A STOP Sports Injuries Collaborating Partner SPORTS TIPS SKIING AND SNOWBOA RDING INJUR IES 4ENSOFTHOUSANDSOFSKIERSANDSNOWBOARDERSENJOYSNOWSPORTSEVERYYEAR HOWEVERFEWPREPAREFORTHERIGOROUSPHYSICALDEMANDSTHATTHESESPORTS place on the body. Although they can be safe sports, unexpected injuries may OCCURWITHIMPROPERPREPARATION VARIEDSNOWCONDITIONSORPOORJUDGMENT -ANYINJURIESCANBEPREVENTEDBYPROPERPHYSICALPREPARATION SUITABLEAND PROPERLYADJUSTEDEQUIPMENT ANDCOMMONSENSE WHAT CAUSES SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING INJURIES? Most snowsport injuries are traumatic, caused by being on dangerous terrain, lift accidents, falls, and collisions. In many instances, fatigue after a long day on the slopes or poor judgment can be blamed for injuries. The most common issues that predispose people to injury are: s 4IMESKIINGSNOWBOARDINGWITHOUTREST s 3KIINGSNOWBOARDINGABOVEABILITYLEVEL s )MPROPERFAULTYEQUIPMENT s )NADEQUATEADJUSTMENTTOALTITUDE s $EHYDRATIONFATIGUE s 3KIINGSNOWBOARDINGOFFTRAILORINCLOSEDAREAS s &AILURETOOBSERVEPOSTEDWARNINGSIGNS by the mountain responsibility conduct code SKIING/SNOWBOARDING STOP SPORTS INJURIES — Keeping Kids in the Game for Life | www.STOPSportsInjuries.org 7(!4!2%3/-%/&4(%-/34#/--/.3+)).' 0ARENTAL/VERSIGHT SNOWBOARDING INJURIES? Parents play an important role in educating their CHILDRENABOUTSAFESKIINGANDSNOWBOARDINGPRACTICES 4HEWIDERANGEOFSKIINGANDSNOWBOARDINGINJURIES 4HEYSHOULDHELPTHEIRCHILDRENAVOIDTERRAINTHAT INVOLVESMANYAREASOFTHEBODY INCLUDING is beyond their ability and encourage professional s !NTERIORCRUCIATEORCOLLATERAL!#, LIGAMENTINJURIES INSTRUCTIONANDROUTINERESTBREAKSWITHREHYDRATION)T s 3HOULDERDISLOCATIONSORFRACTURES is also important to caution children against improper s 3HOULDERSEPARATIONS SPEEDSANDTHERISKSOFSKIINGSNOWBOARDING s ,OWEREXTREMITYFRACTURES out-of-bounds. s 3PINALINJURIES s #LOSEDHEADINJURIES Common Sense Precautions s 7RIST HAND ORTHUMBINJURIES Most injuries occur after lunch and when fatigued. Be SURETOSTAYADEQUATELYHYDRATEDTHROUGHOUTTHEDAY ANDSTOPTORESTEVERYCOUPLEOFHOURS)NADDITION changing snow and ice conditions can dramatically (/7!2%3+)).'3./7"/!2$).' INCREASETHECOMPLEXITYOFTERRAINQUICKLY!BIDINGBY INJURIES TREATED? THESIGNSANDWARNINGSAREIMPERATIVEFORYOURSAFETY and the safety of others. &ORTUNATELY MOSTSNOWSPORTINJURIESAREMINORANDCAN be treated with rest, bracing, nonsteroidal anti- .ATIONAL3KI!REAS!SSOCIATION2ESPONSIBILITY#ODEFOR INmAMMATORYMEDICATION ANDAVOIDANCEOFSECONDARY 2EDUCING2ISK INJURY(OWEVER SOMEFRACTURESANDLIGAMENTINJURIESMAY s !LWAYSSTAYINCONTROL REQUIRESURGICALINTERVENTIONWHERERECOVERYPERIODSVARY s 0EOPLEAHEADOFYOUHAVETHERIGHT OF WAY from 3 to 6 months or possibly more. s 3TOPINASAFEPLACEFORYOUANDOTHERS s 7HENEVERSTARTINGDOWNHILLORMERGING LOOKUPHILL and yield s 5SEDEVICESTOHELPPREVENTRUNAWAYEQUIPMENT HOW CAN SNOWSPORT INJURIES BE PREVENTED? s /BSERVESIGNSANDWARNINGS ANDKEEPOFF closed trails 0ROPER)NSTRUCTIONAND%QUIPMENT s +NOWHOWTOUSETHELIFTSSAFELY Instruction prior to getting on the slopes is important in PREVENTINGINJURIES)NSTRUCTORSCANEDUCATEBEGINNERS on the importance of a good warm-up and cool-down, EXPERT CONSULTANTS PROPERLYlTTEDEQUIPMENT ANDSAFESKIINGTECHNIQUES These same principles hold true for snowboarders. They Peter J. Millett, MD, MSc can also determine at what point it is appropriate for 4REVOR2'ASKILL -$ BEGINNERSTOPROGRESSTOMOREADVANCEDLEVELSOFTERRAIN 3PORTS4IPSPROVIDEGENERALINFORMATIONONLYANDARENOTASUBSTITUTE for your own good judgement or consultation with a physician. To !PPROPRIATEEQUIPMENTISCRITICALTOBEINGSAFE0OORLY order multiple copies of this fact sheet or learn more about sports FUNCTIONINGORIMPROPERLYADJUSTEDEQUIPMENTISA INJURYPREVENTION PLEASEVISITwww.STOPSportsInjuries.org. FREQUENTCAUSEOFINJURIES"INDINGSTHATARETOOLOOSE ORTOOTIGHT ASWELLASEQUIPMENTTHATISIMPROPERLY sized or used on improper terrain, can cause injury. 0REVENTATIVEEQUIPMENTSUCHASHELMETSCANPREVENT DISASTROUSANDEVENFATALACCIDENTS EVENTHOUGHRESORTS DONOTUNIVERSALLYREQUIRETHEM/NLYABOUTOF 53SKIERSANDSNOWBOARDERSROUTINELYWEARHELMETS)N TERRAINPARKS WRISTGUARDSANDELBOWANDKNEEPADSARE ALSORECOMMENDED4HEUSEOFPROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT HASBEENASSOCIATEDWITHADECREASEINTHERATEOF HEAD NECK ANDFACEINJURIES #OPYRIGHT©!MERICAN/RTHOPAEDIC3OCIETYFOR3PORTS-EDICINE!LLRIGHTSRESERVED www.coachsafely.org STOP SPORTS INJURIES — Keeping Kids in the Game for Life | www.STOPSportsInjuries.org.