Epidemiological study applied to the design of wrist guard

The number of sports injuries was estimated at more than 900,000 in France in 2004 (Réseau Epac, Ricard 2004– 2005). A comparative study of injuries in sports led us to focus on wrist injury in rollerblading and snowboarding (Calle and Eaton 1993; Schieber 1996). Around 31,000 snowboarders were hurt in France in 2010–2011, and 55% of injured teenagers had a wrist fracture (Association des médecins de montagne 2011). Studies described kinematics of snowboarders’ falls (Idzikowski and Janes 2000). The efficiency of wrist guards was investigated by several studies (Ronning et al. 2001; Fulham O’Neill 2003; Hagel and Barry Pless, n.d.); the conclusions of these studies were controversial. There is neither recent information about the use of wrist guard in France nor description of wrist guard. The objectives of this study were to complete and update statistical data of snowboarders and rollerbladers injuries: association of injury with the protective equipement worn, description of the kinematics of falls and protective equipment. Another objective was to define whether injuries lead to stop the practice.