NASCAR Tire changers more likely to suffer injuries

Tire changers in most danger

Of all the crewmembers in NASCAR, tire changers are the ones most likely to suffer injuries in the performance of their duties, according to a new study performed by a pair of doctors from OrthoCarolina.

The study by Glenn Gaston, MD, Chief Hand Surgeon of the OrthoCarolina Hand Center, and William Heisel, PA, Director of OrthoCarolina Motorsports, examined 226 cases were NASCAR team members were treated for upper extremity issues.

The study focused on practice and race-sustained injuries to the upper extremities (shoulders, arms and forearms, wrists and hands) and patterns and frequencies of injuries relative to position on the car.

Those 226 cases occurred from July 2003 to October 2014, with 118 injuries (52 percent) occurring during NASCAR events or practices.

The breakdown of injuries by position included: Tire changers (42 percent); Drivers (16 percent); Tire carriers (14 percent); Jack men (11 percent); Fuel men (9 percent); and Utility men (8 percent). The study noted that different pit jobs typically led to different injuries. Fox Sports