2024-02-05 10:30:00
Sliding is in sight for many French people, who will have the chance to hit the slopes at the end of this week. The mention of winter sports is closely linked to the related trauma, like the now famous dislocation of Nathalie’s shoulder in Tanned people go skiing. But shoulder dislocation is not the most common injury, far from it, as evidenced by the annual report of the Winter Sports Accidentology Observatory.
The Winter Sports Accidentology Observatory produces each year a very richly documented brochure on the trauma of skiing and snowboarding (and incidentally sledding). We learn that in 2022, 122,231 traumatic accidents occurred across all French mountain ranges and that on average 5% of the injured required immediate hospitalization. All sports combined, the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee is the champion of champions of injury: it alone represents 17% of injuries, far ahead of wrist fractures (7%). This statistic is particularly supported by skiing, which is the leading cause of anterior cruciate ligament sprains, unlike snowboarding which relatively spares the knees.
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Sprains are the most common injuries in skiing, accounting for almost half of all diagnoses. First place on the podium goes to the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee, second to the thumb and third to the wrist. Those who snowboard are more likely to have fractures – 42% of diagnoses –, particularly of the wrists which are very exposed during falls. The opposition between alpine skiing and snowboarding does not stop there: if the lower limbs are the most affected when practicing alpine skiing, it is the upper limbs which suffer when snowboarding.
Prevention is better than cure
Many traumas might be avoided by taking usual precautions and preparing for your week in the mountains. We anticipate our stay in winter sports by preparing ourselves physically to endure the specific efforts of skiing or snowboarding. To do this, you need to strengthen your thighs and train your cardiovascular system. Nothing better than doing a little running or cycling, as well as taking the stairs rather than taking the elevator. The most diligent can do the chair once morest a wall as well as squats (repeated bending of the knees) to strengthen the quadriceps, which are the muscles most used in skiing.
In the same column
Prevention also involves fine-tuning ski boot bindings to make it easier to remove shoes in the event of a fall and to preserve the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee – almost half of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are caused by a incorrect adjustment of the bindings. Note that female anatomy particularly exposes women to ACL sprains; the risk is multiplied by 3.5 compared to men. In addition, wearing a helmet is essential; its usefulness was made infamous by the accident suffered by Michael Schumacher. Furthermore, those who choose snowboarding are invited to wear wrist protections. The strap on the poles is the main cause of wrist sprains, so it is better to avoid putting it on to spare the spine of the thumb which is very exposed in the event of a fall. Finally, the use of back protectors aimed at sparing the spine is increasingly in demand. Indeed, even if the vertebrae are not the most affected by the trauma of winter sports, two precautions are always better than one.
Finally, accidents most often occur at the start of the day, when the snow is still hard and the muscles are cold; A brief warm-up before putting on the skis is highly recommended to minimize risks. Another peak occurs at the end of the day, when fatigue is felt and the snow becomes softer: this is the famous “last track” syndrome, well known to health professionals. So stay attentive to your feelings, your fatigue, it is fundamental to know how to stop in time or you risk getting injured or, worse, risking a collision with another skier.
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