY]2.3.CO;2
M3 - Article
C2 - 11990163
AN - SCOPUS:0031406528
SN - 1080-6032
VL - 8
SP - 204
EP - 210
JO - Wilderness and Environmental Medicine
JF - Wilderness and Environmental Medicine
IS - 4
ER -