Developing a culture of safety in a reluctant audience.

OBJECTIVE To describe the injury pattern of skateboarding injuries today. METHODS The pattern of injuries, circumstances, and severity were investigated in a study of 139 people injured in skateboarding accidents during 1995 through 1998 inclusive and admitted to the University Hospital of Umeå, Umeå, Sweden. This is the only hospital in the area, serving a population of 135,000. RESULTS Of the 139 injured, 3 were pedestrians hit by a skateboard rider; the rest were riders. The age range was 7 to 47 years (mean, 16.0). The severity of the injuries was minor (Abbreviated Injury Scale 1) to moderate (Abbreviated Injury Scale 2); fractures were classified as moderate. The annual number of injuries increased during the study period. Fractures were found in 29% of the casualties, and four children had concussion. The most common fractures were of the ankle and wrist. Older patients had less severe injuries, mainly sprains and soft tissue injuries. Most children were injured while skateboarding on ramps and at arenas; only 12 (9%) were injured while skateboarding on roads. Some 37% of the injuries occurred because of a loss of balance and 26% because of a failed trick attempt. Falls caused by surface irregularities resulted in the highest proportion of the moderate injuries. CONCLUSIONS Skateboarding should be restricted to supervised skateboard parks, and skateboarders should be required to wear protective gear. These measures would reduce the number of skateboarders injured in motor vehicle collisions, the personal injuries among skateboarders, and the number of pedestrians injured in collisions with skateboarders.