Alpine Skiing Injuries ― Prevention and Management

This book provides detailed information on the different forms of injury that are associated with training for and participation in Alpine skiing, covering risk factors and epidemiology, incidence, injury patterns, and, above all, preventive strategies and current management approaches. Conditions addressed in individual chapters include concussion, traumatic dislocations due to high-energy trauma or inappropriate movements, overuse injuries resulting from dry-land training or skiing on snow, the fractures typically associated with present-day Alpine skiing accidents, and musculoskeletal disorders. The importance of a sound understanding of biomechanics and physiological systems for the design of suitable training protocols and trauma prevention is clearly explained, and in-depth information and guidance are provided on training and testing for elite skiers and return to sporting activity following injury. Among the other topics addressed in individual chapters are the relationship of changes in skiing equipment over recent decades to particular types of injury and the potential consequences of exposure to hypobaric hypoxia and other stressors at high altitude. The book will be of great value to all medical professionals who work with or care for Alpine skiers, as well as for trainers and the skiers themselves.

Herbert Schoenhuber is Head of the Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopic Surgery Center at the Galeazzi Orthopedics Institute, Milan, Italy and Associated Professor in Orthopedics and Traumatology at the Postgraduate School, University of Milan. Dr. Schoenhuber is President of the Medical Committee of the Italian Federation of Winter Sports. He is also a member of the medical teams of the International Skiing Federation (FIS) and the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT). He was head of the medical staff for the FIS during the world championships in St. Anton (Austria) and Bormio (Italy) and at the Turin Olympic Games in 2006. He is the author of approximately 150 national and international publications and is a regular lecturer at national and international congresses. work as a team doctor for the Italian Winter Sports Federation in 1998. Today he is a member of the Medical Committee and Chief Doctor of the Italian Alpine Ski Team. He served as a medical officer at the last three Winter Olympic Games. Dr. Panzeri is the author of many publications on sports traumatology and has been an invited speaker at a number of international orthopedic meetings.

Simone Porcelli is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Bioimaging and Molecular Physiology, National Research Council, Italy. He holds a specialization in Sports Medicine and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology. Dr. Porcelli has served as team doctor for the Italian national rugby team and as a member of the medical team of FC Internazionale, Milan. He is a current member of the Medical Committee of the Italian Federation of Winter Sports. Dr. Porcelli has participated, including as principal investigator, in research projects funded by NATO, the European Union, Telethon Italy, the Italian Space Agency, and Interreg. Projects Italy–Slovenia. He has authored 25 publications in peer-reviewed international scientific journals.