Kitesurf injury trauma evaluation study: A prospective cohort study evaluating kitesurf injuries

BACKGROUND Kitesurfing is an increasingly popular and potentially dangerous extreme water sport. We hypothesized that kitesurfing has a higher injury rate than other (contact) sports and that the minority of injuries are severe. AIM To investigate the incidence and epidemiology of kitesurfing injuries in a Dutch cohort during a complete kitesurfing season. METHODS Injury data of 194 kitesurfers of various skill levels, riding styles and age were surveyed prospectively during a full kitesurf season. The participants were recruited through the Dutch national kitesurf association, social media, local websites and kitesurf schools. Participants completed digital questionnaires monthly. The amount of time kitesurfing was registered along with all sustained injuries. If an injury was reported, an additional questionnaire explored the type of injury, injury location, severity and the circumstances under which the injury occurred. RESULTS The mean age of participants was 31 years (range, 13-59) and the majority of the study population was male (74.2%). A total of 177 injuries were sustained during 16816 kitesurf hours. The calculated injury rate was 10.5 injuries per 1000 h of kitesurfing. The most common injuries were cuts and abrasions (25.4%), followed by contusions (19.8%), joint sprains (17.5%) and muscle sprains (10.2%). The foot and ankle were the most common site of injury (31.8%), followed by the knee (14.1%) and hand and wrist (10.2%). Most injuries were reported to occur during a trick or jump. Although the majority of injuries were mild, severe injuries like an anterior cruciate ligament tear, a lumbar spine fracture, a bimalleolar ankle fracture and an eardrum rupture were reported. CONCLUSION The injury rate of kitesurfing is in the range of other popular (contact) sports. Most injuries are relatively mild, although kitesurfing has the potential to cause serious injuries.