Injuries in the Pamporovo and Borovets ski areas during the 2019-2020 season

Abstract

In Bulgaria, while a sub-regulation of the Tourism Law addresses the safety and security of ski slope users, insufficient attention is given to understanding the causes of accidents, gathering feedback, and implementing injury prevention strategies for snow sports. This study aims to analyze the types of accidents and injuries reported at the Borovetz and Pamporovo ski zones during the 2019/2020 season. Various factors were considered, including the time of injury occurrence, slope difficulty, type of injury, and type of ski or snowboard equipment used. Methods that were used were frequency analysis, document analysis, and comparative analysis. Injuries were categorized into four groups: head, torso, legs, and arms. The highest number of injuries involved the legs, followed by the arms. Knee injuries were the most common type of trauma on the slopes, followed by shoulder and lower leg injuries. Among all injuries, fractures were identified as the most severe, with lower leg and collarbone fractures being the most frequently reported. The peak occurrence of severe injuries was after 12:00 PM in both ski areas. This trend can be attributed to deteriorating slope conditions due to weather factors such as sun, wind, and positive temperatures, as well as increased slope usage by other snow sports enthusiasts.