Sports-Europe

Franz et al. 2008
N=73

Bern,
Switzerland

2000-2006
Admissions >16 years to hospital with severe spinal injuries Exclusion Criteria:
Transient neurological symptoms excluded (<2 mins)

Skiing (n=63):
Males=73%
Median age=40 years
Mortality=2 (3%)
Snowboarding (n=10)
Males=100%
Median age=22.5 years

Tetraplegia=5
Paraplegia=3
No persistent neurological deficits=7
No persistent neurological deficits

Skiing:
86.3% (n=63)

Snowboarding: 13.7% (n=10)

Molsa et al. 1999
N=16

Finland and Sweden

1980-1996
Ice hockey related SCI. Excluded transient neurological deficits

Males=100%
Mean age =21.2 years

Tetraplegia n=10
Paraplegia n=6

Ice Hockey:
100% (n=16)

Prevalence
0.011 per 1000 hockey players

Bohu et al. 2009
N=37

France

1996-2006 French Rugby Union seasons
All permanently disabling cervical spine injuries

Males=100% 21 adults over 21 years, 12 juniors 17-21 years. Average age at injury = 25.1 years

ASIA A (n=27, 73%)
ASIA B (n=4, 11%)
ASIA C (n=5, 14%)
ASIA D (n=1, 3%)

Rugby:
100% (n=37)

Prevalence:
Per 100,000 players:
2.1 from 1996-1997
1.4 from 2005-2006

Ravaud et al. 2000
N=1668

France

1995-1996
Self-administered
questionnaire survey at 35 specialized Rehabilitation Centres

Males=93%
Mean age at injury=22.2 years

4.9% C1-C2
22.1% C3
40.4% C4
17.3% C5
12.5% C6
2.8% C7-C8
63.1% complete

Diving:
6.5%
(n=108)

Ahoniemi et al. 2008
N=1647

Finland

1976-2005
Register survey;
Medical records from registers of Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre

Males= 83%
Mean age of injury (M/F):
1976-1985: 34.7/35.8
1986-1995: 36.7/38.3
1996-2005: 42.4/40.4

50.6% tetraplegia
49.4% paraplegia

Diving:
6.6%
(n=109)

Dahlberg et al. 2005
N=152

Helsinki, Finland

January 1, 1999 cross-section date
Adult citizens (18 years or more) who had permanent sensory or motor deficits (ASIA A–D). ASIA-E cases were excluded.

Male=76% Average age of injury=47.9 years

Data only for 121 subjects:
46% (n=56) tetraplegia
54% (n=65) paraplegia
57% (n=69) incomplete
43% (n=52) complete

Diving:
9.2%
(n=14)

Exner & Meinecke 1997
N= 22,212

Germany

1976-1996
All traumatic and non-traumatic SCI

72% male

62% paraplegic
38% tetraplegic

Diving:
4%
(n=856)

Soopra-manien 1994
N=412
(SCI=270)

Bucharest, Romania

1992-1993
SCI patients admitted to Dr Gh. Marinescu Hospital

Male=77%
0-40 years
=41.3%
41-90 years
=58.7%
37.6%labourer
8.7% farmer
18.2% retired

158 cervical
81 thoracic
36 lumbar
47% incomplete
Frankel grade A n=134
Frankel grade B n=24
Frankel grade C n=25
Frankel grade D n=73
Frankel grade E n=150

Diving:
7%
(n=29)

Karacan et al. 2000
N=581

Turkey

1992
Nation-wide survey of SCI admissions to medical institutions.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients who died before hospitalization.

Males=71%
Mean age=35.5±15.1 years.

