• Bernd Wallner, Christopher Rugg, Peter Paal, and Mathias Ströhle.
• Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: bernd.wallner@i-med.ac.at.
• Injury. 2022 Jul 1; 53 (7): 2485-2492.

IntroductionInterindividual collisions while skiing or snowboarding occur regularly, they can be associated with severe injuries.ObjectiveTo elucidate causes of accidents, injury patterns and potential risk factors for injury severity in interindividual collisions of skiers and snowboarders.Material And MethodsRetrospective analysis of the Austrian Registry for Mountain Accidents within a 13-year timeframe (2005-2018) with regard to on- or off-piste collisions of skiers and snowboarders.ResultsA total of 30,503 collisions, involving 52,430 (85.9%) skiers and 8,576 (14.1%) snowboarders were analysed. Denominators are lacking, since total numbers of skiers and snowboarders were not available. Compared to skiers, snowboarders were younger (23 vs. 42 years; p<0.001), predominantly male (77.4% vs. 61.0%; p<0.001) and less often severely injured (46.8% vs. 26.2%; p<0.001). Most accidents occurred on slopes (>95%). Collisions involving two snowboarders occurred proportionally more often in terrain parks (4.1% of 1,664 injured snowboarders; p<0.001) and while one victim was standing or sitting (9.7%; p<0.001). Contusions/strains/sprains were most prevalent (>23%), as were head injuries (>12%). In skiers, chest, shoulder, hip, thigh and knee injuries occurred more often, leading to fractures, dislocations, concussions and internal injuries more frequently. In snowboarders, spine/back, elbow, forearm, wrist and lower leg injuries were more prevalent. Female gender and standing or sitting prior to the accident was a risk factor for being more severely injured in collisions involving i) two skiers (OR: 4.02 (3.79-4.26) and 3.91 (3.26-4.68)), ii) a skier and a snowboarder (OR: 4.50 (3.95-5.14) and 11.49 (8.04-16.41)) or iii) two snowboarders (OR: 2.85 (2.12-3.84) and 12.47 (6.17-25.20)). Wearing a helmet increased the risk when two skiers collided (OR: 1.10 (1.03-1.17)). In skier vs. snowboarder collisions, the skier had a higher risk of being injured more severely (OR: 7.93 (6.98-9.01)).ConclusionsIn interindividual collisions of skiers and snowboarders, injury patterns and preceding causes differ substantially. Skiers are more likely to be severely injured. Awareness of an increased risk of injury should be raised particularly while standing or sitting on the slope.Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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