INJURIES IN POWDER SKIING

A Norwegian multicentre study of the winter 1985-1986, when 328 injure d skiers were compared with a control population of 316 uninjured skie rs, revealed a significantly lower injury risk for skiers on ungroomed than for skiers on groomed slopes. Thirty-seven skiers were injured o n ungroomed slopes, and skiers aged 15-29 years were at risk. The popu lation of uninjured powder skiers was significantly younger than the u ninjured skiers on groomed slopes. Beginners were significantly overre presented among the injured powder skiers, but the skiing ability for uninjured powder skiers was significantly higher than for uninjured sk iers on groomed slopes. In conclusion, a lower injury risk was recorde d for powder skiers than for skiers on groomed slopes, probably due to a higher skiing ability of the powder skiers.