For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:Todd Schuetz847-384-4032, [email protected]
Joanne Swanson847-384-4035, [email protected]
A.J. Wright847-384-4034, [email protected]
Academy offers winter sports safety tips for children
ROSEMONT, Ill. Millions of children will be participating in their favorite outdoor sports this winter in their backyard, at the park, on the ice, or local ski hill. Winter sports cause many injuries that could be prevented by following simple safety precautions, including selection of proper equipment and participation in aerobic conditioning and training. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) offers guidelines and safety tips for preventing winter sports' injuries.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in the year 2000, thousands of injuries were treated in hospitals, doctors' offices, ambulatory surgery centers, clinics and costs billions of dollars in medical bills and lost income.
Snow skiing once again leads the list of winter sports with the most injuries at 88,903. Other winter sports on the list are skating (including ice skating) with 81,958; hockey (including ice hockey) with 73,636; snowboarding with 67,979; sledding with 38,546; snowmobiling with 17,696 and snow tubing with 4,744.
"In the case of skiing, equipment that is either outdated or out of adjustment according to the skier's ability, size, age and weight can cause people to be injured," said David D. Aronsson, MD, department of orthopaedics and rehabilitation at the University of Vermont.
Certified ski instructors and skishop technicians can help determine the skis, boots, poles and helmets that are appropriate for skiers. "For children who are learning to ski, it is important to educate parents on how to provide them with modern equipment and to verify that binding settings and function are appropriate for the child using it," said Dr. Aronsson.
Sledding may cause head injuries in young children, while older children and adults have more extremity injuries. Other injuries can include contusions, abrasions and abdominal injuries.
"Children can lose control of their sleds and hit a tree or another object, or even another child," said Dr. Aronsson. "Injures also occur after a child's body suddenly impacts the snow after they fall off the sled."
Dr. Aronsson advises sledding in designated areas that are free from trees and other immobile objects. He recommends not sledding on ice or where ice has formed on surfaces, due to snow melting and refreezing. Children should wear helmets. Parental supervision is suggested.
Snowboarders sustain fewer lower extremity injuries than skiers, but have more upper extremity injuries. "The most common injury pattern occurs when the snowboarder is jumping on flat ground," said Dr. Aronsson. "The snowboarder often sits back while in the air, causing the board to shoot forward on landing, resulting in a direct blow to the wrist of the arm that is behind them when they try to cushion their fall. These injuries may be reduced if jumpers wear wrist guards like the ones currently recommended for rollerblading. Boots with proper support and helmets are also recommended."
Before participating in any winter sport, people should remember to dress in layers (cotton closer to the skin) to stay warm and dry. They should use sunscreen and protective eyewear, and be aware of the dangers of altitude illness, which affects up to 30 percent of people who participate in sports in mountain areas. Symptoms of altitude illness are an increased heart rate and deeper, faster breathing. Precautions include drinking lots of water and eating more carbohydrates; limiting caffeine, alcohol and salt; and letting the body get accustomed to higher altitudes for a few days before the activity.
First and foremost, before people try physically demanding sports they should make sure that they are in good condition. This can be achieved through an aerobic strength training and flexibility exercise program. The program should be started approximately six to eight weeks prior to participation.
For more information about the Prevent Injuries America! campaign and preventing winter sports' injuries, visit the Academy's web site at www.aaos.org.
An orthopaedic surgeon is a medical doctor with extensive training in the diagnosis and nonsurgical as well as surgical treatment of the musculoskeletal system including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves.
The 25,500 member American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (www.aaos.org) or (http://orthoinfo.aaos.org), is a not-for-profit organization that provides education programs for orthopaedic surgeons, allied health professionals and the public.
An advocate for improved patient care, the Academy is participating in the Bone and Joint Decade (www.boneandjointdecade.org), the global initiative in the years 2000-2010 to raise awareness of musculoskeletal health, stimulate research and improve people's quality of life.
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