Skateboarding is an adrenaline filled sport and pastime that carries with it a risk of falling. Common injuries from skateboarding accidents include lower limb, upper limb, and spinal or hip injuries. More serious injuries such as fractures increase the higher the jumps and the faster the speed of travel. Thankfully, most skateboarding injuries are considered soft tissue injuries such as bruising or sprains that will heal on their own or respond well to alternative medical treatments. If you are skateboarding, experience a serious fall and suspect a concussion or broken bone, it is best to go to the Emergency Room to be assessed by a doctor.
Skateboarding Accident Injury Statistics
Not surprisingly, the number of skateboarding injuries has increased as the sport has grown in popularity and injuries are expected to increase as more unusual and risky tricks become the norm.
Skateboarding injuries most often occur to the wrist, ankle or face, which makes sense because many of these injuries happen when a skateboarder loses his balance, falls off the skateboard and lands on an outstretched arm. Younger skateboarders are more prone to fractures than older skateboarders.
91 percent of skateboarding injuries among children occurred while skateboarding on ramps and at arenas; only 9 percent were injured while skateboarding on roads.
37 percent of the injuries occurred because of a loss of balance, and 26 percent occurred because of a failed trick attempt. Falls caused by surface irregularities were common but resulted in the highest proportion of moderate injuries.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Skateboarding is not recommended for children under the age of 5 because they do not yet have the physical skills and thinking ability a person needs to control a skateboard and ride it safely. 60 percent of skateboarding injuries involve Children under the age of 15, mostly boys.
Despite the risk of injury, overall skateboarding is a fun and healthy sport that provides a low-impact cardiovascular workout and an adrenaline rush!
How to Decrease your Risk of a Skateboarding Injury
- Practice common sense: skateboard as safely as you can based on your skill level and use protective equipment such as helmets and wrist guards.
- Learn the basic skills of skateboarding, especially how to stop properly.
- Avoid a crash with a vehicle or person; skate in professionally designed “bowls” and “ramps” or other designated skateboarding areas that are located away from car and pedestrian traffic.
- Only do tricks within your ability/level of skill.
- Use a quality skateboard and keep it in proper working order
- Do not use headphones while skateboarding; it is too easy to be distracted or to miss the sound of oncoming danger.
- Never put more than one person on a skateboard.
- Children aged 6 to 10 years should only ride a skateboard under the close supervision of an adult or trusted teenager.
Recommended Skateboarding Protective Equipment
- Wrist guards
- Knee and elbow pads
Skateboarding Accidents Risk Factors
Inexperience. One-third of skateboarding accidents and injuries happen to people who have been skating for less than a week.
Lack of protective equipment. Since trips and falls are common while skateboarding, protective gear can break the fall and reduce the severity of the injury.
Skating in dangerous places. Skateboarding near motor vehicle traffic or on a homemade skateboard ramp are at a very high risk for injury.
Poor riding surfaces. It is easy to fall if you are stumbling over rocks, twigs, or rough, cracked pavement.
Risky stunts. The more risks one takes for stunts, the more likely they are to get in an accident.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!