Surfboard Fins and Safety

Surfing. The sport and culture that seems so fun, laid back, and carefree in those campy 1960s movies like Gidget and Beach Blanket Bingo. Or outright scary after seeing Soul Surfer, the 2011 film about surfer Bethany Hamilton’s recovery and life after losing her left arm from a shark attack while surfing. But the reality is somewhere in the middle – surfing isn’t as frivolous or as horrific as Hollywood portrays it.

In general, surfing is considered a safe sport with a low injury rate compared to other sports, such as football and basketball. But just like other physical activities and sports, accidents happen, and injuries will occur. Injuries range from minor, like bruises, cuts and scrapes, strains and sprains, and overuse injuries, to major, like dislocations, broken bones, and head injuries. Though not truly an injury, surfers can also suffer from ear infections, as well as pain inflicted by nature, like jellyfish stings and sunburn. Statistics show the majority of injuries, and some of the more severe wounds, result from impacts with the surfboard itself – either from a surfer’s own board or that of another person.

Lacerations are the most common damage done to the body, particularly to the legs and torso, when surfing. They account for nearly half of all surfing-related injuries. And most lacerations come from the skegs, those 6- to 8-inch fiberglass fins with very sharp trailing edges. Statistics also show that the inexperienced surfer is more prone to get hurt, again, like other sports.