TY - JOUR
T1 - The epidemiology of skydiving injuries
T2 - World freefall convention, 2000-2001
AU - Barrows, Thomas H.
AU - Mills, Trevor
AU - Kassing, Scott D.
PY - 2005/1/1
Y1 - 2005/1/1
N2 - The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence and types of injuries incurred by civilian skydivers using contemporary equipment under conventional conditions. Injury data were collected at the World Freefall skydiving convention (WFFC), during two consecutive periods of operation, August 4-13, 2000 and August 3-12, 2001. During the study periods, 8976 skydivers made 117,000 skydives. The First Aid Station at the WFFC treated 204 patients for injuries related to skydiving, at a rate of 17.4/10,000 (injuries/skydives). Most injuries were minor (66%) and required only simple first aid. Significant injuries, defined as those requiring treatment in the emergency department, occurred at a rate of 6.0/10,000 (injuries/skydives). The rate of hospitalization was 1.8/10,000 skydives. There was one fatality during this study. We believe these results provide a current update regarding the risk and types of injury related to recreational skydiving.
AB - The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence and types of injuries incurred by civilian skydivers using contemporary equipment under conventional conditions. Injury data were collected at the World Freefall skydiving convention (WFFC), during two consecutive periods of operation, August 4-13, 2000 and August 3-12, 2001. During the study periods, 8976 skydivers made 117,000 skydives. The First Aid Station at the WFFC treated 204 patients for injuries related to skydiving, at a rate of 17.4/10,000 (injuries/skydives). Most injuries were minor (66%) and required only simple first aid. Significant injuries, defined as those requiring treatment in the emergency department, occurred at a rate of 6.0/10,000 (injuries/skydives). The rate of hospitalization was 1.8/10,000 skydives. There was one fatality during this study. We believe these results provide a current update regarding the risk and types of injury related to recreational skydiving.
KW - injury epidemiology
KW - mass gathering
KW - skydiving
KW - sports injuries
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jemermed.2004.07.008
DO - 10.1016/j.jemermed.2004.07.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 15657007
AN - SCOPUS:12344289428
VL - 28
SP - 63
EP - 68
JO - Journal of Emergency Medicine
JF - Journal of Emergency Medicine
SN - 0736-4679
IS - 1
ER -