Epidemiology of Figure Skating Injuries: A Review of the Literature.

CONTEXT:: As the popularity and technical demands of figure skating increase, so will the number of athletes presenting with sport-related problems. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION:: Searches were performed across PubMed from 1980 to 2017. The keywords searched were skating, skaters, incidence, and injuries. The search was limited to English-language articles and human participants. Relevant articles were cross-referenced. STUDY DESIGN:: Clinical review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Level 5. RESULTS:: Previous studies suggest an increase in incidence of figure skating injuries from 1982 to 2003. When combining all disciplines of figure skating, there is a similar proportion of acute and overuse injuries. Within disciplines, overuse injuries appear to be more common in singles skating, while acute injuries are more common in pairs skating, ice dancing, and synchronized skating. Lower extremity injuries are more common than upper extremity injuries in all disciplines, and pairs skating accounts for the majority of upper extremity injuries. Ankle sprains are the most common skating injury, and patellar tendinitis is the most common overuse injury across all disciplines. Stress fractures are the most common overuse injury in female singles skaters. CONCLUSION:: The predominance of overuse injuries in singles disciplines reflects their increasing technical difficulty, with more difficult jumps and longer training hours. Partner disciplines are more likely to involve acute injuries and upper extremity injuries due to high-risk throws and lifts. Emphasis should be placed on properly fitting skating boots, intrinsic foot and ankle strengthening, and lower extremity flexibility, which may prevent many of the common lower extremity and back injuries in figure skating.

Division I Hockey Players Generate More Power Than Division III Players During on- and Off-Ice Performance Tests.

Current research has found anthropometric and physiological characteristics of hockey players that are correlated to performance. These characteristics, however, have never been examined to see whether significant differences exist between on- and off-ice performance markers at different levels of play; Division I, Elite Junior, and Division III. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences that may exist between these characteristics in Division I (24), Elite Junior (10), and Division III hockey (11) players. Forty-five (age: 18-24 years) hockey players completed anthropometric, on-ice, and off-ice tests to ascertain average measures for each division of play. On-ice testing was conducted in full hockey gear and consisted of acceleration, top-speed, and on-ice repeated shift test (RST). Off-ice tests included vertical jump, Wingate, grip strength, and a graded exercise test performed on a skating treadmill to ascertain their (Equation is included in full-text article.). Division I players had significantly lower body fat than their Division III peers (p = 0.004). Division I players also scored significantly better on measures of anaerobic power; vertical jump (p = 0.001), Wingate peak power (p = 0.05), grip strength (p = 0.008), top speed (p = 0.001), and fastest RST course time (p = 0.001) than their Division III counterparts. There was no significant difference between Division I and Elite Junior players for any on- or off-ice performance variable. The results of this study indicate that performance differences between Division I and Division III hockey players seem to be primarily because of the rate of force production.

Patinação de velocidade in line: uma revisão sistemática / Patinaje de velocidad en línea: una revisión sistemática / In-line speed skating: a systematic review

A patinação de velocidade in‐line é uma modalidade que está crescendo nos últimos anos, contudo, ainda é pouco estudada devido a dificuldade de ser reproduzida em laboratório. Neste artigo, foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o conhecimento, com base em investigações prévias desta modalidade esportiva. As consultas foram realizadas nas bases de dados LILACS, SCOPUS, PubMed, SciELO, Science Direct, Ovid e Google. Foram incluídos apenas estudos com humanos, publicados em inglês, português, italiano e francês sem restrição de ano de publicação. Do total de 143 artigos, 27 abordaram sobre patinação in-line, destes, 14 investigaram as variáveis fisiológicas, 8 as variáveis biomecânicas e 5 investigaram ambas. Seis estudos compararam as respostas fisiológicas durante a patinação com protocolos de corrida ou ciclismo; somente 2 verificaram a validade de um protocolo específico, para determinar indiretamente a capacidade aeróbica de patinadores de velocidade in-line. Os resultados dos estudos foram controversos e inconsistentes, revelando que existe a necessidade de investigar profundamente este esporte (AU)

El patinaje de velocidad sobre ruedas es una modalidad que ha crecido en los últimos años, pero que aún está poco estudiada debido a la dificultad de ser reproducida en laboratorio. En este artículo, fue realizada una revisión bibliográfica sobre el estado del conocimiento con base en las investigaciones ya realizadas acerca de esta modalidad deportiva. Fueron consultadas las bases de datos LILACS, SCOPUS, PubMed, SciELO, Science Direct, Ovid y Google. Se incluyeron estudios con humanos, publicados en inglés, portugués, italiano y francés, sin restricciones de año de publicación. De un total de 143 artículos, 27 tratan del patinaje sobre ruedas; de estos, 14 investigaron las variables fisiológicas, 8 las biomecánicas y 5 investigaron ambas variables. Seis estudios compararon la respuesta fisiológica durante el patinaje con protocolos de carrera o ciclismo; solamente 2 verificaron la validez de un protocolo específico para determinar indirectamente la capacidad aeróbica de los patinadores de velocidad sobre ruedas. Se pudo verificar que los resultados de los estudios fueron controvertidos e inconsistentes, lo cual revela que existe la necesidad de investigar más a fondo este deporte (AU)

