Abstract
Introduction
During the summer, a large number of tourists visit Izu Peninsula, and our hospital is the only hospital capable of treating patients with acute-phase spinal cord injuries on Izu Peninsula. Among the various marine sports, bodyboarding was the leading cause of spinal cord injury in subjects transported by the physician-staffed emergency helicopters in Izu peninsula.1 Hence, we investigated the number of players of surfing, bodyboarding, and obtained information using a questionnaire in a field.
Material and Methods
From July 26, 2014 to August 5, 2014, we asked bodyboarders at the beaches and our hospital on Izu Peninsula to complete a questionnaire. The items on the questionnaire were as follows: sex, age, hometown, years of experience, owner of the bodyboard, history of head injury, history of dysesthesia of the extremities, background of the event if the answer was yes for a history of head injury or dysesthesia, and whether the bodyboarder was aware of the possibility of spinal cord injury while bodyboarding. The subjects were divided into two groups based on whether they did or did not experience dysesthesia during bodyboarding. And, we also counted the number of bodyboarders and surfers at several beaches on Izu Peninsula by eyesight, during the top season of summer from August 17, 2014 to August 23, 2014.
Results
We obtained answers from 24 bodyboarders. During this period, the number of bodyboarders was clearly fewer than that of surfers. There were no significant differences in terms of sex, hometown, years of experience, owner of the bodyboard, and knowledge of the possibility of spinal cord injury while bodyboarding. Meanwhile, the age of the subjects in the Dysesthesia group (n = 4) was older than that of the Control group (n = 20, p < 0.05). All of the subjects in the Dysesthesia group felt dysesthesia of the upper extremities when their head hit the sea bottom while being buffeted by waves. During this summer season, there was the only case of spinal cord injury induced by bodyboarding, and there were no cases of spinal cord injury induced by surfing. Concerning the results of number for each sport, there were 498 surfers and 643 bodyboarders during the top season of summer. The ratio of players of the two sports was 1 to 1.3, whereas the ratio of patients with spinal cord injury was 1 to 14 over a 5-year period.1 Most of them had cervical spinal stenosis.
Conclusion
Bodyboarders are more likely to experience spinal cord injury than surfers. A middle-aged or older people, who may have signs of cervical spinal canal stenosis, such as neck pain or dysesthesia of the extremities, should avoid bodyboarding to avoid spinal cord injury.
Omori K, Kondo A, Oode Y, Itoi A, Sakuraba K, Yanagawa Y. Factors related to trauma secondary to bodyboarding water sport. J Emerg Trauma Shock