Risks of skiing

After doing some searching on Google Scholar I've come up with the
following two links that provide good summaries of European skiing
accident data.

"Risks of certain sports and recreational activities in the EU"

http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_s...k_sport_en.pdf

and also http://ww.ski-injury.com/

It appears that the overall general reported rates of accident are
pretty similar for all countries at about 2-4 accidents per thousand
skier days.

Beginners, young males, and snow boarders have above average risk.

First day participants seem to be at a very high risk relative to all
other groups.

The mean number of participation days between accidents is somewhere
about 300 per individual.

Thus someone who participated for 15 days a season might go 20 seasons
on average between reported accidents. Someone who participated 50 days
a season could expect on average to go 6 seasons between reported
accidents.

Thus if local people and experts were to spend between 50-100 days on
the slopes per season then in order to be below average for accident
rates it would be expected that these people suffer fewer than say 1
reported accident every 3-6 years.

I think the data tends to help put risks into perspective.

Mike
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
" || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

In message k
Mike Clark wrote:

After doing some searching on Google Scholar I've come up with the
following two links that provide good summaries of European skiing
accident data.

"Risks of certain sports and recreational activities in the EU"

http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_s...k_sport_en.pdf

and also http://www.ski-injury.com/

It appears that the overall general reported rates of accident are
pretty similar for all countries at about 2-4 accidents per thousand
skier days.


I've now also tracked down some data for competition skiers. It seems
that for alpine skiing events the risks of reported injury in
competition or training are measured at a frequency of about 1-4 per
1000 runs. This is a higher rate than for recreational skiers where the
the reporting is per thousand skier days.

Mike
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
" || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

In the Clinic in Alpe D'Huex this week getting the wife sown up and I asked
how many fatalities per season and response was around 6, though they've
already had 2 this season.

You should also look at http://pistehors.com/ he used to have a break down
by discipline of fatalities with ski touring and snow showing well above
average.

"Weathercam" wrote in message
...

he used to have a break down by discipline of fatalities with ski touring
and snow showing well above average.

Snow Showing, is that some kind of winter dressage?

--
Mike W

"Mike Clark" wrote in message
.uk...
| In message k
| Mike Clark wrote:
|
| After doing some searching on Google Scholar I've come up with the
| following two links that provide good summaries of European skiing
| accident data.
|
| "Risks of certain sports and recreational activities in the EU"
|
| http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_s...k_sport_en.pdf
|
| and also http://www.ski-injury.com/
|
| It appears that the overall general reported rates of accident are
| pretty similar for all countries at about 2-4 accidents per thousand
| skier days.
|
|
| I've now also tracked down some data for competition skiers. It seems
| that for alpine skiing events the risks of reported injury in
| competition or training are measured at a frequency of about 1-4 per
| 1000 runs. This is a higher rate than for recreational skiers where
the
| the reporting is per thousand skier days.

Is this data on the web?

To put this into perspective, the 'ski to the limit' element when gate
training for alpine events is vital if you are going to get anywhere -
otherwise someone who is equally technically adept and goes for it will
beat someone skiing within his limits 8 times out of 10. (The other two
times he'll take a fall).

Over an average full couple of days' ski training - gates, powder, tree
skiing, whatever - even the best are likely to have a crash or three.
Ski within the comfort zone, and the coach will send you home for
wasting his and your time.

I'm not sure that people realise the different level of skiing ability
involved at truly expert level, and the relevance of a higher incidence
of injury amongst competition skiers escapes me - with respect to this
discussion. It doesn't suggest that the same skiers will push themselves
to the same limits away from training and competition - they don't,
obviously. Put these same race skiers into the leisure skiing
environment, and they will have the lowest level of injury per skier day
across the skiing spectrum.

pg wrote:
"Mike Clark" wrote in message
.uk...
| In message k
| Mike Clark wrote:
|
| After doing some searching on Google Scholar I've come up with the
| following two links that provide good summaries of European skiing
| accident data.
|
| "Risks of certain sports and recreational activities in the EU"
|
| http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_s...k_sport_en.pdf
|
| and also http://www.ski-injury.com/
|
| It appears that the overall general reported rates of accident are
| pretty similar for all countries at about 2-4 accidents per thousand
| skier days.
|
|
| I've now also tracked down some data for competition skiers. It seems
| that for alpine skiing events the risks of reported injury in
| competition or training are measured at a frequency of about 1-4 per
| 1000 runs. This is a higher rate than for recreational skiers where
the
| the reporting is per thousand skier days.