The use of in‐line skates has become popular in recent years for recreational and conditioning purposes. Nevertheless, in‐line speed skating is not widely investigated yet, due to the difficulty to conduct specific tests under laboratory conditions. This study aimed to investigate the state of the art of in‐line speed skating researches. A systematic literature review on LILACS, Scopus, PubMed, SciELO, Science Direct, Ovid and Google was performed, including studies on human, which were published in English, Portuguese, Italian or French, with no restrictions related to the year of publication. From a total of 143 articles with skating, 27 investigated the in‐line skating, of which 14 investigated physiological variables, eight investigated biomechanical variables, and five investigated both variables. Six studies compared the physiological response during skating with running or cycling protocols and only two verified the validity of a specific protocol to indirectly determine the aerobic capacity of in‐line speed skaters. Finally, the results found were controversial and inconsistent, showing the need of more investigations about this sport (AU)

Differences in the risk associated with head injury for pediatric ice skaters, roller skaters, and in-line skaters.

OBJECTIVE: The goals were to describe the epidemiologic features of pediatric skating-related injuries sustained from 1993 to 2003 and to compare ice skating-related injuries with roller skating--and in-line skating-related injuries. METHODS: An analysis of pediatric skating-related injury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission was performed. RESULTS: An estimated 1 235 467 pediatric skating participants presented to hospital emergency departments with injuries between 1993 and 2003. These children had a mean age of 10.9 years (SD: 3.2 years; range: 1-18 years), and 50.0% were male. The most common mechanism of injury was a fall (83.1%). Ice skaters sustained a greater proportion of head injuries (13.3%), compared with roller skaters (4.4%) and in-line skaters (5.0%). Ice skaters also experienced a greater proportion of concussions (4.3%), compared with roller skaters (0.6%) and in-line skaters (0.8%). The proportion of facial injuries among ice skaters was greater than the proportions among roller skaters and in-line skaters. The majority of roller skating-and in-line skating-related injuries were upper-extremity fractures (53.9% and 59.7%, respectively). Children < or = 6 years of age experienced a greater proportion of head and facial injuries than did older children in each skating activity. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiologic features of pediatric ice skating-related injuries differ from those of roller skating--and in-line skating-related injuries. Children should wear helmets during all recreational skating activities, especially ice skating, because of the risk of serious head injuries. Wrist guards should be worn to protect against the common upper-extremity fractures sustained during skating.

Anthropometry and somatotype of competitive female figure skaters 11-22 years. Variation by competitive level and discipline.

AIM: Variation in anthropometric characteristics and somatotype of female figure skaters by level of competition and discipline was examined. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: ANCOVA with age as the covariate was used to compare the anthropometry of skaters by level (test stream, pre-elite, elite) and discipline (free, dance, pair), while MANCOVA was used to compare somatotype. SETTING: purposive sampling reflecting the skating population by level and discipline was used to recruit skaters in 4 American, and 7 Canadian figure skating clubs. PARTICIPANTS: a total of 161 competitive female figure skaters 11-22 years of age (15.7+/-2.4 years) comprised the sample. MEASURES: a battery of 15 anthropometric dimensions was taken on each skater. Several dimensions, ratios and Heath-Carter somatotypes were derived. RESULTS: Test skaters are heavier and generally larger than pre-elite skaters. Test stream skaters also have larger limb circumferences, estimated calf and arm musculature, and a thicker sum of skinfolds, and are more endomorphic than pre-elite skaters. Elite skaters are more mesomorphic than pre-elite skaters. The sitting height/stature (SH/ST) ratio is significantly lower in pre-elite skaters, while elite and test stream skaters do not differ in this indicator of proportions. Free skaters are taller and heavier; have a higher body mass index (BMI), limb circumferences and sum of skinfolds; and proportionally shorter legs than dancers and pair skaters. Free skaters, dancers and pair skaters, however, do not differ in somatotype. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that figure skating favors lightness, leanness, higher mesomorphy and lower endomorphy at more elite levels. Shortness, leanness and linearity of physique appear to be selective factors associated with specialization in dance and pair skating.

Skatepark injuries and the influence of skatepark design: a one year consecutive case series.

