Avoiding Snowboarding Injuries with Dr. Catherine Logan

New to snowboarding?

Dr. Catherine Logan has some easy tips to help novice snowboarders avoid sustaining injuries this winter.

But first, some background...Injuries to snowboarders vary by skill level. Beginners and recreational riders see more upper-extremity injuries because they use their hands to arrest falls. Elite snowboard competitors, by contrast, more often suffer lower-extremity injuries from executing twists, turns, jumps and flips either in the park or the half-pipe.

While the majority of ACL injuries Dr. Logan sees each winter are sustained by skiers, the more elite snowboarders are at risk, too.

What injuries occur in the upper extremities?

Among novice snowboarders, wrist sprains, wrist fractures, and run of the mill bruises account for the majority of injuries. Beginners (first 5 days on a board) and board renters are more prone to injury than those more seasoned, particularly if they have made the leap to buy their own board.

As you discuss safety with your snowboarding clients, be sure to encourage preventive measures like using wrist guards and a helmet, which are known to be effective (Rønning et al. 2001; Wijdiks et al. 2014 ). Also, advise novice riders on proper falling techniques, such as using the forearms to break a fall and keeping the hands in a fist position.

More skilled riders are landing from higher-amplitude jumps, riding much faster, and hitting the terrian harder when they land. This study found that snowboarders are more likely to sustain fractures or concussions in a terrain park than on a ski slope (Brooks, Evans & Rivara 2010).

Be safe out there!

Author

Dr. Catherine Logan, MD, MBA Catherine Logan, MD, MBA, MSPT, is a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon specializing in complex knee and shoulder surgery at Colorado Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics (COSMO) in Denver, Colorado. As a former physical therapist & trainer, Dr. Logan provides a distinct expertise in sports injury, prevention, and surgical management.