Maui beaches have Hawaii’s highest number of spinal injuries

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WAILUKU — A state trauma registry lists Maui as the location of the highest number of spinal injuries occurring at Hawaii’s beaches.

The Maui News reported Wednesday that the Hawaii Trauma Registry names Maui County as the location of seven of the state’s top 15 spinal injury-prone beaches.

The Maui community of Makena led the state with 40 recorded spinal injuries from 2009 to 2017, which includes injuries at the area’s Big Beach, Little Beach and six unspecified locations.

Hapuna Beach on Hawaii island had 31 recorded spinal injuries, the second highest in the state.

Maui’s Kaanapali Beach was tied with the Big island’s Laaloa Beach and Oahu’s Sandy Beach for the third highest with 20 spinal injuries each.

The statistics do not include other types of injuries that occur to beachgoers.