Is this data on the web?

To put this into perspective, the 'ski to the limit' element when gate
training for alpine events is vital if you are going to get anywhere -
otherwise someone who is equally technically adept and goes for it will
beat someone skiing within his limits 8 times out of 10. (The other two
times he'll take a fall).

Over an average full couple of days' ski training - gates, powder, tree
skiing, whatever - even the best are likely to have a crash or three.
Ski within the comfort zone, and the coach will send you home for
wasting his and your time.

I'm not sure that people realise the different level of skiing ability
involved at truly expert level, and the relevance of a higher incidence
of injury amongst competition skiers escapes me - with respect to this
discussion. It doesn't suggest that the same skiers will push themselves
to the same limits away from training and competition - they don't,
obviously. Put these same race skiers into the leisure skiing
environment, and they will have the lowest level of injury per skier day
across the skiing spectrum.


I agree; it is a mistake to compare competition skiing with recreational
skiing in terms of accident statistics. It is like including motor sport
fatalities in with general road safety statistics. It does, however,
make interesting reading. I will have to check up what constitutes an
injury and what consitutes a run.

John

"john elgy" wrote in message
...
| pg wrote:
| "Mike Clark" wrote in message
| .uk...
| | In message k
| | Mike Clark wrote:
| |
| | After doing some searching on Google Scholar I've come up with
the
| | following two links that provide good summaries of European
skiing
| | accident data.
| |
| | "Risks of certain sports and recreational activities in the EU"
| |
| |
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_s...k_sport_en.pdf
| |
| | and also http://www.ski-injury.com/
| |
| | It appears that the overall general reported rates of accident
are
| | pretty similar for all countries at about 2-4 accidents per
thousand
| | skier days.
| |
| |
| | I've now also tracked down some data for competition skiers. It
seems
| | that for alpine skiing events the risks of reported injury in
| | competition or training are measured at a frequency of about 1-4
per
| | 1000 runs. This is a higher rate than for recreational skiers
where
| the
| | the reporting is per thousand skier days.
|
| Is this data on the web?
|
| To put this into perspective, the 'ski to the limit' element when
gate
| training for alpine events is vital if you are going to get
anywhere -
| otherwise someone who is equally technically adept and goes for it
will
| beat someone skiing within his limits 8 times out of 10. (The other
two
| times he'll take a fall).
|
| Over an average full couple of days' ski training - gates, powder,
tree
| skiing, whatever - even the best are likely to have a crash or
three.
| Ski within the comfort zone, and the coach will send you home for
| wasting his and your time.
|
| I'm not sure that people realise the different level of skiing
ability
| involved at truly expert level, and the relevance of a higher
incidence
| of injury amongst competition skiers escapes me - with respect to
this
| discussion. It doesn't suggest that the same skiers will push
themselves
| to the same limits away from training and competition - they don't,
| obviously. Put these same race skiers into the leisure skiing
| environment, and they will have the lowest level of injury per skier
day
| across the skiing spectrum.
|
|
| I agree; it is a mistake to compare competition skiing with
recreational
| skiing in terms of accident statistics. It is like including motor
sport
| fatalities in with general road safety statistics. It does, however,
| make interesting reading. I will have to check up what constitutes an
| injury and what consitutes a run.

