Wrist Guards a Must When Boarding

I fell in love with skiing back in high school during Tuesday night "electives" at the local ski hills. That love remains today. As the years pass, however, many friends and relatives are taking to the slopes on snowboards. In North America, the frequency of snowboarding accounts for as much as 36% of people on the hill. From a professional as well as personal standpoint, I wanted to find what current patterns of injuries exist for this exploding sport.

Several studies have examined whether injury rates are different between skiing and snowboarding, and results have been contradictory. It is clear, however, that the pattern of injuries is different.
One major study looked at skiing and snowboarding-related injuries treated in U.S emergency departments in 2002. An estimated 77, 300 individuals were seen that year.

They found that:

• wrist and arm injuries were most common amongst boarders
• knee injuries amongst skiers were the most common injuries
• Adolescents were at the highest risk for snowboarder injuries while skiing injuries were found in an older population

"Snowboarding Swedes" were studied over a 10 year period. Their findings were typical in that beginner snowboarders fell significantly more often than more advanced riders. As skill level increased, the pattern of injuries changed. Advanced riders tend to have more head/neck injuries than beginners. The single most frequent diagnosis was wrist/lower arm fracture.
Such breaks have been shown to typically result from backward low-velocity falls on hard or icy snow onto extended (back) wrists. Wrist guards have been shown to prevent acute injuries that often require surgery or lead to prolonged disability.

A survey in Japan of 2742 injured snowboarders revealed that 93% did not have initial instruction from a professional instructor.

What should be encouraged of our family and friends who take to the slopes to reduce their injury rates?

1. Snowboarders should wear wrist guards, especially among beginners.
2. Take lessons! Professional lessons will decrease fall rates among skiers and snowboarders, teach safe limits based on skill levels, and students will learn how to fall less dangerously.
3. Wear helmets, both skiers and boarders alike.
4. Older skiers need to maintain optimal flexibility, leg and trunk muscle strength and balance.

Despite pleading, warnings of impending doom and gloom and stories of frightful injuries past, should I admit that my wife and brother in law have taken turns in the past two winters breaking their wrists snowboarding? Through education and understanding they both wear wrist guards today!

Kerry Griffin
B.Sc.(PT) MCPA
Cert. AFCI
Cert. Sports Physiotherapy
Registered Physiotherapist