Snowsport injuries
Snow sports are often regarded as risky sports, which is a view generally supported by injury statistics! However, skiing and snowboarding are increasingly popular ways to enjoy the great outdoors and keep fit, so taking a few simple steps and precautions can cut the chances of injury.
In the 2006/2007 year, ACC spent $12 million attending to 11,633 snow sport injury claims received that year, with $8 million of that going on 1200 serious or moderate injuries (what ACC calls “entitlement claims”).
Skiing injuries
In that year, 61% of new ACC snow sport claims for serious or moderate injuries (what ACC calls “entitlement claims”) were for skiing injuries.
The top five injury sites were:
- Knees (39%)
- Shoulder (14%)
- Lower leg (8%)
- Upper and lower arm (7%)
- Hand/wrist (5%)
The clear winner (or loser!) for the most common injury area is the knee – that may be a relatively minor injury and you can recover without losing function, or could be very serious indeed.
The vast majority of knee injuries are ligament sprains, commonly on the inside of the knee. Usually that results from a twisting fall or a ‘snowplough gone wrong’ when the lower leg bends outwards relative to the thigh.
Skiing injuries to the upper limb generally occur as the result of a fall.
Preventing injuries
ACC has been working in partnership with the New Zealand Snowsports Council and an industry-based Snow Safety Advisory Group to develop and implement a programme focused on reducing snow sports injuries.
The vast majority of snow sports injuries happen when someone falls over, and that’s usually through user error. Most falls are from loss of control, perhaps because the skier is going too fast for the weather conditions or their abilities. About 10% of accidents result from a collision with another person or object, 5% are lift-related and 5% happen through equipment failure, such as bindings releasing inadvertently.
Behaving responsibly when on the snow is the most effective way to prevent injury. The Snow Responsibility Code sets out how people on the slopes are expected to behave. It is promoted and enforced across all snow areas and irresponsible behaviour will not be tolerated!
Check your equipment and use it properly
Your equipment and how you use it is also crucial for preventing – or causing – injuries. Making sure you are using your equipment properly and that it’s well-maintained goes a long way towards keeping safe.
For example, a simple way to help prevent knee injuries is to have your bindings correctly adjusted and functioning so the bindings release properly if you fall.
‘Skier’s thumb’ is a common injury that affects one of the ligaments found at the base of the thumb. This is usually caused by people holding their poles incorrectly so they catch their thumb on the strap of the ski pole when they fall. So, make sure you hold your poles correctly; put the strap on your wrist and then hold the ski pole so that the strap is included in your grip and not draped over the top of your hand.
Gear up and up-skill
Often preventing injury comes down to not skiing beyond your skills on the slope! And if you are just starting out, get some lessons. A few hours under expert guidance could save you a nasty injury that could keep you off the slopes for weeks, if not months.
Safety equipment, like helmets, can help too, especially if you’re skiing in rocky areas. Helmets these days are very light-weight and can be effective in preventing head injuries, such as concussion.
So take care out there on the snow – act responsibly, have the right equipment that’s properly fitted, ski within your abilities and wear protective gear.
