When it comes to winter sports, there’s no business like snow business. Sledding, skiing, snowboarding and ice skating are some of our most popular seasonal pastimes, but carry the same risks as icy stairs, back-breaking shovel work and slippery sidewalks. This is a great time of year to get outside and get active, and kids big, small and grown-up want to make the most of the winter wonderland. The challenge is to not get caught up in all the fun and forget about safety.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons every year there are over 130,000 skiing injuries, 50,000 snowboarding injuries, 20,000 ice skating injuries and 40,000 sledding injuries. Obviously, there is no such thing as a completely safe sport, but there are safe ways to participate and prepare to prevent you from being another statistic.
The common sense rules for other sports apply to winter sports as well. Stretch your limbs and muscles properly. Get your blood moving with warm-up exercises like marching in place or jumping jacks. Proper safety equipment such as goggles, helmets, gloves and boots should be examined before use. Children should always participate in winter sports under adult supervision.
Unfortunately, not all winter injuries are incurred while having fun. In fact, the majority of winter injuries occur due to common everyday activities: clearing snow and walking around. The AAOS recommends a proper stretch and warm-up session before shoveling, it’s important to remember that shoveling is exercise and to treat it as such. When clearing sidewalks and driveways, you should push, not lift, the snow on the ground. And if you need to lift it to pile it, do so in small amounts and keep the weight close to your body while lifting from your legs.
Not everyone clears their sidewalk space in a timely fashion. Slips, trips and falls are a common winter occurrence that range from the comical to the fatal. The AAOS recommends wearing proper footwear, either boots or treaded slip-ons over your shoes, when going out in icy conditions. Distance is not a factor as icy conditions can exist anywhere, even between your front door and your car door. And always watch where you’re going. It sounds simple, but there is a tendency in cold weather to overload yourself with groceries or shopping bags to shorten the trip. Putting yourself off-balance or carrying a stack of packages that impedes your vision can lead you into injury.
Snow happens. Winter weather often snarls traffic, delays trains and causes headaches for the unprepared. Some choose to see it as a blessing, as a way of slowing down our busy lives and focusing on the little things like relaxing with our loved ones or playing with our kids. Some see it as just another four-letter word. Whatever your disposition one fact remains the same, there will be snow whether you like it or not. Stay safe, stay warm and stay active!
