Skiing is a popular winter sport, with Switzerland being the home of the Alps, which is where most of the skiing takes place. With the resorts getting bigger and bigger, and the snow making machines pumping out perfect powder, it’s no wonder that so many people are passionate about skiing.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, with skiing being a dangerous sport. In fact, it’s one of the most dangerous winter sports, with an estimated 2 million injuries per year. The vast majority of these are related to skiing accidents, but also includes injuries from other winter sports like skating and sledging. With the majority of these injuries being due to accidents, it’s no wonder that ski mortality is so high. It would be a shame if you had to end up in the hospital due to an injury you got while having fun on the slopes.
While most of these injuries are quite minor, there are also some that are quite serious. For example, fractured skulls and internal bleeding are among the more serious injuries. These injuries often lead to longer hospital stays and more medical bills. To avoid these injuries, it’s important to be aware of the risks associated with skiing, and take the necessary precautions.
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The Stats
The most recent data available on ski mortality comes from the World Health Organization. This data shows that per 100,000 inhabitants, there were 133.1 deaths reported in 2011, which makes it the 8th most dangerous winter sport after diving, motorcycle riding, tennis, soccer, floorball, and rugby. A total of 2,025 deaths were registered in 2011.
Looking at the data for the last decade, we can see that deaths from skiing have steadily risen since 2007, with a peak in 2011, and a slight decrease in 2015. Averaging over these last 10 years, there were 133.1 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a significant increase from the previous decade.
While these numbers are unsettling, they should not come as a great surprise. After all, skiing is one of the most dangerous winter sports. What is perhaps more surprising is that the majority of these fatalities (77.6%) happened in Europe, with the vast majority of these deaths in Switzerland (12.2%). Looking at the age distribution, the largest proportion of fatalities (41.6%) happened to people aged between 45 and 64, while 15.3% of these fatalities happened to people aged between 15 and 24. These figures highlight the fact that a lot of people are having fun and engaging in risky behavior during Christmas and Easter breaks. However, not all of these fatalities are avoidable. Some are completely unavoidable due to natural causes, such as falling trees, or avalanches, while some are due to human error, like skiers who go through terrain that they are not used to yet, or drink too much alcohol before taking a ski hike.
To prevent these deaths, it’s important to be aware of the risks, and take the necessary precautions. One of the most important things that you can do is to check whether the ski resort you are going to visit is properly equipped to deal with the type of injury you could incur (e.g. fractured skull, internal bleeding). In some cases, these injuries can be life-threatening, and you wouldn’t want to risk your life because the resort you are visiting is not equipped to deal with this type of accident.
Risks Associated With Skiing
One of the dangers associated with skiing is getting hit by a snowflake. While it might seem like an unlikely occurrence, since you are wearing a ski mask and have the hood of your jacket up, it happens more than you’d think. This is why it’s important to be aware of the risks associated with skiing and take the necessary precautions.
The second significant danger is falling trees. Not so long ago, trees were the biggest threat to skiers – not the snowflake. Back in the day, skiers used to wear helmets with horns on them, looking like a frisky ram, and shields on their chest, to protect themselves from falling trees. These days, tree-related injuries make up about 10% of all ski injuries, making them the second most common cause of injury after skiing-related accidents.
Another dangerous habit that you need to break is the habit of skiing without a spotter. A spotter is a person who is skiing with you, and who can warn you of any risks that you might encounter, and help you if you get hurt. It’s important to always have a spotter, even if it’s just one person, in case something goes wrong. Having a spotter means that you will have someone to help you, and ensure that you aren’t going too fast, and that you aren’t exceeding your capabilities. This also means that if you do get hurt, you will have someone to help and make sure that you are okay.
The most frequent cause of injury for recreational skiers is falls. If you are skiing without a helmet, you are putting yourself at a higher risk of injury. If you are skiing off-piste, which is where you go when you aren’t actually skiing on a marked trail, you can end up in pretty bad situations if you aren’t careful. One of the most common causes of injury involving a fall is a fractured skull. Other common causes of skull fractures include skiing accidents where the head is violently turned, or hit with an object like a rock.
If you do end up with a skull fracture, it can be very dangerous. These injuries need to be treated by a specialist surgeon, and often require multiple surgeries. The fact that they are so dangerous is what makes them so worthwhile to treat. It is also important not to engage in any strenuous activity while your skull is healing, so it gets the best possible time to do its job. Falls are also one of the leading causes of injury involving internal bleeding. This type of injury often occurs when a skier falls on a ski pole, which jostles the internal organs, causing them to bleed. It is important to note that the majority of these internal bleedings are usually caused by trauma to the abdomen, and not the chest. While in some cases it can be quite serious, usually this type of injury does not require medical attention. However, it can be a good idea to sit down for a few minutes after a hard day of skiing, to ensure that the blood vessels throughout your body are not constricted by the cold weather. Even though this may seem like a no-brainer, people still get injured, and sometimes quite seriously, due to lack of knowledge and experience in using the equipment and the environment safely. This is why it is so important to seek help from qualified and experienced instructors, who can help you get the most out of your ski experience, and ensure your safety at all times.
Equipment And Accessories
While the above mentioned injuries are due to accidents that could happen while skiing, one of the major causes of injuries is actually due to faulty equipment and accessories. This includes ski boots, ski gloves, ski goggles, and even ski poles. These are all essential accessories that you need for skiing, and it’s easy enough to see why – without them, you cannot ski. But it’s not just about looks, there are several aspects that you need to focus on. For example, without proper fitting ski boots, you won’t be able to feel the surface underneath you, which could lead to injuries due to falls.
Similarly, if your goggles are the wrong shape or size for your lenses, you can end up straining your eyes, or even suffer from headaches or dizziness. Not all goggles are created equal, and you need to be sure that they fit comfortably, and provide you with a good, solid fit. When it comes to your ski gloves, it is essential that they fit securely and are of a large enough size to cover your knuckles. If they are too small, they could slip off, causing you to drop tools or other objects, or injure yourself due to poor handling when carrying heavy loads.
Finally, the last but not the least, is the importance of having a ski buddy. This person will be with you during the whole ski experience, and can help you in case you get lost, or stuck in an inconvenient place, or even if you just want to take a break and catch your breath. Having a buddy means that you will have someone to help you if you get hurt or in trouble, and it’s also good to have someone with you who knows the terrain, and can warn you of any risks that you might encounter. It is also quite motivating to have someone walking with you, who is more experienced than you are, and who can share some of that experience with you. In some places, like European ski resorts, it is completely normal for everybody to be carrying their ski equipment, so it won’t be difficult to find someone who shares your passion for the snows.