Abstract
A prospective analysis was made of 31 children who sustained an injury of the lower
extremity during downhill skiing. They were compared with a control population of
183 skiers. The injured children were to a large extent less skillful skiers and tended
to be injured at the start of their skiing season. In general, the risk of having
an injury did not seem to be influenced by the question of where or by whom the bindings
were adjusted. Nevertheless, beginners predominantly had had their bindings adjusted
in ski shops. The heel mechanism functioned well in most cases, while the function
of the toe mechanism was poor in the control population and even poorer in the injury
group.
The results indicate that many of the present release bindings used by children are
of poor quality and should be improved. At present, a reasonable recommendation for
children should be to set the heel mechanism according to the standard scale and the
toe mechanism as loosely as possible without having a release during ordinary skiing.
Increased use of testing devices is advocated. In Sweden, improved education of personnel
in ski shops, with the children in focus, seems important, and training and supervision
of the beginners should be intensified.
Key words
Skiing safety - skiing injuries - children - skier and equipment
