Ski Safety

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Displaced Wrist

Displaced Wrist

Info for Snowboarders

The commonest injuries are to the wrist, head and shoulder. Fractures are twice as likely as amongst skiers. Wrist injuries are the number one enemy of snowboarders, especially beginners who are at the highest risk. Wrist guards have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of serious wrist injury and snowboarders are encouraged to use them. There are many myths surrounding wrist guards - that they cause injury further up the arm for example, that are simply not true! You can find more information on wrist guards by visiting www.ski-injury.com/wrist.htm.

Other important points for boarders :-

  • Soft boots are recommended for beginners - reinforced if possible to reduce the incidence of ankle injuries
  • Always attach the board to your lead foot with a security leash. Secure this before getting into your bindings to prevent a runaway" board which could cause injury to others as well as being an expensive loss to you!
  • In a fall, try to keep your arms tucked in to your sides with your fists clenched. This simple step may reduce the risk of dislocating your shoulder and/or breaking your wrist!
  • Stop on one side of the piste and kneel or stand facing up-hill in order to see oncoming traffic rather than sitting down in the middle of the piste facing down the slope
  • If jumping, always ask someone to act as a spotter near the landing zone so you know the landing area is clear. Don't try big jumps before you are ready. Jumps gone wrong are the major cause of spinal injuries amongst snowboarders.
  • The rear foot should be detached from the bindings when ascending on lifts.
  • Boarders should be aware of persistent severe pain after an ankle injury - snowboarding is associated with an important fracture - of the lateral process of the talus bone - that is often diagnosed as an ankle sprain. If you have ongoing severe pain after 7-10 days go back to see a doctor. This injury is rare and most doctors outside of ski areas will not have heard of this injury - but it is important as it can lead to arthritis if undiagnosed. It may not show on normal x-rays and may require a CT scan to diagnose. If present it needs review by an orthopaedic surgeon. Be persistent!!!