Abstract
Alpine ski racing is known to be a sport with a high risk of injuries. Because most studies have focused mainly on top-level athletes and on traumatic injuries, limited research exists about injury risk factors among youth ski racers. The aim of this study was to determine the intrinsic risk factors (anthropometrics, biological maturity, physical fitness, racing technique) for injury among youth alpine ski racers. Study participants were 81 youth ski racers attending a ski boarding school (50 males, 31 females; 9–14 years). A prospective longitudinal cohort design was used to monitor sports-related risk factors over two seasons and traumatic (TI) and overuse injuries (OI). At the beginning of the study, anthropometric characteristics (body height, body weight, sitting height, body mass index); biological maturity [status age at peak height velocity (APHV)]; physical performance parameters related to jump coordination, maximal leg and core strength, explosive and reactive strength, balance and endurance; and ski racing technique were assessed. Z score transformations normalized the age groups. Multivariate binary logistic regression (dependent variable: injury yes/no) and multivariate linear regression analyses (dependent variable: injury severity in total days of absence from training) were calculated. T-tests and multivariate analyses of variance were used to reveal differences between injured and non-injured athletes and between injury severity groups. The level of significance was set to p < 0.05. Relatively low rates of injuries were reported for both traumatic (0.63 TI/athlete) and overuse injuries (0.21 OI/athlete). Athletes with higher body weight, body height, and sitting height; lower APHV values; better core flexion strength; smaller core flexion:extension strength ratio; shorter drop jump contact time; and higher drop jump reactive strength index were at a lower injury risk or more vulnerable for fewer days of absence from training. However, significant differences between injured and non-injured athletes were only observed with respect to the drop jump reactive strength index. Regular documentation of anthropometric characteristics, biological maturity and physical fitness parameters is crucial to help to prevent injury in youth ski racing. The present findings suggest that neuromuscular training should be incorporated into the training regimen of youth ski racers to prevent injuries.
Highlights
Alpine ski racing is a physically demanding sport and presents a high risk of injury independent of age and gender (Neumayr et al, 2003; Spörri et al, 2017)
There is no single fitness parameter responsible for determining the risk of injuries, a comprehensive fitness regimen starting at a young age is crucial for coping with the physical requirements of alpine ski racing and minimizing the rate of both traumatic and overuse injuries
The findings of the present study showed that decreased core strength and below-average drop jump ability are accompanied by a higher risk of sustaining a severe injury
Summary
Alpine ski racing is a physically demanding sport and presents a high risk of injury independent of age and gender (Neumayr et al, 2003; Spörri et al, 2017). In elite alpine ski racing, injury rates of more than 36 injuries/100 athletes have been reported, 36% being severe and partly career ending (Bere et al, 2013; Spörri et al, 2017). The most common injuries were ligament injuries in the knee (35.6%), with the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) being the most frequent diagnosis, representing 13.6% of all injuries in World Cup athletes (Flørenes et al, 2009). Sport specialization at a young age should not negatively affect skeletally immature athletes (Maffulli et al, 2010). Epidemiological studies with respect to injuries, and in a further step, studies investigating the injury risk factors in youth ski racing are important as a first and second step of the injury prevention sequence (Van Mechelen et al, 1992)
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