Abstract des Autors

Typical injury patterns of high-class mountainbikers are presented and analyzed. Between 1993 and 1997 all injuries of the Swiss National mountainbike team were recorded prospectively. The team, averaging 45 members per season, was treated by the same physician. 89 major injuries occurred during this period, 36 were treated by an operation, 53 non-operatively. The most common injuries were: Concussions of the brain (16), shoulder and wrist injuries (30), knee injuries (12). About every third team member had to deal with one major injury per season. This corresponds to a risk of injury of 39.5% per biker per 1000 hours of sports activity. Therefore we feel that mountainbiking on an international level is not harmless. High-class athletes equipped with top material get injured too often and too severely. Because of the recent developmental progress in bike technology, an increasing number of severe injuries has to be expected. Verf.-Referat