SKIBOARD INJURIES
The last ten years have seen the virtual monopoly of alpine skiing first broken by the advent of snowboarding, followed by the rising popularity of telemark skiing on piste. In the last three years, skiboarding (snowblading) has emerged and also established itself as a separate snow sport. The precursor to the modern skiboard was the BigFoot – manufactured by Kneissl Dachstein. First introduced in 1991 and measuring 63cm in length, the original BigFoot featured a foam core, p-tex base and trademark 'toes' on the tip. Users wore standard ski boots secured to the boards with non-release clip bindings attaching to the heel and toe of the boot.
Since 1993 several companies including Klimax, GrooveUSA and Line have produced skiboards However, the popularity of the sport only really began to take off in 1997 when Salomon, a major ski manufacturer, entered the market specifically using the term “snowblade”. So much so, that in the UK the sport is known as snowblading. Following on from this success, most of the major ski companies now manufacture skiboard products.
Modern skiboards are best described as mini skis, usually measuring less than one metre from tip to tail. This shorter length allows the skiboarder a greater degree of manoeuvrability than that offered by a conventional alpine ski and specifically the ability to travel backwards and perform small radius turns with greater ease. 180o and 360o+ turns are also relatively easy (he says...) and this has lead to a rapid rise in their popularity, particularly amongst the younger population. More and more skiboarders are turning up in fun parks performing tricks in half pipes and on rails. Innovations such as the Soul grind plate (which attaches to the binding plate under the ski boot) allow skiboarders to do this. They also have a big appeal for established alpine skiers who want to try something a bit different but can't be fagged going all the way back to being a total beginner.
2005 saw the introduction of release binding options on skiboards - Salomon offered their 99 and 90 skiboards with a riser plate and a C609 release binding (see picture below). In addition, they also offered a release plate kit for about £65 for skiboarders that currently own a non-release system and wish to fit a release mechanism. To fit, you simply unscrew your current bindings off the skiboard and screw these back into the holes. This is compatible with all standard Salomon adult skiboards.
Head marketed a product with releasable bindings - the Big Easy - fatter than a conventional skiboard but this time with no riser plate.
Hopefully, the introduction and wider use of these release binding systems will reflect eventually in our injury statistics as the number of knee and lower leg injuries amongst skiboarders begins to reduce towards the level of alpine skiers. This is something I will be keeping a close eye on, as skiboarding is very popular in Scotland. For more information, see the lower part of this page.
Potential for injury
So what of the potential for injuries on skiboards? As with all such winter sports, the answer can be found by examining the design of the equipment, the population that uses it and the things those people get up to whilst on them. Skip to the next section if you want to look at the latest available injury data for skiboards. Because skiboards are, by definition, "mini-skis" the injury pattern associated with their use is best compared to that of alpine skiing. The major difference between the two sports is that the majority of skiboards seen on the slopes are still fitted with non-release bindings. This system 
simply attaches the boot to the board by way of heel and toe clips. In addition, most skiboarders do not use ski poles, preferring to use their arms to both maintain balance and to generate the upper body twisting forces required to perform turns. The ability to dispense with ski poles and the use of a very simple binding adds to the appeal of skiboards by allowing a set of equipment to be relatively inexpensive, lightweight and easily portable. As I have already mentioned, an increasing number of skiboards are now being fitted with release binding systems - I'll discuss their merits later on.
In the event that a skiboard does catch an edge or get caught, the absence of a release binding system means that any rotational forces generated have to be absorbed by the lower leg (ankle, tibia and fibula) and/or the knee. The lack of poles suggests that when a skiboarder does fall, they may end up 'doing a snowboarder' by falling onto an outstretched hand - thus placing the upper limb (wrist and shoulder in particular) at increased risk of injury.
Epidemiology studies to date demonstrate significant differences between a typical skiboarder and skier. Skiboarders are on average 5 years younger than skiers and about ¾ are male (compared to a 50:50 split amongst skiers). Previous studies have demonstrated that children as a group are more likely to sustain lower leg injuries - so what happens when you put a young person on the snow wearing a set of kit with no release function? Read on and find out
Injury statistics on skiboards
The most up to date injury data from Scotland that I am able to release covers the 6 seasons from 1999-2005 inclusive. Overall, as with all snow sports, the risk of an injury is very low. Our latest data shows that, on average, an injury occurs once every 305 days spent on a skiboard. This compares to 1 injury every 467 days on alpine skis and every 247 days on a snowboard. This figure is known as the 'mean days between injury' (MDBI) and you will see it mentioned elsewhere on this website. Basically, the higher the figure, the less likely an injury is to occur. Put in terms of injuries per 1000 skiboarder days, the figure is 4.17. From the chart below, you can see that more than 70% of skiboarding injuries affect the lower limb - the highest of any snow sport
The next chart shows the five most common areas to be injured whilst skiboarding. The knee predominates, followed by injuries to the bones of the lower leg (the tibia and fibula) and the ankle joint. This would appear to be a direct reflection of the upwards transmission of force following a twisting fall on a skiboard fitted with non-release bindings. Upper limb injuries to the shoulder and wrist occur mainly due to falls onto an outstretched hand. The lack of poles may well contribute to this.
The final chart below compares the category of injury we saw on skiboarders compared to that of alpine skiers. Whilst sprains were the commonest injury type in both sports, skiboarders had a very high rate of fractures - nearly 35% of all injuries! This is marginally higher than that of snowboarders (32%). Again, this would seem to be down to the non-release binding system - 60% of all fractures involved the lower leg bones.
