Ability and Physical Condition in Relation to Injury Risk in Downhill Skiing

A case-control study was performed by way of a postal questionnaire among Dutch downhill skiers insured by a company covering one-third of the market. Cases (N = 572) were a sample of those who claimed medical costs because of a ski injury that prevented them from skiing or other activities for one day or longer. Controls (N = 576) were a sample of uninjured skiers who claimed for nonmedical reasons. Self-reported beginners appeared to have an elevated injury risk (OR = 2.1) compared to intermediate or advanced skiers. Among skiers with only 1 or 2 years of experience ski lessons seemed to have a protective effect. No beneficial effect on injury risk could be demonstrated in this study for training on an artificial ski run, ski gymnastics, a good physical condition, or sports participation.