by Jeremy Hier

Snowboarding is one of the most popular snow sports and like any other physical  activity, it is susceptible to injury. However if the right precautions are  taken and the correct protective gear is worn, the body can be protected from  any severe injury. Here are a few snowboarding safety tips dealing with common  injuries, how to treat those injuries and what can be done to prevent them.  them. them.

Common Snowboarding Injuries

Snowboarding  injuries occur mostly in the upper extremities of the body and the ankle,  the most common being sprains followed by fractures and contusions. Upper body  injuries are common as snowboarders usually fall forwards or backwards. With a  forward fall, snowboarders will protect themselves by stretching their arms  outwards to stop themselves from falling. This leads to sprained wrists, wrist  fractures, elbow, shoulder and head injuries. If a snowboarder falls backwards  mild head as well as coccygeal [tailbone] injuries can occur such as bruising to  the tailbone. When they fall snowboarders are advised to try and keep their arms  tucked in and to roll with the fall therefore distributing the impact of the  fall over a larger portion of their body. It is better to rather have body  bruises than a fractured wrist! 

Lower body injuries are rare and occur mostly in the ankle and  knee area.  This is due to the feet being strapped into the board and both feet pointing in  the same direction, which localizes knee movement and prevents twisting.  However, as the level of snowboarding expertise increases so does the risk of  knee injury due to the frequency of aerial maneuvers and the use of hard boots.  Aerial maneuvers also present more abdominal, chest, spine and head injuries.  Ankle injuries are very common such as sprained and fractured ankles, also known  as snowboarder's ankle. Contusions are common on the head, face, chest, abdomen  and pelvis, lacerations on the head and face and dislocations in the upper  extremities. Severe head and spinal injuries have occurred when snowboarders  have lost control of their board at high speed.

It is important to note  that a fracture of the lateral process of the talus (LPT) can masquerade as an  ankle sprain and is frequently undetected on plain x - rays. Misdiagnosis of  this fracture may lead to severe degeneration of the joint, disability and  pain.

How to Tell if Your Injury is Serious

There are  various symptoms that suggest what type of injury you have and what should be  done to heal it. Swelling is a definite sign of an injury and shouldn't be  ignored. It usually occurs around a joint and causes pain and reduced range of  motion. Tenderness will be found if you press the injured body part with your  finger. Weakness in the injured area can occur as well as numbing and tingling,  which are often related to nerve compression and should never be ignored as they  may be signaling a serious injury.

How to Treat Any Sprain

If you have sprained your wrist, ankle or knee RICE (Rest,  Ice, Compression, Elevation, Exercise) is the safest and easiest way for anyone  to heal an injury. It is important to follow these steps, as swelling can cause  pain and loss of motion which will limit the use of the muscle, resulting in the  weakening, shortening and delayed healing of the injured limb. After following  RICE it is advisable to visit a physician for a proper diagnosis of the  injury.

Rest

You should rest the sprained limb for 24 - 48  hours post injury.

Ice

Ice should be used to reduce  swelling and pain, and should not be applied for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a  time. If you do not have ice on hand, you can use anything frozen such as a bag  of frozen peas. Never apply heat to an injury as this will increase  swelling!

Compression

There are various options for  compression:

• Elasticated tubular bandage (Tubigrip) which can be strapped either single or  doubled over. This should not be worn too tight as it may lead to thrombosis.

• Crepe bandage

• Elastoplast strapping

Elevation

Elevate the sprained limb horizontally  to decrease swelling and discomfort.

Exercise

As soon as  symptoms allow gently exercise the injured limb.

Prevention and  Protection

Snowboarding injuries can be prevented by following a  number of safety precautions. A fitness program is essential to train the body  for the maneuverability needed for snowboarding. Taking a few snowboarding  lessons and having a good instructor helps to minimize the number of injuries  that occur, teaches you how to snowboard effectively and what gear must be worn  for your safety. The most important of injury prevention is wearing the right  protective equipment. There are different types of gear that are specifically  designed to protect certain areas of the  body.

Helmets

Helmets are very important in preventing head  injury as it is common for snowboarders to fall and injure their heads. There  are different types of helmets from lightweight to heavyweight, with venting or  no venting, with or without ear flaps, as well as different styles. It is  important to choose a helmet that fits you snuggly, is comfortable and not too  heavy.

Boots

There are three kinds of snowboarding boots  that differ in the support they give to the ankle and foot. Soft boots are used  by most snowboarders and offer sufficient stability and flexibility. Hard boots  are usually worn by racers and provide ample ankle support. Hybrid boots have  the support of hard boots with the comfort and maneuverability of soft boots. It  is important to choose the right footwear for the particular snowboarding  activity that you will undertake, i.e. beginner, racer, etc. as each of these  boots place the body under different injury risks. Soft boots present twice the  risk of ankle injury compared to hard boots due to their moderate ankle support,  however hard boots present twice the risk of knee injury than soft boots because  they offer less movement. Hiking boots must never be used as they can lead to  serious injury. It is important to note that boots and bindings must be bought  together as the choice of boots depends on what type of bindings you want to use  such as step in bindings or strap bindings.

Wrist and Elbow  guards

Wrist guards help support the wrist and are available in  different styles for over and inside the glove as well as integrated into the  glove. Wrist guards used for inline skating and skateboarding can also be used  for snowboarding. Elbow guards help to protect the elbows from bruising and  fractures.

Knee and tailbone pads

Knee pads help to protect  the knees from bruising, and should be worn if you have weak knee caps. Tailbone  pads help to protect the tailbone and should be worn with beginners, as they  frequently fall backwards.

Padded jackets and pants

Padded  jackets and pants help to prevent other parts of the body from  bruising.

Goggles

Goggles help to keep the snow and wind  out of your eyes. They also protect the eyes from the harmful rays of the sun  which are also reflected by the snow. If you are wearing a helmet and goggles  make sure that the goggles fit comfortably with the helmet.

Follow these  snowboard safety tips and you will have the ultimate pain free snowboarding  experience!
 
Find out more about snowboard safety, and read  about snowboard equipment that will keep you safe and having fun by going to  http://www.snowboard-guide.com/