Monday, February 14

Hell On Wheels: Safety And The Modern Skateboard

El Infierno En Las Ruedas: Seguridad Y El Skateboad Moderno (Hell On Wheels: Safety And The Modern Skateboard)

Safety has been a major concern since the early days of the century when, skateboarding's predecessor the scooterboard (which was simply a wooden fruit crate nailed on top of a 2 x 4 piece of wood that was anchored to rollerskate wheels) roamed the streets. What we now know as the modern skateboard was first mass-produced in the 1960's, it was composed of a single wood deck on top of clay or steel wheels. After only a few years, safety issues made the sport unpopular. Skateboarding resurfaced again in the 1970's, with the advent of polyurethane wheels. This led to the appearance of skateboarding parks throughout the country. The peak in boarding occurred later in the same decade, when an estimated 20 million youths participated in the sport. However, in 1977, when injury occurrences were at their highest (along with disco music and gold chain jewelry), safety and litigation issues forced many parks to close, resulting in a waning interest in the sport.

The sport has re-emerged, currently there are about 8 million participants throughout the United States. Although the Millennium has brought a few technological modifications to the skateboard, these have actually reduced their overall safety and increased injury severity. Newer, flexible skateboard decks and narrower wheels increase maneuverability and speed (up to 50 mph), while sacrificing stability. Quien Se Afecta Las Heridas (who gets injured)
According to an article published in Sports Medicine, a skateboarder appearing in the emergency room is most likely a young boy between the ages of 10 - 14, with less than 1 week of skateboarding experience, although mild and serious accidents can and do occur to boarders at all ability levels. Almost all medical reports agree that greater than 60% of skateboarding injuries occur in the hands and arms, with distal radial fractures of the wrist comprising more than half of all reported fractures. Much like those which result from accidents while snowboarding and inline skating, these wrist injuries are from direct trauma to a hyperextended wrist while trying to cushion a fall.

The location and severity of skateboarding injuries usually correlate with the age of the victim. Children less than 5 years of age are more likely to suffer mild head and neck injuries, which compose greater than 75% of all accidents for that age group. Youths older than 10 years, damage the upper limbs more than 80% of the time and sustain less than 10% incidence of head injuries, however, when head trauma is present, it is likely severe. No Entiendo! But gee, Wally, I don't understand. That's easy to explain, Beav, it all has to do with psychomotor development (muscle coordination and risk taking). Young children haven't developed the muscle coordination or strength to break their falls with their arms. In addition, their center of gravity is different than adults (young kids have disproportionately large and heavy heads) so when they lose their balance, the tendency is to lead with, and land, on their heads. Furthermore, because young children usually travel at slower speeds, their head injuries tend to be less severe.

On the other hand, the X Games generation presents a much different picture. Skateboarders over 15 years of age can generally cushion a fall with their hands. They also have lower centers of gravity and have usually grown into their heads. Teenagers, exhibit certain behavior characteristics that tend to increase the severity of their injuries. They travel at faster speeds, engage in riskier riding and often shun wearing protective gear, usually in lieu of looking cool.

The most common reason for skateboarding injuries result from hitting an irregularity on the riding surface. Skateboards have much smaller and less compressible wheels than, for example, bicycles and are more easily affected by interruptions in the riding surface, such as sticks, stones and cracks. A study in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma cited that almost 50% of skateboarding trauma resulted from hitting such surfaces, which is concurred by most other reports in the medical literature.

Metodos de Prevencion (preventive measures)
Unfortunately, because of the inherent nature of riding a small board on top of 4 small wheels at fast speeds, the burden of safety lies not with the board manufacturer but with the rider. Most of the safety steps begin prior to mounting your board.

Wise skateboarders know the area where they will be riding beforehand and always check it out for holes, bumps and rocks. Riders should also examine their boards for hazards such as loose or broken parts, slippery top surfaces and wheels with nicks or cracks. Protective clothing and gear is a must and should include slip resistant shoes, a padded helmet, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads.

Learning how to fall can reduce the chances of being seriously injured. If you are falling, crouch down on the skateboard, which can lessen the impact by not having as far to fall. During a mishap, try to land on the fleshy parts of your body, such as the shoulders and hips, and then try to roll, which can distribute the force over your body, rather than absorbing the full impact in one area.

Odale, pues !