"1-4 per 1000 runs"

Remarkably low, they are definitely not taking minor sprains, abrasions
etc into account. The International Skiing Federation has an injury
monitoring programme (the FIS Injury Surveillance System) - set up
recently - that analyses the stats with respect to competition runs
only. Not seen any conclusions, although I've heard that not all
injuries that should figure in the results are in fact included...
http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/newsinform...s-iss-faq.html. The trouble
is that not all injuries are treated through the racer's National
Federation medical people, so escape the net.

There's reference to a similar competition snowboarding study he
http://bjsm.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/40/3/230

In message
john elgy wrote:

[snip]
I agree; it is a mistake to compare competition skiing with
recreational skiing in terms of accident statistics. It is like
including motor sport fatalities in with general road safety
statistics. It does, however, make interesting reading. I will have
to check up what constitutes an injury and what consitutes a run.

John

What about comparing on-piste versus off-piste skiing?

What about comparing resort skiing to ski-touring?

As I've improved my skiing ability I've spent less and less time on the
piste and more time off piste. When I go on vacation to go ski-touring
it is time that I'm not spending on vacation on the piste.

It is an improvement in skill and ability in skiing that has made it
possible for me to change the type of skiing that I do.

However it would be silly for me personally to only take account of
injuries I sustained whilst skiing on piste and consider them as the
only important statistic.

Mike
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
" || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

Mike Clark wrote:
In message
john elgy wrote:

[snip]

I agree; it is a mistake to compare competition skiing with
recreational skiing in terms of accident statistics. It is like
including motor sport fatalities in with general road safety
statistics. It does, however, make interesting reading. I will have
to check up what constitutes an injury and what consitutes a run.

John


What about comparing on-piste versus off-piste skiing?

What about comparing resort skiing to ski-touring?

As I've improved my skiing ability I've spent less and less time on the
piste and more time off piste. When I go on vacation to go ski-touring
it is time that I'm not spending on vacation on the piste.

It is an improvement in skill and ability in skiing that has made it
possible for me to change the type of skiing that I do.

However it would be silly for me personally to only take account of
injuries I sustained whilst skiing on piste and consider them as the
only important statistic.

Mike
We just had a winter sport injury on the last trip we did (Flaine Jan
2007). I am not sure how it will be treeted in the statistics. One of
the party was just going down to collect the bread one morning, slipped
on the icy road and broke his collar bone. Now, bearing in mind how long
he spent skiing ovr the last 10 years or so and that this was his first
ever trip to collect the bread (lack of experience and suitable training
is clearly a factor) I may caution that getting the bread is much more
dangerous than skiing. I will leave it to the rest of the group to
instigate the campaign in the popular press to restrict and licence this
activity.

John

In message
john elgy wrote:

Mike Clark wrote:
In message
john elgy wrote:

[snip]

I agree; it is a mistake to compare competition skiing with
recreational skiing in terms of accident statistics. It is like
including motor sport fatalities in with general road safety
statistics. It does, however, make interesting reading. I will
have to check up what constitutes an injury and what consitutes a
run.

John


What about comparing on-piste versus off-piste skiing?

What about comparing resort skiing to ski-touring?

As I've improved my skiing ability I've spent less and less time on
the piste and more time off piste. When I go on vacation to go
ski-touring it is time that I'm not spending on vacation on the
piste.

It is an improvement in skill and ability in skiing that has made it
possible for me to change the type of skiing that I do.

However it would be silly for me personally to only take account of
injuries I sustained whilst skiing on piste and consider them as the
only important statistic.

Mike
We just had a winter sport injury on the last trip we did (Flaine Jan
2007). I am not sure how it will be treeted in the statistics. One of
the party was just going down to collect the bread one morning,
slipped on the icy road and broke his collar bone.
Now, bearing in mind how long he spent skiing ovr the last 10 years
or so and that this was his first ever trip to collect the bread
(lack of experience and suitable training is clearly a factor

;-)

) I may caution that getting the bread is much more dangerous than
skiing. I will leave it to the rest of the group to instigate the
campaign in the popular press to restrict and licence this activity.

John

If the member of your party was skiing down to collect the bread then
why not add it to the list of injuries sustained whilst skiing?


--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
" || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"