A prospective study of kitesurfing injuries.

Background: To date, the pattern and rate of kitesurfing injuries are largely unclear.

Hypothesis: The pattern and rate of kitesurfing injuries are comparable to that of contact sports such as football and soccer.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Methods: The study was conducted over a 6-month period of 1 season and included 235 kitesurfers.

Results: The number of self-reported injuries was 124, for an overall self-reported injury rate of 7 per 1000 hours of practice. One fatal accident (polytrauma) and 11 severe injuries occurred during the study period (2 knee ligament injuries and 9 fractures at various sites). The most commonly injured sites were the foot and ankle (28%), skull (14%), chest (13%), and knee (13%). Fifty-six percent of the injuries were attributed to the inability to detach the kite from the harness in a situation involving loss of control over the kite. There was a tendency for athletes using a quick-release system to sustain fewer injuries than athletes without such a release system.

Conclusion: Kitesurfing can be considered a high-risk sport.

Clinical Relevance: The use of a quick-release system that enables the surfers to detach the kite in case of an accident might aid in the prevention of injuries.