Introduction & methods

Skateboarding is an Olympic sport and popular recreational activity. UK participation is increasing. In contrast to other high‐risk sports, uptake of protective equipment remains low due to sociocultural factors and equipment design limitations. Alongside health benefits, there may be injury risks associated with skateboarding. US data demonstrates admission rates of 51.3% and Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15 in 22.5% of skateboard related injuries (SRIs).(1) This study aims to provide some initial insights into SRI for England and Wales.

A retrospective review of the Trauma Audit & Research Network (TARN) database was performed. All SRI with ISS >15, occurring between January 2012 and December 2021, were included. Descriptive analysis included patient characteristics, mechanism of injury, most severely injured body region, and outcomes including ICU admission, hospital inpatient length of stay (LOS) and survival.

One hundred and thirty‐nine eligible cases were identified. Key findings are presented in the infographic, below: