Winter Sports Injuries

Did you know that last year, more than 220,000 people were reportedly treated for winter sports-related injuries in either doctor’s offices or hospitals? This includes 69,000 injuries from skiing, 54,000 injuries from snowboarding, 52,000 injuries from ice skating, and 5,000 injuries from sledding and tobogganing.

Common Injuries

The most common injuries associated with winter sports are sprains, dislocations, and fractures. Many of these injuries occur towards the end of the day when individuals have overworked their bodies. In fact, the majority of injuries happen when individuals are determined to get their “last run” or “final lap” before wrapping the day up.

Tips to Avoiding Injury

There are many preventative measures one can take to help avoid many of the injuries associated with winter sports. These include:

Stretching or warming up before participating
Not participating alone
Keeping in shape or conditioning muscles before the season begins
Wearing the correct protective gear
Knowing when to stop especially when tired or exhausted

Winter injuries can be tough to deal with especially given the frigid temperatures and dry climate. Many people forget common precautions they may take in regular sports before participating such as stretching and warming up. It is important to remember that these simple measures can prevent making your winter trip a disaster. However, if you or a loved one have been injured make sure you look into the benefits physical therapy can provide. United Rehab Physical Therapy has been the leader in treating winter sports-related injuries for quite some time and will make sure you get the necessary to overcome your injury. Call today to book an appointment!