THURSDAY, Aug. 30, 2001 (HealthDayNews) -- Kayakers like it bumpy and fast, and when it's not, they hotdog it -- running the rapids backwards or deliberately steering into rocks.
That's according to Dick Wold, five-time United States Surf Kayak Champion and 1993 World Kayak Surfing Champion, who doesn't find it at all surprising that a study of kayaking injuries would suggest that most kayakers are hurt on rapids that are rated equal to or lower than their skill levels.
Kayakers rate a river's difficulty from Class I to Class VI, and they rate themselves on the basis of the most difficult level of river they're comfortable kayaking. Class I is moving water with a few ripples and no obstacles; Class VI rivers are nearly impossible and very dangerous even to expert teams.
Wold says, "When you're on-skill or less, you get bored and you look for ways to spice it up. That's how people get hurt,"
Lead study author Dr. David C. Fiore, an associate professor of family and community medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno, Nev., says Wold makes a good point, but that geography also plays a role. Class V and VI rapids are usually more remote, so frequent kayakers often have to settle for less exciting, but more accessible rides, and more rides equal more accidents, says Fiore.
The study surveyed 329 kayakers who said they were on the water at least once a week. Forty percent were never injured, but the others reported 282 injuries over a five-year period. For the most part, the mishaps weren't serious -- scrapes, bruises, tendonitis or, at worst, a dislocated shoulder, and 96 percent claimed a good or complete recovery.
Fiore says only 16 percent of injuries occurred in the more dangerous Class V or Class VI rapids, while 20 percent of the kayakers considered themselves skilled enough to handle those classes. About 20 percent of the accidents were in Class II rapids, while 16 percent of the kayakers rated themselves at that beginner level.
The findings appear in the August issue of British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Fiore,, whose personal passion is kayaking, says 87 percent of the accidents happened while kayakers were in the boat, rather than after they had fallen out, suggesting that improvements in paddling and steering techniques could make the sport safer.
Fiore says the study's big flaw is that it didn't consider people who quit kayaking, possibly because of injuries. He plans further studies to look at that group.
Whitewater rafting and kayaking are increasingly popular. American Whitewater, a hobby and conservation organization, says nearly 2 million people participate each year. The group says their statistics show that the sport is safer than some people think. About three of every 100,000 participants die each year, compared with 3.2 rock climbers and 3.5 scuba divers. And the organizations cites National Highway Transportation Safety Administration statistics which show more than 15 people die for every 100,000 vehicle-miles traveled.
Risa Shimoda, executive director of American Whitewater, says most accidents involve people who aren't wearing life jackets, who aren't attentive to water hazards and who use alcohol.
"You can get into a lot of trouble in a little bit of water if you're not paying attention," she says.
What To Do
Curious as to what the classes mean? The Safety Code of American Whitewater explains the details.
And here is a list of the best seven kayaking places in the United States, according to author Bruce Lessels, 1987 winner of the World Whitewater Championships in France.
