709 MEP003 – Epidemiology of concussion sustained at a Colorado ski resort

AbstractBackground Although concussion is a common sports injury, there are limited studies on the incidence and etiology of concussion among winter sports athletes.Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate the demographics and injury mechanisms associated with concussion among patients evaluated at a Colorado ski resort.Design Descriptive epidemiological study.Setting Denver Health Winter Park Medical Center during the 2012/13 to 2016/17 ski seasons.Patients All patients evaluated at the clinic with the diagnosis of concussion as a result of skiing/snowboarding injuries.Assessment of Risk Factors We evaluated risk factors such as age, sex, sport, use of helmet, ability level, slope difficulty, and injury mechanism. Main Outcome Measurements Incidence of concussion.Results 582 patients with concussion were diagnosed (9.1% of total clinic visits) during the study period, corresponding to an overall concussion incidence of 12.4 per 100,000 resort participant-visits. The average age was 25.6 years (range: 3–84 years). The majority of patients were male (61.7%) and concussion sustained while skiing (62.4%). The most common mechanism of injury was a fall onto snow while skiing/snowboarding (72.8%). Most patients were wearing a helmet when the injury occurred (86.1%). Most patients self-identified as beginner/intermediate skill-level (65.3%) and most injuries occurred on green/blue slopes (64.5%). As there is no capability of performing CT scan at the clinic, 38.1% of patients were transferred to another facility (1–2 hours away). Wearing a helmet was not correlated with the likelihood of transportation to another facility (84.2% vs 87.3%; p=0.187). Patients with concussion who were transported to another facility were older than those who were not transported (28.0 years vs 24.0 years; P<0.001).Conclusions A greater proportion of concussions occurred among men, with beginner/intermediate skills, on the easy/intermediate slopes. A follow up study on the management and outcomes of concussion among winter sports athletes is warranted.