Identifying skiing techniques that reduce the risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury in alpine skiing

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11545
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59020:Sports sciences-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Yoshioka Shinsuke 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 准教授 (20512312)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 前十字靭帯損傷 / スリップキャッチ機構 / アルペンスキー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study was conducted to identify skiing techniques with low risk of ACL injury, since anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a serious prognostic factor in Alpine skiing. Skiing data were obtained and analyzed by combining those data with dynamical simulations. In the simulation, a situation in which the ski catches the snow surface again after slipping (slip-catch mechanism), which is the main situation for ACL injury, was set up. The results of the simulations showed that the influence of different skiing techniques was small. It was also suggested that the leverage action of the ski tail on the lower limb and the catch characteristics of the skis, which are fundamental characteristic of skis, were important factors. Our study once again highlights the difficulty in preventing ACL injuries.

Free Research Field

スポーツバイオメカニクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アルペンスキーにおいて前十字靭帯（ACL）損傷のリスクが、スキー動作の基本特性（長い板を足部に固定して、雪面をグリップして滑走するという性質）と密接に関連していること、および、スキー技能やスキー板種別の差異の影響が小さいことが示された点に学術的意義がある。一方、実践的（社会的）な観点では、スキー指導においても格闘技の受け身技に類する技能を学習初期に基本技能として学習することが重要かもしれないことが示された点が重要と言える。