Abstract
Surfing and skateboarding were primarily recreational sports before being thrust in
the limelight of competition that culminated in their inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics. With their immense growth came increased propensity for musculoskeletal
damage due to the performance of often aggressive airborne maneuvers. Direct trauma
is the most common mechanism of injury in both sports. In surfing, the lower limbs
are more often injured than the upper limbs, preferentially the rear extremities.
Knee injuries like sprains, dislocations, and meniscal tears predominate. Contrary
to surfing, skateboarding afflicts the upper extremities more than the lower extremities.
Wrist and forearm trauma account for greater than half of all skateboarding injuries
due to the participant falling on an outstretched arm. These sports will continue
to grow in popularity, and knowing the common injury patterns can aid the radiologist
in relevant and meaningful radiologic reporting and interpretation.
Keywords
surfing - skateboarding - sports injuries - imaging - injury mechanism
