Last month, we cheered on American Olympians in Sochi, watching as they dazzled us on the slopes, halfpipe, and skating rinks.
As a proud Colorado Springs, Colorado business, we’re thrilled to have the U.S. Olympic Training Center in our own backyard.
One of the most exciting parts of the Olympics for many Coloradans has been the skiing: downhill, slopestyle, moguls, and cross-country. We saw the men’s slopestyle team sweep the podium, Julia Mancuso grab a bronze in the super-combined, and Hannah Kearney win bronze in moguls.
With the 2014 Winter Olympics now passed, many are likely going to hit the slopes to begin chasing their 2018 Olympic dream.
At Sears & Associates, P.C., we help many clients who have been injured in skiing accidents. To help keep you safe, we recently found a list of the most common skiing injuries, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports:
- Skier’s thumb: This is the most common upper extremity injury. It is a UCL injury that occurs to the stabilizing ligaments on the sides of the joints. It typically occurs when a skier falls and does not release the ski pole from his or her and, putting stress on the thumb. If you experience pain in your thumb after a ski accident, you may need to seek the help of a hand surgeon to determine whether your injury will require surgery.
- Knee injury: 40 percent of all ski injuries are knee-related. Twisting the knee can lead to an MCL sprain or torn ligament, the most cost common of all knee injuries. The best way to prevent knee injuries is by strengthening your quads through a workout routine. Correct binding maintenance and settings are also important in preventing knee injuries, so be careful when renting ski equipment.
- Head injury: Skiing head injuries account for 40 fatalities on the slopes per year. As helmet use has increased, this number has dropped slightly, but 60 percent of skiers still don’t where head protection.
In many circumstances, a skiing accident is not caused by any fault of your own. Other skiers present a danger, especially if they are acting in a negligent or careless matter. Ski resorts and parks may also not properly maintain slopes, lift chairs, rental equipment, etc., also putting you at risk for an injury.
From the personal injury attorneys at Sears & Associates, P.C. we would like to congratulate all the Olympians for their stunning achievements.
As you and your family hit the slopes in training for 2018, be sure to stay safe and take all necessary precautions to avoid injury. If you have questions about ski accident injuries, or have suffered an injury due to the negligent or careless actions of another, contact an experienced Colorado Springs personal injury attorney today.