So, in conclusion, the risk of an injury skiboarding is still very low, somewhere just below that of snowboarding. Statistically, you would have to spend about 240 days on a skiboard before you would be injured. However, if you are injured on a skiboard, it is most likely that you will injury the lower limb. Added to this, there is more than a one in three chance that you will break a bone.
Release bindings for skiboards
So, if the presence of non-release bindings is the likely cause of all these lower limb injuries, why not stick a standard alpine release binding onto skiboards? This might seem like a simple solution, but unfortunately there was (as ever!) a snag. Computer modelling has demonstrated that an alpine binding responds differently on a skiboard compared to a ski. This is basically because many of the forces that cause a binding to release on a ski are generated along the front of the ski. The shorter length of a skiboard means that different forces are generated which are usually not sufficient to cause a release at the heel. The upshot is that the heel release may not release in time in the event of (for example) running into soft snow. Result? - probable lower leg fracture(s). The forward release at the toe seems to be unaffected by this so the binding should release at the toe in the event of a twisting force. A potential solution to this problem is to fit a riser plate under the binding (see below)
The other stumbling blocks to simply attaching alpine bindings onto skiboards are
► It puts the price up and
► It puts the weight up!
Both these factors negate against the benefits of skiboards (i.e. they are cheap and can be carried in a rucsac up a hill)
So what are the solutions are available? Well, let's have a look.
The Headliner/Big Easy
One of the first products to emerge was the Headliner® - a skiboard fitted with the Tyrolia Sympro 4 alpine rental binding. It is available in one size, 94cms with a 4m turn radius and a sidecut of 129/90/114. It has a wood core and retails for about £180. One site selling the product online is here. Ellis Brigham in the UK are now selling the Big Easy. Nevertheless, both products have the problems of increased weight and cost.
As far as I am aware, there are now several different specific systems that have been developed to provide a release system on skiboards.
Salomon's solution
The biggest skiboard news in the 2005/06 season was that Salomon, arguably the world's largest producer of skiboards, finally began offering the option of a release system on their skiboards. This comprised a C609 release binding fitted to a riser plate. Not surprisingly, it increased both the price and weight of the product - the former goes up by about £50 and the latter by about 1.5kg per pair. You set the binding release setting exactly as you would if you were skiing. In addtion, they also offered a release plate kit for about £65 for skiboarders that currently own a non-release system and wish to fit a release mechanism. To fit, you simply unscrew your current bindings off the skiboard and screw these back into the holes. This is compatible with all standard Salomon adult skiboards. I would urge all Salomon skiboard owners to consider making this move! Hopefully, these products will prove successful in reducing the incidence of lower leg injuries on skiboards. At the present time, we simply do not have enough statistical information available to be able to comment on the value of these release skiboards. My gut feeling is that they have to be a good idea from a safety point of view but yes, they will cost more money and be heavier to carry which might put some people off.
Line Reactor 10
At one stage we all thought this was going to be the best thing since sliced bread. It boasted a double pivot but unfortunately the binding was not able to meet the exacting standards required of a modern binding and was eventually withdrawn from sale.
Those of you who read this page previously would also have seen mention of the Miller Generic binding plate and also the Revolution X Intelligent Binding System. The latter seems to have disappeared from the market as far as I can see, and the Miller system curiously now seems to be marketed under the brand name Revolution, and doesn't seem to make a big play for the skiboard market. I'm not sure if this is linked or not, perhaps someone can enlighten me!
The Spruce Mountain Riser Plate
Another development whose development I have reported upon previously, when it was known as the Singer Release Plate, is that of a "release binding platform" - the set up uses a Salomon C509 standard alpine bindings mounted exactly as they would be on long skis. The platform is made of a poplar wood core encapsulated in epoxy (the red part in the picture of the development model) with an aluminium top sheet that is epoxy bonded to the wood base. This makes sure that the binding screws don't pull out. The wood base sits on a cast urethane pad that contacts the skiboard over a length of 9 1/2" or about the same contact length as a stock non-release skiboard binding like a Line or Groove. The platform is very stiff so the distance between the toe and heel binding pieces remain constant under all conditions. Since most 4X4 skiboards are too wide for brakes, this setup uses leashes which seem to work fine since skiboards are so short (no walking back up the hill, either).
The finalised product (pictured on the right) is now available for sale online from merchants such as Skiboardsonline and skiboards.com for just under $200.
Finally, if all else fails then the alternative is to consider a short ski (strictly speaking above the 1m cut off for skiboards but still offering tremendous manoeuvrability). There are plenty of these on the market and great fun they are too. Look for a length around 120cm.
Children and skiboards
One very important fact to bear in mind is that standard skiboards should not be used by children under 1.5 metres (4ft 10") in height - this equates to the average size of a 12 year old child. This is because this age group are at an increased risk of lower leg injuries (and fractures in particular) in the event of a twisting accident on a skiboard. I used to recommend that children below the age of 12 consider using a mini-skiboard such as Salomon's Grom (see below) but this skiboard has now disappeared from the market - perhaps because of concerns about injuries in children. An alternative would be the Alpina Mini Board XF.
I have to say personally though that I don't think skiboards and kids are a good combination. Stick to alpine skiing.
Links
Link page to most of the major skiboard manufacturer web pages
Information on skiboards changes more rapidly than most other areas in this field. Please feel free to get in touch with me to let me know your experiences on skiboards and/or short skis - contact me here.
In recent years, this page has required the largest number of updates as new information keeps flooding in - so keep checking back!
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