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Most Common Winter Sports Injuries

The winter is a great time to engage in athletic activities. This is especially true in the Western Slope of Colorado, where the mountains give us access to a wide range of winter sports to enjoy. Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, sledding, hockey, snowmobiling and ice climbing are all popular activities in the White River Valley, and provide a great way to stay active in the cold weather. While these sports can be exhilarating, they are also dangerous.

If you’re a winter sports enthusiast, it’s important to understand the risks, including the most common types of winter sports injuries, so that you can engage in these activities safely.

Concussion

Concussions are a common winter sports injury. Head injuries can easily occur during a fall on the ski slopes or skating rink, from a snowmobile accident, or after a vicious hit in hockey. If you suffer a blow to the head during your favorite winter activities, be on the lookout for the following signs of a concussion:

While wearing a helmet will significantly reduce your risk of a severe head injuries such as skull fractures, it won’t eliminate the risk entirely, and it will not reduce your risk for concussion. In addition, it’s common for concussion symptoms to take several days or even weeks to manifest. For this reason, it’s crucial that you seek medical attention immediately after suffering a blow to the head.

Knee Injuries

While knee injuries are most common in skiing and snowboarding, they can occur when participating in just about any winter sport. Figure skaters and hockey players are also highly susceptible to these injuries.

Knee injuries most often occur during a fall, particularly when the knee becomes twisted in an awkward motion during the fall. Some of the most common winter sports knee injuries include:

Limb Injuries

Your limbs are highly susceptible to injury during winter sports. Falls on the ski slopes or the skating rink can lead to trauma which causes limb injuries. Snowmobile and sledding accidents provide ample opportunity for limb injuries as well. Common winter sports limb injuries include:

Spinal Injuries

While less common than some of the other winter sports injuries listed above, back injuries can occur during cold weather activities. Any sport that results in high-velocity falls or collisions can cause a spinal injury. These may include sprained ligaments or muscles, as well as disc and vertebrae injuries.

Tips for Reducing Your Risk of Winter Sports Injuries

While there’s always a risk of injury whenever you participate in athletic activities, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood that you’ll suffer an injury:

Colorado Advanced Orthopedics Can Help after a Sports Injury

While the team at Colorado Advanced Orthopedics hopes you stay safe all winter long, we understand that injuries are part of winter sports. If you suffer an injury, we’re here to help you get back to performing your favorite activities without limits as soon as possible.

Our team of orthopedists and sports medicine specialists are raising the bar for healthcare along the Western Slope. You’ll benefit from working with some of the most highly trained and experienced doctors in the region. Our orthopedic surgeons are all board certified and have the ability to treat a wide range of sports injuries.

We invest in the best technology available to deliver the accurate diagnoses and high-quality treatments you deserve. Our doctors will always recommend the ideal treatment plan to help you fully recover from your injury so that you can live life to its fullest once again.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Colorado Advanced Orthopedics serves patients in Meeker and throughout the White River Valley.

 

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