Inline skating injuries: Medical and sociological aspects

Introduction: Inline skating is becoming more and more popular all over the world. This results in a rapid increase in sports injuries. The aim of our study was to analyse injury patterns and injury causes as well as the influence of the social status on possessing and using protective equipment. Patients and Methods: We recorded and evaluated 76 accidents in our outpatient department by means of standardised questionnaires over a period of 18 months. We checked the direct circumstances of the accident, social situation and aspects of the family's social status, Results: The average age of the injured person was 12.5 years. The most common injury localisations were the distal forearm (39.5%) and the wrist (9.2%), the most common types of injuries were fractures (51.9%, especially upper extremity) and distortions (17.6%). Most injuries happened in easy driving situations, like gliding, turning and braking. The injured children did not differ significantly from the general population. The willingness of children to wear special safety gear increased with the social status of their family. Conclusion: Learning the fundamental techniques can improve driving skills and reduce the number of injuries. Integration of skating lessons in physical education at school is desirable, especially regarding the injured person's age and would improve their willingness to wear protectors, independent of the social status.