Ice-skating injuries in children. Etiology and accident prevention

Background. Ice skating is among the most popular winter sports in Austria. Consequently, it is also one of the main reasons for winter sport accidents. The aim of the presented project was to analyse ice-skating injuries in children in order to identify possibilities for prevention. Methods. In the period covered, 103 children were admitted to our clinic after ice-skating injuries. Their clinical records were analysed. Furthermore, all patients were sent a standardised questionnaire to document etiology, safety equipment, transport to hospital, and skating experience in years. Results. The main causes of accidents were collisions and falls. Most accidents occurred within the first 30 min of skating, and significantly more accidents happened on natural rather than artificial ice (p<0.01). Fractures were seen in 33%, and the other patients sustained lacerations, contusions, distorsions, or head injuries. Only 12.5% of all patients were using safety equipment. Conclusion. To prevent accidents in the future, more children should wear protective gear, and they should be encouraged to skate on artificial rinks with good ice quality. Additionally, physical exercises before skating could perhaps reduce the number of accidents in the first minutes.