Shoulder injuries during alpine skiing

Am J Sports Med. 1996 Sep-Oct;24(5):665-9. doi: 10.1177/036354659602400517.

Abstract

We retrospectively reviewed alpine skiing injuries at a destination ski resort during three seasons to characterize the incidence and types of shoulder injuries. A total of 3451 injuries in 3247 patients were reviewed. The overall injury rate was 4.44 injuries per 1000 skier-days. Injuries to the upper extremity represented 29.1% (N = 1004) of all alpine ski injuries. Injuries involving the shoulder complex (393 injuries in 350 patients) accounted for 39.1% of upper extremity injuries and 11.4% of all alpine skiing injuries. The rate of shoulder injury was 0.51 injuries per 1000 skier-days. Patients with shoulder injuries had a mean age of 35.4 years, and the male-to-female ratio of these patients was 3:1. Falls represented the most common mechanism of shoulder injury (93.9%) in addition to collisions with skiers (2.8%), pole planning (2.3%), and collisions with trees (1%). The most common shoulder injuries were rotator cuff strains (24.2%), anterior glenohumeral dislocations or subluxations (21.6%), acromioclavicular separations (19.6%), and clavicle fractures (10.9%). Less common shoulder injuries included greater tuberosity fractures (6.9%), trapezius muscle strains (6.4%), proximal humeral fractures (3.3%), biceps tendon strains (2.3%), glenoid fractures (1.5%), scapular fractures (1%), humeral head fractures (1%), sternoclavicular separations (0.5%), an acromial fracture (0.3%), a posterior glenohumeral dislocation (0.3%), and a biceps tendon dislocation (0.3%).

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls / statistics & numerical data
  • Accidents / statistics & numerical data
  • Acromioclavicular Joint / injuries
  • Acromion / injuries
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Arm Injuries / epidemiology
  • Clavicle / injuries
  • Female
  • Fractures, Bone / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Joint Dislocations / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Rotator Cuff Injuries
  • Scapula / injuries
  • Sex Factors
  • Shoulder Dislocation / epidemiology
  • Shoulder Fractures / epidemiology
  • Shoulder Injuries*
  • Skiing / injuries*
  • Skiing / statistics & numerical data
  • Sprains and Strains / epidemiology
  • Sternoclavicular Joint / injuries
  • Tendon Injuries / epidemiology
  • Wyoming / epidemiology