British Study Says Skateboarding...NOT A DANGEROUS SPORT!

**skategeezer** · 08-01-2008 08:47 AM

Skateboards: Are they really perilous? A retrospective study from a district hospital.

Ulfin Rethnam

, Rajam SHEEJA Yesupalan

and Amit Sinha

BMC Research Notes 2008, 1:59

Published: 31 July 2008 Abstract (provisional)

Background

Skateboarding has been a popular sport among teenagers even with its attendant associated risks. The literature is packed with articles regarding the perils of skateboards. Is the skateboard as dangerous as has been portrayed? Findings
Methods

This was a retrospective study conducted over a 5 year period. All skateboard related injuries seen in the Orthopaedic unit were identified and data collated on patient demographics, mechanism & location of injury, annual incidence, type of injury, treatment needed including hospitalisation.
Results

We encountered 50 patients with skateboard related injuries. Most patients were males and under the age of 15. The annual incidence has remained low at about 10. The upper limb was predominantly involved with most injuries being fractures. Most injuries occurred during summer. The commonest treatment modality was plaster immobilisation. The distal radius was the commonest bone to be fractured. There were no head & neck injuries, open fractures or injuries requiring surgical intervention.
Conclusion

Despite its negative image among the medical fraternity, the skateboard does not appear to be a dangerous sport with a low incidence and injuries encountered being not severe. Skateboarding should be restricted to supervised skateboard parks and skateboarders should wear protective gear. These measures would reduce the number of skateboarders injured in motor vehicle collisions, reduce the personal injuries among skateboarders, and reduce the number of pedestrians injured in collisions with skateboarders.

**8sacred8** · 08-01-2008 08:54 AM

like i always say, "Skateboards don't kill people; people kill people."
alright, it's actually the first time i've said it....

but, "commonest?"... seriously?

**enemy combatant** · 08-01-2008 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by 8sacred8

but, "commonest?"... seriously?

I dunno, people have been saying that about the National Health since right from the start!

**Bombs Away** · 08-01-2008 11:44 AM

Just becuase there weren't that many injuries, doesn't mean it isn't dangerous. Kind of misleading title... I think ripping down a hill at speeds anywhere over 30 mph is dangerous. We might be able to control our boards but there is still a high risk of injury at that speed. Wearing protection and knowing what you are doing really helps alot but i don't think you can write it off as being "not dangerous."

**NJ Joe** · 08-01-2008 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Bombs Away

Just becuase there weren't that many injuries, doesn't mean it isn't dangerous. Kind of misleading title... I think ripping down a hill at speeds anywhere over 30 mph is dangerous. We might be able to control our boards but there is still a high risk of injury at that speed. Wearing protection and knowing what you are doing really helps alot but i don't think you can write it off as being "not dangerous."

I'm sure they were talking about the kind of skateboarding wherein you roll around at 5-15 mph on shortboards, doing kickflips and boardslides. Speedboarding is dangerous.

AJ · 08-01-2008 02:37 PM

Skitching is more dangerous than Speedboarding.

**Wells** · 08-01-2008 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by A.J.

Skitching is more dangerous than Speedboarding.

Believe. People rarely die from speedboarding and frequently die from skitching.

**Parallel Man** · 08-01-2008 08:49 PM

Skateboards rarely if ever injure or kill anyone.

It's the concrete and asphalt that are deadly.

**Petary791** · 08-01-2008 09:54 PM

In the same way, the gun didn't kill him, it was the fall!

**sniffleless** · 08-01-2008 10:30 PM

They obviously didn't watch the Mega-ramp big air contest on the X-Games.

**dcphotos** · 08-02-2008 05:41 AM

Who cares what anyone else thinks. It's as dangerous as you want it to be. Name a sport that has no danger that is still fun. Skating in general is dangerous, street is just as dangerous as downhill. The kids now ollie off 12-step stairs at speed, that's nuts.

**elementalzoo** · 08-02-2008 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by dcphotos

Who cares what anyone else thinks. It's as dangerous as you want it to be. Name a sport that has no danger that is still fun. Skating in general is dangerous, street is just as dangerous as downhill. The kids now ollie off 12-step stairs at speed, that's nuts.

Careful DC. That sort of reasonable thinking will get you in big trouble around here

**Cameronisswell** · 08-02-2008 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by elementalzoo

Careful DC. That sort of reasonable thinking will get you in big trouble around here

hahahaha, but you have to admit that there is some truth to that. In football (american) you can get tackled hard and eat sh!t, or even break a rib or two. In ice hockey its basically knock the other guys teeth out, or get yours knocked out. I think its just because skateboarding is a very popular sport with teenagers, who are commonly viewed as irresponsible n'er do-wells. just my two cents

**dcphotos** · 08-02-2008 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Cameronisswell

hahahaha, but you have to admit that there is some truth to that. In football (american) you can get tackled hard and eat sh!t, or even break a rib or two. In ice hockey its basically knock the other guys teeth out, or get yours knocked out. I think its just because skateboarding is a very popular sport with teenagers, who are commonly viewed as irresponsible n'er do-wells. just my two cents

That's one of the reasons it's so much fun. Speaking of which, I'm going skating. Most dangerous thing today is going to be the heat, it's awful down here in Alabama.

**poopants** · 08-06-2008 09:45 AM

I quit now it's russian roulette

**gavmck** · 08-06-2008 09:51 AM

It was looking good until they said it should be restricted to skateparks only. I saw a study years ago that said percentage wise, more people are hospitalised playing basketball than skateboarding (taking into account that much more people play basketball) and that's a non contact supervised sport!

**PeterWeinrauch** · 08-06-2008 10:16 AM

Well skateboarding is dangerous no matter how people look at it. There is no super science study needed to prove/disprove that fact.

It's only MORE dangerous to those with less experience or people who are trying to pull the extra large tricks.

That isn't always true... the other day I fell off riding down a drop off curb at about .5 mph and the board stuck straight up and it CAUGHT my fall... my hands were suspended in the air while my knees were on the ground.. basically the board broke my fall on my way down in full force... It's pretty hard to breath now.. a few days later.

Imagine a pole sticking straight up in the ground and you jump off a diving board doing a belly smacker, except your fall is caught by the pole hittting your chest.

So really, there are always dangers in anything, no study should encourage or discourage people in the skating industry because of the points they have said to prove from these tests.

**elementalzoo** · 08-06-2008 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by PeterWeinrauch

basically the board broke my fall on my way down in full force... It's pretty hard to breath now.. a few days later.

Imagine a pole sticking straight up in the ground and you jump off a diving board doing a belly smacker, except your fall is caught by the pole hittting your chest.

.

in Maude Flanders voice...

Now see what you get for skating without your chest protector young man?!!