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In-line skating: Rising popularity, more injuries B.C.'s Children's Hospital: CHIRPP in action on the west coast International Society of Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention founded and journal launched Sioux Lookout hospital data presented to tribal council Surveillance of fatal childhood injuries? The CHIRPP Sampler: Sports and recreational injuries among 5-19 year olds for 1993
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In-line skating: Rising popularity, more injuries by Margaret Herbert, Participation in in-line skating or Rollerblading has increased greatly over the past few years. Most people take up in-line skating as a recreational activity, but it is also used in fitness regimens and training programs for other sports. Increasingly, adults and children alike are finding in-line skating an enjoyable, accessible and affordable activity. Two thirds of those taking part in the sport are younger than age 21, according to figures from the U.S. In-Line Skating Association. Similar numbers of males and females participate. Along with the rising popularity of in-line skating, there has been a corresponding increase in the number of injuries associated with the sport. A search in April 1994 for records of injuries associated with in-line skating among the 286,672 records in the CHIRPP database yielded 521 records. Of these, fewer than 10% occurred in 1990 and 1991, 30% occurred in 1992, and 63% occurred in 1993. Of all the records of injuries in the CHIRPP database, 41% are from 1990 and 1991, 25% are from 1992 and 34% are from 1993. Figures from 1994 were not examined because only data from the winter months had been entered in the database as of April 1994. The following information comes from the 521 records in the CHIRPP database associated with in-line skating. Since most of CHIRPP's data come from pediatric hospitals, injuries to older teens and adults are underrepresented. Injury profile More than 60% of the injuries involved children between 10 and 14 years of age. Two thirds of the injuries happened to boys (Figure 1). Of those injured, fewer than one percent were younger than five years of age, and slightly more than one percent were older than 19 years of age. In the entire CHIRPP database, 27% of the records are for injuries to 10-14 year olds, and 60% are for injuries to males. Figure 1 - Distribution of injuries associated with
in-line skating, Location The majority of in-line skating injuries were caused by falls onto hard surfaces. Roads and sidewalks were the site of more than half (63%) of all in-line skating injuries. As expected, injuries to younger children were more common around the home (Figure 2). Relatively few injuries occurred in those areas best suited to recreational in-line skating, such as playgrounds and rinks. Figure 2 - Locality of injuries, by age group Although one obvious danger of skating on roadways is the proximity to traffic, there were only five reports in the CHIRPP database of injuries involving collisions with bicycles or motor vehicles. Five additional injuries involved falls that occurred while skaters were trying to avoid such collisions. Injuries were also reported in connection with expected hazards and obstacles on and near roads: speed bumps, manhole covers, grates, potholes, fire hydrants and utility poles. Context Two specific types of in-line skating activity were noteworthy in the CHIRPP injury reports. Hockey, either street hockey or organized roller hockey, was associated with 16% of all in-line skating injuries among boys 10-14 years old . Only five percent of older and younger boys, and one girl, were injured while playing roller hockey. Also notable, but less frequent, was loss of control on hills, inclines and ramps, which contributed to three percent of the in-line skating injuries. The number of injuries associated with both these activities may be underestimated, since the CHIRPP questionnaire uses open-ended rather than specific questions. Type of injury More than half (58%) of the injuries were to the hand or forearm (Figures 3 and 4). Fracture or dislocation of the parts of the hand or forearm accounted for 40% of the injury reports, with fracture of the forearm being the single most common injury (27%). In the entire CHIRPP database, hand or forearm injuries represented 23% of injuries, with fracture or dislocation of the hand or forearm accounting for eight percent and fracture of the forearm for four percent. Figure 3 - Body part injured Fewer than half of the patients (41%) received no treatment or minor treatment, 51% required treatment and follow-up and eight percent were admitted to the hospital. There were no fatalities. In the entire database, 57% of the patients received no treatment or minor treatment, 37% required treatment and follow-up and six percent were hospitalized. Figure 4 - Type of injury Safety equipment It is not unusual to see children in-line skating on city or suburban streets wearing only light summer clothing, with no helmet or padding. CHIRPP injury data reflect this observation: only 17% of the injured people were wearing any kind of safety gear while in-line skating. Older children and teens were less likely than younger children to use protective equipment. The severity of injuries sustained by those with and without safety gear was similar. Compared to those not protected, people using safety gear had a smaller proportion of injuries requiring follow-up, but a slightly larger proportion of hospital admissions. These differences were not statistically significant. Complete protective equipment for in-line skating should include a helmet, wrist guards, gloves, knee and elbow pads and protective clothing (long sleeves and long pants). Perhaps the relative novelty of the sport and the fact that injuries have not yet been widely reported have led to a casual attitude towards safety. Another factor may be cost. Purchase of full safety gear doubles the cost of outfitting for the sport. Injury prevention The application of safety guidelines for in-line skating and a touch of common sense can prevent most injuries. A scan of the circumstances for injuries reported in the CHIRPP database suggests the following measures:
Remember, playing hockey on in-line skates is a sport for experienced skaters and protective equipment is essential. A growing number of Canadians enjoy in-line skating. Use of protective gear and knowledge of potential hazards can help reduce injuries. CHIRPP data on injuries associated with in-line skating have been provided to two graduate students. Jacqueline Ellis used the data for a research project done in a course at the University of Ottawa; Manon Lajoie of the University of Toronto is about to submit her MSc thesis on in-line skating injuries. CHIRPP data were used in an article about regulating in-line skating that appeared on page one of The Globe and Mail on July 5, 1994.
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Last Updated: 2001-02-16 |  |
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Children
younger than 10 years of age had more injuries to the head than older
children, typically cuts and abrasions. A few concussions and dental injuries
were also reported. Teens and adults tended to suffer relatively more
injuries to the elbow, shoulder and leg.
