Sailing-related injuries in a wide range of offshore sailors
by Daria Blackwell 19 Nov 2023 15:34 UTC
Weather conditions can increase risk of injury © Daria Blackwell
An observational study published in Wilderness and Environmental Medicine showed that 1 in 5 cruises resulted in an injury regardless of demographic, injury, and voyage characteristics.
The study was performed using an internet-based, multiple-choice survey distributed on social media. The most frequent injury types were contusions and skin lesions (40%) and lacerations (20%). The most frequent locations were hand (28%) and foot and ankle (18%). The most frequent mechanisms by which injury occurred were tripping/falling (33%), being hit by an object (19%), and using ropes (19%).
Sex, age, and sailing experience were not injury risk factors, while a higher number of offshore days was. Sailors' perceived inattention/distraction (34%) was the most significant risk factor followed by difficult weather conditions (22%) and fatigue/lack of sleep (14%).
This study confirmed findings in previous studies which showed that the most common injuries are soft-tissue injuries to the extremities. Severe injuries and illnesses in sailing are uncommon in these study populations.
A cross-sectional survey of self-reported sailing-related injuries and health issues during four different events organized by the World Cruising Club between 2014 and 2015 showed that the incidence of injuries and health issues was 1.08 and 1.01 per 10,000 nautical miles. Smaller boats and crews with less experience with the boat they were sailing on were associated with more reported injuries.
Based on a large survey of USCG data published in 2016, the fatality rate for recreational sailing was estimated to be 1.19 per million sailing person days, which is comparable to that of in-bounds alpine skiing.
This article has been provided by the courtesy of the Ocean Cruising Club.