Safety And Risk of Snowboarding
Snowboarding is probably one of the most dangerous sports out there. However, with that being said, it does not mean people should not give snowboarding a try at least once in their life time. There are risk involved with the sport, but do not let that take you away from the greatness of the sport. Snowboarding is a fantastic sport and can be completely safe if precautions are taken. I have made a list of certain precautions that can easily be taken as long as people are willing to follow them.
- Pro-Tech. "Helmet." Pro-Tech. Pro-Tech, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2013.
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1. You should always be wearing a helmet. There are should be absolutely no good reasons why you should not be wearing a helmet. A helmet has saved my life numerous times from simple things like falling down and hitting my head on the ice. I've actually had a snowboarding accident where another boarder cut me off while I was riding though trees causing me to collide with a tree. Lucky enough, I only sustained a mild concussion and was able to board the next day. However, my helmet was cracked in half, literally into two different parts, and I was more than glad that my helmet saved me from being a potential organ donor. So if you want to ignore everything on this website, that is fine by me, but at least take this one piece of advice; always wear a helmet while riding.
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- Burton. "Impact Wrist Guard." Burton. Burton Snowboards, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2013.
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2. Wrist Guards. There have been many reports that people ended breaking their wrist or hand from trying brace their fall. Although I have never broke my wrist from trying to brace my fall while snowboarding, I have seen a couple of my friends do it and it cuts their snowboard season short. According to National Center of Biotechnology Information, "the use of a wrist protector, particularly for novices participating in this sport. As in other domains of medicine, preventive measures can decrease morbidity also in terms of sport injuries." (NCBI). However, with that being said, I also found this report where wrist guards do reduce wrist and hand injuries, but they increase the likely hood of arm and shoulder injury (AJE). So I have no stance on this at all. I personally do not wear any kind of wrist guard and I have never felt the need to. Instead you should learn how to fall.
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- Dainese. "D-Impact Gloves." Dainese. Dainese S.p.A., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2013.
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3. Learn how to fall correctly.That is right. You read correctly. If you learn a certain way to fall, then you might not be in need of wrist guards. So how do you learn how to fall correctly? Well the best way to fall correctly is to literally position your hands on your chest or out forward where your upper body will take the impact. I advise you to keep your arms in "L" position in order to brace your fall. NEVER stick your arms out straight and use your hands to brace your fall. That is the number 1 way people end up breaking their wrist or hand. Here are some prefect images of someone falling correctly without using their hands to brace their fall from Ski Injury.
- Langran, Mike. "Wrist Injuries In Snowboarding." Ski-Injury. Ski-Injury, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2013.
4. Stay in control. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen people sustain injuries from people who are just going way too fast for them to control themselves. They are going at too high of a speed and end up crashing into someone or something because they are unable to stop. Even when many resorts will ban you, meaning they kick you off the mountain for the day, for going too fast, yet people will still do it. And there will be times when you are going at a perfectly fine speed but someone who is going too fast will run into you. So my advice to you, if you are that person, is to stay to one side of the slope whether it is either the left, middle, or right hand side. I do this just so if anyone is dumb enough to be going way too fast, they can stay one side without them crashing into you. The general rule of thumb is that if you feel you are going too fast, then you are going too fast. If you cannot stop within about 5 yards in front of you, you are going too fast. Snowboarding speed laws do exist and many resorts will enforce them, so stop trying to be the first one down the mountain because no one honestly cares.
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- Wikimedia. "Speed Limit Sign." Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
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- Mrowietz, Ralph. "Be Smart." Minimal Desktop Wallpapers. Minimal Wall, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
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5. Be smart. You would be surprised of how many people who just don't use common sense on the mountain. If there are a lot of people in on a trail, slow down and share the trail. Do not try to cut people off. The general, unwritten rule is that if people are in front of you on the slope, they have the right away. If they look like they are going that way, they are probably going that way. Either go in a different direction or slow down and let them pass. Again, people are there to have a good time. Don't be the person who ruins that. Think. It is as simple as that.
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