In 2010 alone, there were nearly 450,000 people treated for winter sports-related injuries, according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Nearly 150,000 of those injuries were due to snow skiing, approximately 148,000 to snowboarding, more than 90,000 to sledding, and 58,000 to ice skating-related incidents.
Winter sports injuries commonly result in sprains, fractures, and dislocations. Most of these injuries could have been prevented if the person had been fit, alert, or stopped being active when fatigued or in pain. Prevention is the key to successfully getting through the winter season injury-free. There are a number of things a person can do to prevent a sports injury while participating in winter activities.
Below is a list of helpful prevention measures and precautions you can take to avoid injury and stay safe during the winter.
Always participate in winter activities with a partner or group of people. Acting alone can result in injury and safety issues.
· Stay in good physical condition during the off-season to avoid pulled muscles, broken bones or stress in particular areas of your body. Staying in good physical shape can help prevent injuries.
Know the rules and stick to them. Too many injuries occur because people ignored the rules at the tracks or other activity areas.
· Wear the proper sports gear and equipment such as goggles, helmets, gloves, and protectors to prevent injury. A helmet can save your life.
Warm up your muscles before participating in an activity. Cold muscles and ligaments are very susceptible to injury, especially in extreme weather conditions.
· Pay attention to weather reports. This may seem obvious, but every year people get into trouble because they get caught in a winter storm that can result in them becoming lost or disoriented. This can lead to injury or worse.
· Stay hydrated, even when you don’t feel like it. You can get just as much, if not more, dehydrated during the winter as you do in the summer. Muscles are more susceptible to injury when you’re dehydrated. It is important to drink water even if you are not thirsty.
When you’re exhausted, it may be time to stop. Too many injuries occur each year because people keep going when they are tired or fatigued. While it’s okay to push yourself, overdoing it can result in a muscle tear or a fall. Falling may result in injury.
Playing it safe by following a few guidelines can help prevent injuries during winter sports activities. Why become one of the statistics when injuries can be prevented?