3 Examples Of Serious Skiing Injures And How To Prevent Them

Whether you are an avid skier or an amateur one, there are numerous potential injuries that you should be aware of. Some of them are more serious than others, but there are measures you can't take to reduce the risk of all skiing injuries.

Three Serious Injuries

Fractures

Fractures, particularly on the limbs, are common injuries with victims of skiing accidents. For example, you may fracture your hand if you instinctively reach out with it to stop your fall during a skiing accident. Your fracture will even be more serious if it is a compound fracture or if the affected bone shatters.

Concussion

A concussion is a head injury that occurs when the brain is made to move around within the skull cavity, bruising itself in the process. Since the brain controls most of the functions of your body, you may be severely affected by the concussion if it is serious enough. To make it worse, concussion symptoms sometimes take a long time to appear, so you may not get the required medical treatment in time.

Spinal Injuries

You may also fall during a skiing accident and incur a spinal injury. This type of injury is even more likely if you fall on your back because you are likely to hit your spine directly that way. Don't forget that the spine connects most to your body to your brain, so a spinal injury may affect most of your bodily functions or controls.

Preventive Measures

Here are some of the precautions you can take to avoid the above or other skiing injuries:

Dress for the Occasion

The first measure is to wear protective gear every time you are skiing. This includes things like helmets, boots, goggles, and knee pads, among others. Don't ignore the protective gear even if you are an experienced skier because anyone can experience an accident.

Stay Hydrated

Just because skiing is a cold-environment sport, it doesn't mean that dehydration is not a risk. Your body dehydrates any time you are involved in a strenuous activity, of which skiing is a classic example. Since dehydration lowers your physical endurance and increases your risk of an accident, it makes sense to stay hydrated when skiing.

Follow the Skiing Rules

You also need to follow all the rules, whether they are conventional skiing rules or specific rules for the trail or skiing resort. For example, if you are advised to avoid a certain trail for one reason or another, make sure you avoid it.

Hopeful, you won't be injured in a skiing accident whenever you decide to enjoy the sport. If you do get injured, however, seek prompt medical care to avoid complications that may arise if you delay. Ask your family doctor to refer you to specialists that can help you with your injuries.