Now during the sports holiday weeks, it is high season for Östersund Hospital to take care of people who are injured when skiing. But a growing number of patients at the hospital are downhill cyclists. This shows the compilation that Region Jämtland Härjedalen has done.
– We have more ski injuries. But there are more serious injuries from downhill cycling, says Olga Carlquist, trauma coordinator within the region.
Greater proportion of injured on bicycle
Although many times more ride down skiing than bikes downhill in the county, there is a greater proportion of damage from cycling.
In 2024, 27 people were cared for from downhill cycling at Östersund Hospital. Nine of these were severely injured.
87 people received hospital care for ski accidents. Of them were 26 serious or severely injured.
12 people were cared for for snowboard accidents, 5 of which were seriously injured.
Want better dialogue
Since the downhill season coincides with summer holidays and lower staffing in healthcare, the region now wants to deepen the dialogue with the organizers of cycling.
– If we see that there are much more severely injured patients that we get, and we have a good dialogue then you might be able to do something about it, Hope Olga Carlquist hopes.