How to avoid winter sports injuries, according to experts

Editor’s Note: Consult your doctor before starting any new exercise routine. Immediately stop if you feel any pain.

Check your gear before heading out to ski and make sure you have the proper winter attire, experts say.

Many individuals eagerly await the opportunity to visit the slopes or ice rink when the temperature decreases and snow starts to fall. Not injury is on their thoughts; it's wintertime pleasure. However, it's simple to get into trouble if you don't carefully plan for your favorite pastime.

Winter sports-related injuries cost nearly 200,000 individuals their lives in 2018, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, sledding, and tobogganing all contributed significantly to these accidents. Concussions and other brain injuries were frequent, as were sprains, strains, dislocations, and fractures.

Just wearing a helmet can ward off many head injuries when participating in winter sports.

In fact, a study in The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery found that brain injuries account for 20% of the roughly 600,000 ski and snowboarding-related accidents that happen each year in North America.

Certainly, head injuries are the most concerning, according to Dr. Brian Cole, an orthopedic physician at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago. In situations when there is uncontrolled speed and you hit a tree or light post, those can be fairly severe.

Dr. Scott Smith, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Texas Orthopedics, Sports & Rehabilitation Associates in Austin, stated that many head injuries can be avoided by simply wearing a helmet, something that young people in particular may be reluctant to do. But because you're going to fall, it's worthwhile.

Make sure your equipment is in good working order before using it, whether it's a helmet, skis, or skates. Wearing the appropriate winter clothing is essential, as is drinking lots of water to prevent dehydration, which can be easily overlooked in the winter.

How to avoid winter sports injuries, according to experts

A further wise move is to exercise with a friend rather than by yourself. This way, if you get hurt, someone will be there to help. Cole advised being mindful of the weather and terrain, particularly early in the season when changes in temperature might effect snow and ice.

Additionally, it's crucial to warm up your muscles with some dynamic stretching before you start your exercise and to be aware of your limits so you don't attempt a motion that is too difficult for you or attempt a hill that is too steep. Take stops for rest, and halt before you become overtired.

According to Dr. Erin Nance, an orthopedic surgeon with Nance MD in New York, "the time you're most likely to get hurt skiing is on your last run." It's always like that because you're worn out. Additionally, when you are tired, you pay less attention to your technique.

You should master good falling techniques because so many winter sports can end in spills. Generally speaking, avoid sticking out your hands to attempt and break your fall, advised hand surgeon Nance. To ensure that your upper body absorbs the majority of the fall, she said, "tuck and roll." This reduces the risk of a catastrophic ligament tear or fracture.

Common injuries by age and sex:

A given sex or age group is more likely to sustain certain winter sports injuries than others. Injuries from sledding, snowmobiling, and downhill skiing, particularly ruptured ACLs in the knee, are common among Cole's younger patients. Middle-aged males tend to sustain injuries from snowmobiling.

According to Nance, spiral tibia fractures commonly occur at the top of ski boots in children who participate in downhill skiing. Their ankles and feet are supported by the ski boots, but the area above is unprotected. A growth-plate fracture in the hand is a typical occurrence among kids who snowboard, especially if they are not using wrist protectors, which she advises. According to a research published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine, novice snowboarders without wrist protectors are four times as likely to suffer a wrist injury than those who do.

The physicians noted that younger persons experience more strains and sprains from winter sports falls, whereas older adults are more likely to break bones. One of the most frequent injuries sustained by adults when downhill skiing is skier's thumb, or a torn ligament. Although skier's thumb isn't a significant ailment in and of itself, if neglected, it can develop into one.

Common injuries by age and sex

It's a straightforward ligament repair if you have treatment right away, according to Nance. The most frequent complaint I get is that it aches to lift a cup of coffee. If you don't get it checked out, you'll need a ligament reconstruction. You now have a persistent issue.

So how do you determine when to get help after a fall? See your doctor if a joint becomes painful or swollen following a fall, Cole advised. The same applies if a joint experiences sudden weakness, tingling, or numbness.

Watch for headaches, memory loss, light sensitivity, dizziness, and visual problems after a head injury, he advised. All of those point to the need for medical attention.

Here are some more safety advice for particular sports.

Skiing and snowboarding:

If you're new to the sport, take instruction.

Put on protective eyewear and a well-fitting, well-maintained helmet.

Keep an eye out for other skiers as well as shifting weather and snow conditions.

Smith advised skiing only on authorized trails. "No one knows you're there if you ski outside the lines and get hurt," he remarked.

Ice skating:

To avoid creating a hazard, skate in the same direction as the other skaters.

Check for trash, holes, and fractures in the ice.

Avoid eating candy or chewing gum while skating.

Nance advised making sure the rental skates were the correct size. As everything begins with steadiness, she advised using the right-sized skate and tying it tightly. Adults ought to tie children's skates. ice skating spinner

Sledding:

Not headfirst, but feetfirst, sled. It's also better to sit upright.

Sled away from any walls or other barriers, such as trees.

Keep an eye out for potential dangers that the snow may hide.

If a collision is about to happen, get off the sled.

Even when you're not sledding, pay attention. Nance stated, "I frequently see onlookers who aren't paying attention, and a sledder comes down and pulls their legs out from them. At least once a day, it occurs. rogue sled