Ned Stark was right. Winter is coming.*
And with the cold and snow, skiing is back as well. Perfect North, this area’s top outdoor winter sports draw, opened its slopes the weekend before Thanksgiving “” 2-3 weeks earlier than its usual season opening.
Back, too, will be winter sports injuries. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Americans suffer around 140,000 skiing injuries that require medical attention each year. Injuries related to snowboarding log around another 130,000 hospital visits.
From serious injuries like head trauma and broken legs to lesser ones like strains and sprains, nothing puts more of a damper on the season than having to recuperate while your friends are enjoying the slopes.
The most dreaded (and common) season-killer for skiers, especially early in the year, is a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) which accounts for nearly a quarter of all slope injuries. The ACL lies in the center of the knee, preventing your lower leg from moving too far forward from your upper leg. Typically, it is torn by an awkward twisting motion that happens in falls early in the day when you haven’t properly warmed up or later, when you’re tired. Experts advise several ways to cut the risk of ACL tears in skiers.
- Prepare during the off-season. Exercises, like running or using an elliptical machine, help strengthen leg muscles and cut knee injuries. Anything that works your hamstrings and hip flexors “” two important protectors of ACLs “” are beneficial. Even simple exercises like hopping and landing on one leg will prepare your legs for the skiing season. Use of a wobble board will help your balance and coordination and leads to fewer falls and less of a chance of ACL injuries.
- Warming up. It’s never a good idea to start any athletic endeavor “cold.” Before skiing that first run, take 5-10 minutes to stretch your leg muscles, hips and back.
- Know when to head back to the lodge. Resist that last mogul run, especially if you’ve had a long day of skiing. Many ACL injuries happen when you’re fatigued.
Snowboarding has its own risks, with wrist and shoulder injuries accounting for more than 35 percent of trips to the ER, according to experts. Most of these, like dislocations and sprains, occur in falls when boarders put their arms out to break falls. For purveyors of this trendy sport, it’s important to choosing runs that are commensurate with your talent level. Select easier runs first, then gradually work your way up to tougher runs. Don’t try to be Shaun White right away.
Fitness for snowboarders, like their skiing brethren, is another way to reduce injuries.
Whether you’re hitting the slopes on skis or a board, safety should be key. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons offers these additional tips for both pursuits:
- Use proper equipment. Buy or rent boots and bindings that have been set, adjusted, maintained and tested by a ski shop that follows American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard job practices. Make sure bindings are adjusted to your height and weight.
- Wear a helmet. Wear the right helmet. Helmets are sport-specific, so do not wear a bike helmet on the slopes.
- Be alert. Always keep your head up and be aware of your surroundings, other skiers and snowboarders and resort rules.
- Hydrate. Even mild levels of dehydration can affect physical ability and endurance, and can lead to injury.
Finally, if you do suffer a fall, don’t ignore pain or motor-sensory deficits, especially in wipeouts that include a blow to the head. And definitely don’t go back out for another run until you’ve been checked out. You could be putting yourself and others needlessly in peril. It’s better to be cautious so you can enjoy the entire season, not just one day.
* Obligatory “Game of Thrones” reference for you slope-going nerds. Valar dohaeris.
