Common Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries

Snow Sports - be Aware of the Risks from Injury

Sep 18, 2009 Jane Hodgson

An adult skier or snowboarder sustains one injury for every 300 days on the slopes. Preparing well beforehand can prevent a lot of skiing and snowboarding injuries

Skiers commonly suffer knee and shoulder injuries as well as a number of thumb sprains, whilst with snowboarders it's more shoulder and head injuries along with wrist sprains and fractures. Here are some tips and fitness advice to help reduce the risk of these injuries on the slopes.

Improve your ski fitness

You will be skiing or boarding for several hours a day. Muscles that are prepared for this will perform better, leaving you less liable to injury.

It would be beneficial to carry out a programme of stretching, strengthening and core stability exercises. Do this programme at least once daily for at least 6 weeks before you head off for the slopes.

Also try to increase your aerobic activity in this time, for instance by doing some running and cycling.

Warming up

Stretching before the first run of the day will loosen muscles and prepare them for the days' activities. Starting on an easy run will help your muscles to warm up.

Ski equipment to use

Own skis

Hired skis

  • Adjust the bindings - make sure the shop adjusts for your correct weight
  • Be honest in your ability, otherwise you'll be given the wrong ski

Crash helmets

  • Head injuries incidence reduced when you wear one
  • Children in ski school generally require one, sometimes qualifying them for a reduced rate lift pass

Wrist guards

  • Wrist injuries are significantly reduced whilst snowboarding

Borrowing skis

  • Never borrow skis unless they are the correct length and the bindings have been adjusted. Borrowing kit increases the risk of injury by 8 times.

Take some instruction

Beginners and children run a much higher risk of skiing accident than more experienced skiers. Instruction from an early stage is a sound investment.

Ski lift accidents

Statistically you are most likely to be injured in the first few metres after leaving a chair lift. In a fall at slow speeds, the bindings often don't release, leading to serious knee ligament injury.

Anterior cruciate ligament injury can give rise to gross instability of the knee needing surgery or a long course of rehab and the use of a dynamic knee brace when returning to skiing or other sports.

Young children will ski across you so tell them which direction to exit the chairlift.

Preferably only go on the lift with someone of known ability

Skiing safety

Injuries happen more often when you are tired, especially after lunchtime. Take a rest when you need to.

Avoid doing your hardest runs at the end of the day, when your muscles are tired and the chance of injuring yourself is greater.

Skiing at speeds or on runs which are beyond your abilities massively increases the risk of injury.

Only ski off-piste if you have the knowledge to assess avalanche risk, or are with a competent guide. Never ski alone off-piste.

Go easy on the alcohol

Even a small amount of alcohol at lunchtime will impair your reactions and leave you more likely to injure yourself. Save it for the apres-ski!

References

Dr Mike Langran, Ski Patrol doctor in the CairnGorm mountains of Scotland

The copyright of the article Common Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries in Sports Medicine is owned by Jane Hodgson. Permission to republish Common Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
ski rescue, Dr Mike Langran ski rescue
   
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