Popular alpine skiing has a high risk of injury

Most people look forward to spending the winter months indoors where they can look forward to warm and dry conditions. Some other people prefer to use the opportunity to take to the slopes for skiing. While alpine skiing continues to grow in popularity around the world, so do the associated injuries. 

Becoming aware of these injuries and what causes them presents a good first step to preventing them. The prevalence is also important. 

Ski injury findings in America 

According to a study published by the U.S. National Institute of Health, almost 7 million active skiers took to the mountains from 2016 to 2017. In the specific study, researchers looked at data from 1985 to 2018 and arrived at the following conclusions: 

• A grand total of 64,667 injuries took place during the period studied. 
• The lower extremities suffered more injuries than other body parts and accounted for up to 77% of injuries tied to alpine skiing. 
• Some injuries remained more common among women than men, such as ACL sprains and knee injuries. 
• Men experienced a greater risk of injury than women. 
• Most injuries occurred amount young people, with a mean age of 24 to 35.5. 

Other common winter accident risks 

People who ski naturally spend more time outdoors during one of the most dangerous times of the year. Subsequently, even when not skiing, they face higher risks of several other winter accidents. Mayo Clinic identifies the following as the orthopedic injuries that occur most frequently in the wintertime: 

• Wrist fracture 
• Torn meniscus 
• Torn ACL 

When it comes to accident prevention, recommendations range from giving up substances to eating a healthier diet. Unfortunately, sometimes, accidents happen that are completely out of the skier’s control and might result from the negligence of others.