Common winter sports injuries

Hurtling down the slopes and jumping up from rock-hard ice doesn’t have to spell injury, but unsurprisingly, it can. Here R Collins & Co look at some of the common injuries that can affect those of all abilities and interests.

Knee injuries
According to sports-health.com 70% of ACL injuries are sustained not through contact, but actions that involve sudden movements, such as deceleration, pivoting and landing hard on one leg. A wobbly landing in the rink or a wayward ski is enough to cause such an injury, and re-tears of the ACL, which is on the outside of your knee, is 15% higher following the initial damage.

Shoulder dislocation and wrist fractures
A dislocated shoulder can be down to a number of factors, one of which is a single traumatic event.

Trying to break a fall with an outstretched arm can create a force strong enough to cause a dislocated shouter, also known as a rotator cuff injury, as well as a broken wrist.

Concussion
Speed is a presiding factor in ski and snow-boarding related head injuries, such as concussion. This mild type of traumatic brain injury (mTBI) affects the normal function of the brain, causing fatigue, blurred vision, irritability and a difficulty focusing.

A ski-lift accident is one cause, while over-confidence, loss of control and badly located runs can lead to collisions with trees, rocks, or other objects such as a car on the way down. On the rink, an ice-hockey player may have a bad run-in with another player.

Sprains and fractures
Some sports have their own exclusive set of injuries due to the unique stressors they place on the participants. “Snowboarder’s ankle” describes a fracture to the outer ankle caused by a sprain sustained at a bad moment, such as during a high-force landing. Then there’s skier’s thumb, where the ski pole “levers” the base of the thumb during a fall, causing it to overextend and damage the ligament.

Are you covered?
If you’re planning a ski or snowboard break, or even if you just fancy a go on a sledge, make sure you’re covered for these activities on your travel insurance to avoid having to pay medical bills yourself.

Contact R Collins & Co on 01977 558391 for more information on your medical cover options to find the right policy for you.