Orthopedics at the end of the snow trail? Remember these few tips!

Author: Huang Tao, sports medicine rehabilitation expert at Chongli Branch of Peking University Third Hospital

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association

gossip

In winter, orthopedic doctors are busy. In addition to those who accidentally fall on slippery roads in cold weather, there are also many injured patients from major ski resorts, some of whom even need surgery. Many ski enthusiasts will joke that "the end of the ski trail is the orthopedics department" after falling. There is even a rumor on the Internet that the probability of skiing injury is as high as 15% , which makes many novices feel that skiing is a particularly dangerous sport and they stay away from it.

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So, is it true that "the end of the snow trail is the orthopedics department"? Is skiing really that dangerous?

analyze

Let me first state the conclusion. Skiing can be dangerous, but the risk is not as great as rumored. Go to a formal skiing venue, do it within your ability, and proceed step by step under the guidance of professionals. Even a novice can experience the excitement and joy of skiing.

Let’s talk about it in detail below.

Is the end of the snow trail really orthopedics?

Although the saying "orthopedics is at the end of the snow trail" is very eye-catching, the actual situation is more complicated.

Indeed, serious injuries in skiing often require orthopedic treatment or even surgery, which makes this statement true to a certain extent. Especially when a serious skiing accident occurs, it seems to verify this statement.

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However, judging from the overall number of people participating in skiing and the actual proportion of serious injuries, this situation is not common. There are many studies on the situation and proportion of skiing injuries in China and abroad. Based on the results of various studies, the proportion of skiers injured is not high.

For example, data from a Chinese study, "Analysis of Injuries among Skiers at a Large Ski Resort in Chongli, China," showed that the average number of injuries per 1,000 skiers was only about 4.5 per day, slightly higher than the relevant data from foreign countries (the average daily injury rate per 1,000 skiers was 0.5‰~3‰). So from this perspective, skiing is actually not that dangerous.

There is also a statistic in foreign countries that shows that in terms of injury incidence, the risk of injury from skiing is only comparable to that of high-intensity sports such as running, tennis, and karate. Therefore, from this perspective, the claim that skiing has an injury rate of 10% to 15% is nonsense.

Of course, skiing is not as dangerous as rumored, but that doesn’t mean skiing is risk-free. Let’s take a closer look at it.

Common injuries among skiers of different levels

Novice injury: Suppose you are a beginner, just standing on the snow track, and after sliding a little faster, you panic and lose control of the direction and balance, and are about to fall. What would you do?

I believe that most people's first reaction is to use their hands to support themselves to avoid falling, but this will easily cause injuries to the wrist. In mild cases, it will be inconvenient to lift chopsticks, pens, mobile phones and keyboards for a few days, and in severe cases, you may have to go to an orthopedic doctor. In addition, novices who often fall often suffer from soft tissue contusions.

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· Veteran Injury: Newbies will grow up, and rookies will become veterans. It is no problem to just slide casually, and the speed is getting faster and faster, and there are some cool tricks from time to time. For these friends, they will not fall easily, but once they lose control and fall, they are often at a fast speed and at a difficult angle... This will increase the risk of major joint injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament tears or fractures, which may require crutches, bed rest, or even surgery.

· Injury to the Strong: Sometimes we see great skiers on the ski field. To reach their level, they have to work hard and sweat, and also suffer pain. When performing difficult movements, they may even face serious injuries to the spine, especially professional athletes. Skiers like Xu Mengtao and Gu Ailing have many injuries. However, we ordinary skiers cannot reach this level, so I will not elaborate on it here.

So what can we do to reduce the risk?

How to ski safely?

· Do what you can: The first and most important thing is to do what you can. In the skiing circle, there is a special phenomenon called "torpedo". This refers to some novice skiers who are overconfident and think that they will win if they can rush down the snow track without falling, so they directly challenge the difficult snow track.

Such skiers are often bold but lack sufficient control ability. They can only maintain balance but cannot flexibly turn or brake. They ski down the steeper slopes very fast and often run off the slopes or knock over other skiers. This situation is common on the slopes, increasing the risk of injury. Therefore, it is recommended that novice skiers do not exceed their ability and choose the slopes carefully.

Qualified venues: Standardized ski resorts are often well-equipped, fully protected, equipped with beginner coaches and sufficient first aid personnel, and the ski slopes are in better condition. Such venues are safer to ski.

· Protective equipment: Be sure to wear appropriate protective equipment, including helmets, knee pads, wrist guards, etc. Some beginners may also consider hip protectors to reduce the risk of injury.

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Technical training: Master the basic skiing skills, especially how to turn and brake correctly, and the correct posture for falling.

· Physical Condition: Maintain good physical condition, including strength, flexibility and balance, to cope with the demands of skiing.

Get enough rest: Make sure you get enough rest before skiing to avoid skiing when you are tired.

· Understand the ski slopes: Understand the difficulty and characteristics of the ski slopes before skiing, and choose a ski slope that suits your level.

in conclusion

Skiing can be dangerous, but it is not as risky as rumored. Go to a regular skiing venue, do it according to your ability, and proceed step by step under the guidance of professionals. Even a novice can experience the excitement and joy of skiing.

While enjoying the fun of skiing, skiers should minimize the risk of injury through the above protective measures. Remember, skiing is fun, but safety always comes first!

Planning｜Ding Zong

Editor-in-charge｜Liu Yantong (internship)

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