Cervical=31.7%
Thoracic=26.6%
Lumbar=25.1%
Tetraplegia=87 (32%)
Paraplegia=394 (68%)

Diving:
1.2%
(n=7)

Biering-Sorensen et al. 1990
N=268

Kingdom of Denmark
(Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands)

January 1975- December 1984
Admission to national specialized rehabilitation hospitals

Male=76.9%
40% within 15-24 years old

Cervical = 136
Thoracic = 76
Lumbar = 56
Complete tetraplegia = 22%
Incomplete tetraplegia = 29%
Complete paraplegia = 26%
Incomplete paraplegia = 23%

Diving:
6%
(n=15)

Biering-Sorensen et al. 1990
N=268

Kingdom of Denmark
(Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands)

January 1975- December 1984
Admission to national specialized rehabilitation hospitals

Males = 76.9%
40% within 15-24 years old

Cervical = 136
Thoracic = 76
Lumbar = 56
Complete tetraplegia = 22%
Incomplete tetraplegia = 29%
Complete paraplegia = 26%
Incomplete paraplegia = 23%

Sports: (excluding diving)
6%
(n=15)

Ravaud et al. 2000
N=1668

France

1995-1996
Self-administered
questionnaire survey at 35 specialized Rehabilitation Centres

Males = 94%
Mean age of injury=26.2 years

6% C1-C2
20.9% C3
32.8% C4
25.7% C5
14.2% C6
0.4% C7-C8
52.5% complete

Sports:
15.8%
(n=264)

Schmitt & Gerner 2001
N=1,016

Heidelberg, Germany

1985-1997
All traumatic SCI at Orthopedic Department at the University of Heidelberg

Male = 83%
Average age for sports accident =26.8, range (9-52) years.

Sport accidents
Complete para n=18
Incomplete para n=16
Complete tetra n=21
Incomplete tetra n=14

Sports: (excluding diving)
6.8%
(n=69)

Exner & Meinecke 1997
N= 22,212

Germany

1976-1996
All traumatic and non-traumatic SCI

72% male

62% paraplegic
38% tetraplegic

Sports:
4%
(n=853)

Aung & Masry 1997
N=219

Great Britain

1985-1988
New traumatic admissions to the Midlands Centre for SCI

Male = 79%
Average age (male)
= 35.5 years. Average age (female)
= 44.2 years.

Cervical n=116
Thoracic n=73
Lumbar n=30

Sports:
7.3%
(n=16)

Pedersen et al. 1989
N=27

Greenland

1965-1986
Admissions to rehabilitation hospital in Hornback with traumatic SCI; Patients injured in Greenland.

Males=74%
Mean age=33.5 (14-50) years.

Sports:
Incomplete tetraplegia n=1

Sports:
3.7%
(n=1)

Pagliacci et al. 2003
N=684

Italy

1997-1999
Rehabilitation admissions to 32 institutions in Italy with traumatic SCI.

Males = 80% Mean age=38.5 (11-94) years.

ASIA Scores:
A=346 (50%)
B=72 (10%)
C=149 (22%)
D=94 (14%)
E=12 (2%)

Sports:
7.9%
(n=54)

Caldana & Lucca 1998
N=127

Veneto, Italy

1994-1995
New cases of traumatic spinal cord injury and non-traumatic spinal cord disease treated in regional hospitals (small hospitals excluded)

Male = 83.5%
Average age (male)
= 39.8 years old

Average age (female)
= 36 years old

Cervical=62
(21 were complete)
Thoracic=29
(25were complete)
Thoracolumbar
(T12-L1)=18(11)
Caudal=14(3)
Unidentified=1

Sports:
1%
(n=8)

van Asbeck et al. 2000
N=126
(specific data for 113)

Netherlands

1994
Patients with SCI in National Registration system and with obtainable medical records.
Exclusion Criteria:
Spinal contusions with no or temporary neurological symptoms.

Males = 77%
<20 years=15 (13%)
21-30 years=28 (25%)
31-60 years=36 (32%)
>61=34 (30%)
Mortality=18 (16%)

Complete tetraplegia
=26 (23%)
Incomplete tetraplegia
=39 (34%)
Complete paraplegia
=29 (26%)
Incomplete paraplegia
=19 (17%)

Sports:
8.8%
(n=10)

Garcia-Reneses et al. 1991
N=1010

Spain

1984-1985
Every traumatic and non traumatic SCI  patient in specialized Spanish hospitals

Male = 72.4% Mean age = 41.8 ± 1.2 years.

Sensory-motor Incomplete SCI = 49%
Complete SCI= 38%

Sports:
4%
(n=40)