Abstract
Sailing is a sport that is generally considered safe with a relatively low incidence of injuries. Providers need to be aware of risk on board the vessel, as well as from the environment. In sailing, weather conditions can dramatically change and affect the safety of the sport. Inclement weather has been associated with an increased incidence of musculoskeletal injuries. The most common injuries in sailing are related to sprains and contusions. These can occur in a variety of anatomical locations depending on the vessel and position of the crewmember. If possible, actions should be taken to avoid participation in inclement weather. Exposure issues from the sun, wind, and temperature change also need to be considered. Appropriate protection from the elements is a key component to safe participation. Death from sailing has been estimated as high as in alpine skiing. The majority of these were found not to be wearing a personal floatation device.
Sailing is unique compared to some sports as providers will not have direct access to the injured athlete. Radio communication or other means of communication (e.g. hand signals) may need to be used to communicate with the crew and health care team.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Neville V, Folland JP. The epidemiology and aetiology of injuries in sailing. Sports Med. 2009;39(2):129–45.
Nathanson AT, Baird J, Mello M. Sailing injury and illness: results of an online survey. Wilderness Environ Med. 2010;21(4):291–7.
Leong D, Pardal CV, Tan B, Injury LC. Illness patterns in competitive sailors of the 43rd Isaf Youth Sailing World Championship – a 12-month retrospective study. Br J Sports Med. 2014;48(7):625–5.
Schaefer O. Injuries sustained in dinghy-sailing by beginners: an analysis. Sportverletz Sportschaden Organ Ges Orthopadisch-Traumatol Sportmed. 2000;14(1):25–30.
Neville VJ, Molloy J, Brooks JHM, Speedy DB, Atkinson G. Epidemiology of injuries and illnesses in America’s Cup yacht racing. Br J Sports Med. 2006;40(4):304–12.
Allen JB, De Jong MR. Sailing and sports medicine: a literature review. Br J Sports Med. 2006;40(7):587–93.
Neville V, Gant N, Folland JP. Thermoregulatory demands of elite professional America’s Cup yacht racing. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2010;20(3):475–84.
Ryan KM, Nathanson AT, Baird J, Wheelhouse J. Injuries and fatalities on sailboats in the United States 2000–2011: an analysis of US coast guard data. Wilderness Environ Med. 2016;27(1):10–8.
Rouvillain J-L, Mercky F, Lethuillier D. Injuries on offshore cruising sailboats: analysis for means of prevention. Br J Sports Med. 2008;42(3):202–6.
Rodek J, Sekulic D, Kondric M. Dietary supplementation and doping-related factors in high-level sailing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):51.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Close, J.D., Leahy, H.P. (2020). Sailing. In: Khodaee, M., Waterbrook, A., Gammons, M. (eds) Sports-related Fractures, Dislocations and Trauma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36790-9_68
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36790-9_68
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-36789-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-36790-9
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)