Injury rate and injury pattern among elite World Cup snowboarders: a 6-year cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is limited knowledge on the injury rate and injury pattern in the different disciplines among elite snowboarders. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe and compare the injury rate and injury pattern among the different International Ski Federation (Fédération Internationale de Ski, FIS) World Cup (WC) snowboard disciplines. METHODS: We conducted retrospective interviews with FIS WC snowboard athletes at the end of each season in the period 2007-2012, to register all acute injuries sustained during training or competition during the competitive season requiring attention by medical personnel. To calculate the exposure, we obtained information from result lists from the FIS competition database for all WC competitions for each of the interviewed athletes. RESULTS: We registered a total of 574 injuries among 1432 athletes, accounting for an overall injury rate of 40.1 injuries/100 athlete/season. A total of 171 injuries occurred during the FIS WC competitions, corresponding to 6.4 injuries/1000 runs. During competition, injury risk was highest in snowboard cross with 11.9/1000 runs, followed by 6.3 in halfpipe, 3.6 in big air and 2.8 in parallel giant slalom/parallel slalom (PGS/PSL). Snowboard cross also had the highest risk of severe injuries (>28 days absence). No differences in injury risk were detected between male and female snowboarders. The most commonly injured body part was the knee (17.8%), followed by the shoulder/clavicle (13.4%) and head/face (13.2%). The risk of knee injury (the most common injury type) and head injury was significantly higher in snowboard cross and halfpipe compared to PGS/PSL. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of injuries was higher in snowboard cross than in halfpipe, big air and PGS/PSL. The most commonly injured body part was the knee. Prevention of snowboard injuries among elite snowboarders should focus on knee injuries, severe injuries and snowboard cross athletes.

Pan-Canadian initiatives in colorectal cancer screening: adopting knowledge translation tools to accelerate uptake and impact.

BACKGROUND: Despite the positive conclusions of several randomized controlled trials and the publication of national recommendations on colorectal cancer (crc) screening, uptake remained low. The inauguration of the National Colorectal Cancer Screening Network in 2007, the same year that the first screening program was announced in Canada, provided an opportunity for integrated knowledge translation to accelerate the processes of program implementation and screening uptake. AIM: Two primary aims were identified. The first focused on means to monitor the effects of various implementation plans in delivering high-quality population-based crc screening. The second focused on identifying and addressing knowledge gaps that may impair screening participation. METHOD: The methods used are described in the context of the knowledge-to-action cycle and demonstrate that the initiative itself dictates the point in the cycle at which to start. RESULTS: The identified need to monitor various implementation plans resulted in the shared development of a quality determinants document. All programs committed to designing data collection so that core components could be measured and compared; 6 operating programs have conducted the first data collection, which will allow for monitoring and for new knowledge creation as the process develops further. The knowledge gap identification project started with new knowledge creation, which identified a higher-than-expected willingness of Canadians to discuss crc screening with physicians, but a low level of understanding of screening as a wellness-related behaviour. Knowledge translation interventions have been developed with the stakeholders to address those gaps, and ongoing surveys to be carried out later in 2011 will help to gauge progress in the understanding and acceptance of crc screening by the population. CONCLUSIONS: A national network that engaged all programs, policymakers, experts, and lay representatives successfully used knowledge translation principles to enhance the trajectory of crc screening in Canada.