Are you going to try snowboarding? As a novice you’re probably going to spend a lot of time on the ground, more commonly landing on your hands, shoulders, bottom or head. Ouch!
The wrist is the most commonly injured part for a snowboarder especially beginners. In snowboarding you’re fixed to the board and when falling (as you most definitely will) you naturally put your hands out in front or behind to stop the impact of your fall. Therefore wrist fractures, sprains or dislocations are quite common. Injuries around the shoulder such as rotator cuff injuries, collarbone fractures or dislocations as well as head and neck injuries such as concussion are also common injuries. You’ll also need to be very careful of your bottom, your tailbone, especially when you fall backwards. Knee injuries are more common in skiers; but are not unheard of in snowboarders.
So how can you avoid such injuries? Prepare, protect and respond!
Prepare
You can prepare for your snowboarding holiday by getting fit. Having good cardiovascular ability will most definitely help you on the slopes by reducing your fatigue and allowing you to concentrate more. Having increased flexibility and good upper body strength will also reduce the likelihood of sustaining injuries when you fall.
Good core strength, balance and strong legs will most definitely allow you to get more out of your snowboarding experience, as you can go on for longer and develop your technique. Exercises such as squats, lunges and burpees (squat thrusts) will definitely help you in the mountains. Working on balance boards, such as bosu balls, Swiss balls and boards especially designed to replicate the snowboard will also help.
Protect
Protection for wrists, elbows, knees and your tailbone should be worn, as this will lessen the impact when you fall. Ensure that your equipment fits correctly, especially your boots, as the last thing you’ll need is additional aches and pains.
Respond
If you do have one too many falls, follow the acronym RICE to help you recover:
Rest – Avoid weight bearing.
Ice – Apply ice packs to your injury for short time periods
Compression – Use an elastic bandage to compress your injury.
Elevation – Keep your injury elevated
It’s always best to have injuries checked out earlier too. If you are abroad go and see a registered physiotherapist or if home, contact us and we can assess your injury and help you recover quickly.
Most importantly though, enjoy your time on the slopes! When you return you may want to work specifically on certain strengthening exercises such as core body strength. Our qualified Pilates physiotherapists will be able to tailor make a programme for you.
Contact us today on 0207 884 0374 or email info@physiocomestoyou.com to book your first appointment.