Facial Trauma from a Snapped-Back Water Ski Towbar

Water ski towropes operate under high tension and can snap toward the towboat if suddenly released. Advanced skiers can generate particularly high rope tensions when skiing slalom, barefoot, or at high speeds. Under these circumstances, protective nets are sometimes placed behind the driver of the boat to guard against being struck by rigid towbars released under tension. I report a case of severe facial trauma resulting from a water ski towbar released by a falling skier. The patient was a passenger in the ski boat, which was moving relatively slowly.