Numerous people will be hitting the slopes for skiing and snowboarding in the coming months, and while we’ve spent some time talking about the types of preparatory exercises people can take part in in order to prevent injuries, we haven’t delved too deeply into how to actually avert an injury while you’re on the slopes. A new report takes a look at some of the most common dangers to pop up on the mountain, and you should do all that you can to avoid harm in that regard.
One doctor with a Vail, Colorado-based Orthopedics group noted that ACL tears have been on the rise since the start of the season, which is somewhat unusual when there isn’t a lot of deep snow that can trip someone up. Where an ACL injury does become common is when a thin veneer of snow disguises a solid piece of terrain. A person may land awkwardly, causing their ACL to snap or tear. A fracture is another possibility when such a landing occurs.
To circumvent this type of injury, try to work on your landings. If you’re unable to slide smoothly down the mountain, then at the very least don’t let your legs land rigidly when you’re coming off of some time of a jump. Get some flexibility into your knees, allowing them to bend rather than keeping them completely static. Should you allow your legs to be unmoving, the impact forces will reverberate up through your body, putting you at risk of an injury.
Since the season has just begun, you also want to minimize the kinds of trick that would be more common at the Winter X-Games than on a recreational slope. What you may have been able to pull off last March after weeks and months of practice may be elusive at the dawn of the season. Keep tricks on the shelf until you can be confident of your ability to pull them off.
Because the season has just begun, and with the holidays coming up, this is an important time of the year to be extra-cautious in regard to other people on the mountain. If the slopes are packed, you must be cognizant of those around you. Keep a safe distance between yourself and others so that you’re not putting you or your fellow skiers at risk of concussions or broken bones.
It’s also imperative that you know how to fall in a way that won’t endanger you. It’s actually more dangerous to attempt to right yourself with an extended arm or leg, as that extremity can get caught up in something and tear or snap. Instead, let yourself fall so that your core takes the brunt of the damage. Stay limber to minimize injury potential.