The FIS Develops Injury Surveillance System to Reduce Injuries

By Patrick Thorne

The International Ski Federation (FIS) and Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center announced that they have agreed to develop an Injury Surveillance System (ISS) for the FIS disciplines of alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined, freestyle skiing and snowboarding.

The research project, aimed at reducing the number of injuries suffered by elite athletes in the FIS disciplines, will be supported by research partner dj Orthopedics, a global medical device company specializing in rehabilitation and regeneration products for the non-operative orthopedic and spine markets.

“FIS is concerned about the number of injuries suffered by elite athletes in the FIS
disciplines. The FIS ISS project will provide us with current and reliable data on injury trends at the elite level so that we can begin to take the appropriate steps to address the risk factors through our rules and regulations, as well as obtaining a basis for providing proper injury prevention programs,” said Professor Bengt Saltin, Chairman of the FIS Medical Committee.

“FIS should be commended for this important initiative to protect the health of their athletes. We believe that this program will provide data to help us understand why and how injuries in the various skiing disciplines occur - information which is critical to develop effective preventive measures, not just for elite athletes, but for skiers and snowboarders at all levels,” said Professor Roald Bahr, Chair of the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center.

The specific objectives of the FIS ISS project include monitoring injury patterns in all FIS disciplines; monitoring trends in injury risk across the disciplines; and providing background data for in-depth studies of the causes of injury for particular injury types in specific disciplines, such as serious knee and head injuries.

The research will be led by the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center that was established in May 2000 at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. Its main objective is to prevent injuries in sports through a long-term research program focusing on risk factors, injury mechanisms, and injury prevention methods - particularly in football, team handball, and skiing. dj Orthopedics has agreed to provide the project with financial support as well as assist with practical and communication aspects of the project and its development for a minimum of two years.

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