Skateboarding-related injuries among males 35-55 years old in the United States

Background/Purpose Skateboarding is a popular activity among teenagers and young adults. However, the activity has been increasing in popularity among older adults the past 10 years. It is not clear if injuries related to skateboarding have also been increasing among older males. The purpose of this study was to review emergency room reports to determine rates of skateboarding-related injuries among older males in the US over the past 10 years. Methods The data for the study was obtained from NEISS using product code 1333 (skateboards). Analysis reviewed cases only involving males 35-55 years of age from the years 2000 through 2009. Statistical procedures included descriptive analysis and chi-square to determine significant factors related to injury. Narrative reports were reviewed to investigate potential cause of injury. Results/Outcomes An estimated total of 29,450 reports were documents in NEISS. A majority of the injuries occurred to males 35-40 (55%), who were white (72%). Common locations for injury were the home, street, and place of recreation. Body regions injured were the hand, arm, and upper trunk. The head region was noted in 15% of reports. The most common diagnoses were fractures (40%) and soft tissue injuries (36%). Conclusions Results note that fractures are a concern for this age group as well as the number of injuries affecting the head region. Future studies should review skill levels and previous injuries to appropriately estimate risk of skateboarding for older males.