Orthopaedic Surgeons offer safety tips for slopes, skis and sleds during the cold, snowy season
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – ROSEMONT, Ill., Dec. 17, 2010 — Winter sports, such as ice skating, snow skiing, tobogganing and sledding may serve as a great way to get outdoors and exercise, but also can result in injury if proper safety precautions are not practiced. Common injuries include ankle sprains and muscle strains, dislocations or fractures. As part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons'(AAOS) on-going Prevent Injuries America!® campaign, the AAOS urges children and adults to consider these winter sports injury prevention tips before braving the snow.
STATISTICS:
— More than 350,000 people were treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices and
emergency rooms for winter sports-related injuries in 2009, according to
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS SAFETY TIPS:
— Check the weather for snow and ice conditions prior to participating.
Pay attention to warnings about upcoming storms and severe drops in
temperature to ensure safety while outdoors. Skiers and snowboarders
should make adjustments for icy conditions, deep snow powder, wet snow,
and adverse weather conditions.
— Dress for the occasion. Wear several layers of light, loose and water-
and wind-resistant clothing for warmth and protection. Layering allows
you to accommodate your body’s constantly changing temperature.
— Wear appropriate protective gear, including goggles, helmets, gloves and
padding. Also, check that all equipment, such as ski and snowboard
bindings are in good working order.
— Skiers and snowboarders should buy 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.
— Never participate alone in a winter sport. If possible, skiers and
snowboarders should go with partners and stay within sight of each
other. If one partner loses the other, stop and wait. Also, make sure
someone who is not participating is aware of your plans and probable
whereabouts before heading outdoors.
— Skiers and snowboarders should stay on marked trails and avoid potential
avalanche areas such as steep hillsides with little vegetation.
— Avoid sledding near or on public streets. Sledding should be done only
in designated and approved areas where there are no obstacles in the
sledding path. Speeding down hills in parks that are not designed for
sledding puts you at risk to be hit by cars and trucks or slam into
parked vehicles, curbs, and fences.
— Sit in a forward-facing position when sledding and steer using your feet
or the rope steering handles for better control of the sled.
— Warm up thoroughly before playing. Cold muscles, tendons and ligaments
are vulnerable to injury.
— The warm up should be a good 10 minutes of walking, slow jogging or
working on the exercise bike. This is to help increase your heart
rate and blood flow to your muscles.
— Skiers and snowboarders should take a couple of slow runs to warm
up.
— Drink plenty of water before, during, and after outdoor activities.
Don’t drink alcohol as it can increase your chances of hypothermia.
— Keep in shape and condition muscles before partaking in winter
activities. If over the age of 50, it may be wise to have a medical
check-up prior to participating in a winter sport.
— Know and abide by all rules of the sport in which you are participating.
— Take a lesson (or several) from a qualified instructor, especially in
sports like skiing and snowboarding. Learning how to fall correctly and
safely can reduce the risk of injury.
— Falling techniques aim to protect your vulnerable body parts. If
skiing, learn how to hold the poles with the strap (not through your
thumb webs space) to avoid skiers thumb.
— If you do fall, try to break your fall with your arms flexible,
landing first on your hands and wrists, but let your elbows bend
into the fall. Then, try to roll onto the back part of your
shoulder. Bad wrist fractures tend to be from falling on arms held
out stiff.
— Seek shelter and medical attention immediately if you, or anyone with
you, is experiencing hypothermia or frostbite. Early frostbite symptoms
include: numbness and tingling in you digits, lack of feeling and poor
motion.
— Avoid participating in sports when you are in pain or exhausted. Many
skiers are injured on the final, “one last run” — if tired, call it a
day.
— If injured during any winter excursion and pain or discomfort persists,
follow up with an orthopedic surgeon to examine the injury.
AAOS EXPERT:
“It’s so important for participants to stay alert and to take breaks when they are feeling overly tired from sports like skiing or snowboarding,” said orthopaedic surgeon Thomas J. Nordstrom, MD. “To avoid winter sports injury, people should keep their body as warm as possible, be in good shape, and follow the rules of the sport.”
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