Thoracolumbar spine injury associated with aerial skill practice. Case reports

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15417/issn.1852-7434.2020.85.2.1010
Keywords: Spinal injury, thoracolumbar spine, high fall, aerial silk, circus practice

Abstract

Introduction: Aerial silk is a circus practice that has become very popular in urban populations. It involves hanging from two pieces of fabric in order to make fixed positions and change between them by sliding and dropping from different heights. The professional practice is not free of injuries. Objective: To learn the nature of the injury, to recognize the injury predisposing factors and the safety measures used, to study the kinematics, to classify the injury, and to analyze the treatment. Materials and Methods: Six patients were included. The evaluation included individual body structure, drop kinematics, safety measures, classification of fractures according to the new AO classification, neurological symptoms, treatment, and complications. Results: The study included six female patients, averaging 24 years, a body mass index of 19.29 and a fall from 3.08m, 4 of which included mattress <5cm. The main injuries classification resulted in 6 A1, 4 B2 and 1 C. No neurological deficit was found. Four patients underwent surgical treatment. Conclusions: Aerial silk is a circus activity that has recently become a worldwide practice. Women are more exposed. Rigorous training and the use of safety elements are necessary to avoid injuries. We did not observe a unique pattern of injury, because of its multifactorial cause. The therapeutic decision-making is related to the spinal injury.        

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Author Biographies

Pedro Luis Bazán, Department of Spine Pathology, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos “General San Martín” (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Department of Spine Pathology, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos “General San Martín” (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Elio Marín, Spine Department, Centro Médico de la Costa (Asunción, Paraguay)
Spine Department, Centro Médico de la Costa (Asunción, Paraguay)
Alejandro Betemps, Unidad de Columna Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Unidad de Columna Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Álvaro Enrique Borri, Department of Spine Pathology, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos “General San Martín” (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Department of Spine Pathology, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos “General San Martín” (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Martín Medina, Department of Spine Pathology, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos “General San Martín” (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Department of Spine Pathology, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos “General San Martín” (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Nicolás Maximiliano Ciccioli, Spine Department, Cl´´ínica Pueyrredón, (Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Spine Department, Clinica Pueyrredón, (Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Javier Reble, Unidad de Columna Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Unidad de Columna Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Published
2020-05-02
How to Cite
Bazán, P. L., Marín, E., Betemps, A., Borri, Álvaro E., Medina, M., Ciccioli, N. M., & Reble, J. (2020). Thoracolumbar spine injury associated with aerial skill practice. Case reports. Revista De La Asociación Argentina De Ortopedia Y Traumatología, 85(2), 119-124. https://doi.org/10.15417/issn.1852-7434.2020.85.2.1010
Issue
Vol 85 No 2 (2020)
Section
Clinical Research
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