Avoiding Winter Sports Injuries
With the weather slowly becoming colder and even the threat of snow and icy conditions, there is a higher risk of injury even if you are just walking down the street. Winter sports are particularly prone to causing accidents, such as skiing or snowboarding, due to a combination of factors such as weather conditions and low visibility.
Here at Physio Wellbeing we offer an in-depth sports injury assessment that can aid your injury and also act as a preventative measure for any future damage, but here are a few tips to try and help you avoid those injuries in the first place!
Common winter sports injuries
A lot of common sports injuries that occur in winter are while skiing or snowboarding. A twisted knee can be very common, accounting for around 60% of all skiing injuries. This can happen when the knee is twisted under pressure while falling; skiing can be a lot of pressure on your knee joints.
Fractures and dislocations of different parts of your upper body can also occur in winter sports. Falling on an outstretched arm or hand, either from skiing or just from slipping on icy paths, can lead to fractures of various parts of your arm and even the dislocation of your shoulder or elbow.
‘Skiers thumb’ is another common injury and occurs when the skier falls on an outstretched thumb; the risk of coming across this injury is increased when you are gripping an object such as a ski pole.
Simple steps to preventing injury
Cold muscles are more prone to injury, meaning warming up before you do anything active is incredibly important. On top of this, make sure you know your surroundings. It may sound like an obvious tip, but especially if you are skiing or snowboarding it is vital to stick to marked paths and be aware of trees and other skiers.
Learning how to fall is another easy way to prevent injury. While it may sound odd, falling on your side or buttocks will prevent potential injuries instead of stretching out to stop yourself from hitting the ground; this is when you may fracture of dislocate part of your arm.
You may also want to pace yourself and listen to your body. A lot of sports are incredibly taxing on the body physically, and skiing or snowboarding can be particularly hard on your joints. Due to this, if you feel like you need a rest then do so.
Protect yourself
It is important to ensure you have the right equipment and that everything fits correctly, such as bindings on your ski boots and even invest in a helmet. It is also worth checking the weather before you head out on the slopes; powder, fresh snow and groomed slopes significantly lower injury rates.
Know your ability and stick to slopes that work best for you. Over-confidence on more difficult slopes could also easily lead to injury!
Sports injuries are incredibly common and very easy to fall foul to, even if you are incredibly careful. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort in any part of your body, even if you are not sure if it is sports related, contact us today and see if our professional and friendly staff can help you!