Wet and wild: results from a pilot study assessing injuries among recreational water users in Western Australia

Terri Pikora, Rebecca Braham, Catherine Hill, Christina Mills

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To identify, describe and compare injuries among three water sport activities: kite surfing (KS), personal watercraft (PWC) and towed water sports (TWS). The study was a cross sectional, online survey. The setting was on Perth, Western Australia's popular beaches and riverbanks. Main outcome measures were number of injuries and level of severity; level of exposure and protection measures. Overall, 43% reported at least one injury in the past 12 months, a rate of 22.3 injuries per 100h. Kite surfers were more likely to report an injury than PWC or TWS. One-half of injuries occurred while on the water. Most injuries were caused by landing awkwardly (56%) and/or trying new tricks (41%). Despite 90% of respondents having used at least one personal protective equipment (PPE) item, half (49%) reported always using a personal floatation device. This study provided information on KS, PWC and TWS injuries as well as a range of safety behaviours. It is recommended that these results form the basis of further research to reduce injury rates and encourage the use of PPE items.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)119-126
JournalInternational Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion
Volume18
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011

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