Skateboarding Skateboarding is a popular activity enjoyed by many young people. However, it's also an activity that causes many unintentional injuries. Fractures are a frequent type of injury. Deaths as a result of collisions with motor vehicles and from falls are also reported. Irregular riding surfaces account for more than half of the skateboarding injuries caused by falls.
Wrist injury is the number one injury in skateboarding, usually a sprain or a fracture.
Skateboarders who have been skating for less than a week suffered one-third of the injuries. Experienced riders generally suffered injuries when they fell because their boards struck rocks and other irregularities in the riding surface. Some boards are rated as to the weight of the intended user. Protective equipment, such as closed, slip-resistant shoes, helmets and specially designed padding, may not fully protect skateboarders from fractures, but wearing it can reduce the number and severity of cuts and scrapes. Padded jackets and shorts are being made for skateboarders, as well as padding for hips, knees and elbows.