A survey of spinal cord injuries resulting from sport

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Abstract
We surveyed 35 patients who had been admitted to the Hakone National Hospital with a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) resulting from sports accidents, from 1975 to 1991. There were 32 males and three females. Thirty-one patients (88.6%) under the age of 30 had been injured. The most common sport was swimming (51.4%), followed by gymnastics (22.8%). The most common factors were conceit and lack of skill. The injuries were predominantly at the C4–5–6 level. Thirty-four of the patients had a cervical spine injury. Paralysis at the sixth cervical level occurred in 15 cases. Regarding the mechanism of injury, impact on the ground due to misjudgement in the depth of water was the most frequent in swimming; and failure in a somersault the most frequent in gymnastics. The most important point raised in the prevention of SCI sport was education about the dangers during elementary schooling.

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