Skateboarding and in-line skating are popular activities that attract millions of participants yearly and have spawned the development of skateparks (SPs). This study examined the types and distribution of injuries within a local commercial SP. Subjects were prospectively enrolled in a university Emergency Department (ED) after an injury at a local SP. One hundred subjects were enrolled over 1 year, representing 102 episodes and 106 injuries. Musculoskeletal injuries accounted for 80% of all injuries. Fractures and dislocations were the most frequent injuries (59%); six required operative management. One serious intra-abdominal injury occurred. Head and facial injuries occurred in 17% of subjects; none required operative repair. Admission rate was 9%. Safety equipment use was greater than 91%. Significantly more injuries occurred in the ramp/bars areas compared to the half-pipe and gully areas, suggesting that SP design may significantly influence injury patterns. A substantial number of injuries occurred at the SP, despite controlled conditions and equipment requirements.

In-line skating: injuries and prevention.

BACKGROUND: Most reports on in-line skating injuries describe severe injuries admitted to injury clinics. Little is known about the overall rate of injury and the contribution of the different disciplines. METHODS: In a retrospective inquiry data on injuries were obtained of 105 in-line skaters of whose 69% were active in fitness skating, 59% in jumping/grinding and 51% in the halfpipe. Beside the nature, location and degree of the injury, information was given on where the injury happened and whether protectors were worn at the time of injury. RESULTS: Of 197 injuries 145 healed without medical treatment, 28 needed medical advice once, 22 several times and 2 needed hospitalisation. Injury location were 38% in the upper, 31% in the lower extremities, 21% in the hip/pelvis region and 10% on the head. The most frequent injuries pertained to concussions and skin lesions, 35% each, followed by ligament injuries with 10% and fractures with 5%. Simple injuries were 83% in fitness skating, 70% in jumping/grinding and 60% in the halfpipe. Several visits were necessary for 4% of fitness skaters, 10% of jumpers/grinders and 23% in halfpipe injured persons. All four protectors were worn at the time of injury by 5% in fitness skating, 18% in jumping/grinding and 55% in the halfpipe. No protectors were worn in 26% of the fitness injuries, in 9% jumping/grinding and in 6% in the halfpipe. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal an apparent discipline specific degree of danger and that fitness in-line skating is less dangerous than the resulting benefits for preventive medicine.

Accidentes por patines en línea. Hospital Pérez de León. Enero - Mayo 1998 / Accidents by in -line skating. Hospital Pérez de León. January - May 1998

Evaluar las lesiones asociadas a patinaje en línea en el hospital Pérez de León de Caracas. Estudio prospectivo de los casos que acudieron al Servicio de Traumatología entre los meses de Enero y Mayo de 1998. De un total de 25 casos encontramos una edad promedio de 14,4 años, con 52 por ciento de mujeres y 48 por ciento de hombres. La mayoría de las lesiones fueron en lo miembros superiores, en especial la muñeca (52 por ciento). El 26 por ciento de los pacientes usaban equipos protectores. No se registraron fracturas en las áreas protegidas. La muñeca es la zona más afectada por accidentes en patines en línea. El empleo de equipos protectores es recomendado con el fin de disminuir la severidad de las lesiones en este deporte

Modelling of rational variants of the speed-skating technique.

An 11-segment planar model of a speed skater's body was developed and computerized. The solution of the inverse dynamics problem made it possible to determine the net joint moments, reaction moments and the mechanical energy expenditures. The modelling of different variants of skating on the straight parts of the circuit revealed the most efficient one to be the run without arm swing, with the sideward push-off and without an active swing by the recovery leg.

Metabolic cost of ice and in-line skating in Division I collegiate ice hockey players.

This study compared the metabolic cost of ice skating and in-line skating in Division I collegiate hockey players. Heart rate and oxygen uptake were compared between the two conditions at three skating velocities: 12.5 km.h-1, 16.5 km.h-1, and 20 km.h-1. Twelve subjects were tested on two occasions: on ice (ice skating) and off ice (in-line skating). They skated for 3 min at each velocity, with heart rate recording and gas collection taking place during the final 30 s of each stage. A two-factor repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the chosen velocities affected the two conditions differently for heart rate (p < .01). No interaction between condition and velocity was found for absolute (p < .43) and relative (p < .15) oxygen uptake. In-line skating produced significantly greater heart rate values and absolute oxygen uptake values than ice skating at all three velocities (p < .05). In-line skating also generated significantly greater relative oxygen uptake values at 16.5 km.h-1 and 20 km.h-1. Results suggest that the metabolic cost of in-line skating is greater than that of ice skating for collegiate ice hockey players when skating at three velocities similar to those skated during game conditions.