Scary statistics...

bonkey

Rega - the guys who do helicopter rescue and transport in Switzerland - are running an ad campaign at the moment to raise awareness of the risks on the slopes.

The stats are somewhat sobering: 1000 accidents....per day.

That's just for Switzerland, just for Winter Sports and only includes accidents where medical assistance was involved.

Sobering.

edmund_f

awaiting the arrival of my Flexmeters...

Don1

Ulp, although on my four days last year, in one resort, on one slope:

every day, at least two or three skidoos tearing to the nearest lift with somebody wrapped up on a stretcher.

two friends who (while locked) wandered waaaay off piste and had to get rescued. (after dark, €500+ each thanks very much) Suffering from dehydration despite eating snow etc to avoid it.

Static M.e.

Yeah you never really think about the dangers involved, I always found it very sobering when I found the little graveyards or tombstones from people on the slopes.

bonkey

Don1 wrote: »

Suffering from dehydration despite eating snow etc to avoid it.

Off topic, I know, but from what I've read...eating snow accelerates dehydration rather than fighting it off. Your body will use so much energy (and consequently liquid) in melting the snow that its a lose-lose tradeoff.

robinph

But how many total people on the slopes is that 1000 out of?

Although I became one of the statistics this year, skiing/ boarding have to actually be one of the safest "extreme" sports there is for you to do. Although when it does go wrong you can end up in a bad way, not helped by you being half way up a mountian at the time.

Neilthefunkee1

Ugh depressng subject.i fear the accident that will ruin my holiday.. poor guy in our goup last year, just off the lift.. on his first run on his first day..hit a patch of ice. dislocated shoulder!!! nasty! A bit o experience will avod most accidents but unfortunately here will be that one person thiking they are god and will plow their way through you and wreck you!!! :mad:

EileenG

Don't know if it's true, but a friend who works in insurance told me there were twice as many claims made for accidents that happened just walking to and from the ski lifts as on the slope. Those ski boots, icy surfaces and hauling skis were more dangerous than the average black run.

Imposter

If you stay on piste and ski based on the conditions (like driving I guess) it's not that dangerous. It's when you do something stupid that you get hurt. Then again a lot of times that something stupid is great fun

In related news: The government here in Austria are now trying to make it compulsory for everyone under 14 to wear a helmet on the slopes.

Don1

Regarding the helmets; good idea enforcing that for the younguns.

I however think I will go the voluntary route and wear one anyway. I am feeling a little bit more Olympic this time round..........:rolleyes:

Necronomicon

I remember coming down a slope and passing a guy being stretchered onto a snow-mobile, I think his arm was broken. Went pretty damn slow down the rest of the slope.

EileenG

So far, I've cracked my skull and broken my collar bone riding horses.

I've got scars from falling off bikes.

I've dislocated bones in my foot doing taekwondo,

I've injured my back squatting on a Smith Machine.

I wrenched my knee really badly stepping into a swimming pool

and I tore ligaments in my knee skiing.

So why is skiing considered the dangerous one?

5starpool

EileenG wrote: »

Don't know if it's true, but a friend who works in insurance told me there were twice as many claims made for accidents that happened just walking to and from the ski lifts as on the slope. Those ski boots, icy surfaces and hauling skis were more dangerous than the average black run.

Wouldn't surprise me, I've come close to slipping in those clunky boots quite often, especially hungover.

Jonnykitedude

Would be interesting to know if all of the above were boarding or skiing

Neilthefunkee1

well i think the board boots will cut out any falls between your hotel and the lift.. for they are rubber soles and just like a massive pair of runners!!!

Livigno this year it is compulsory to wear a helmet in their snowpark regardless of age.. i wear the helmet anyway..

CHeck this..
RCR Press Release
Resorts of the Canadian Rockies focuses on terrain park safety with an industry-leading initiative.
Calgary, AB – November 8, 2007 - Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc. (RCR) is recognized as an industry leader in providing world-class guest experiences at its mountain resorts throughout Canada. In doing so, RCR believes that safety in its mountain environments is one of its most important values. Supporting this mandate, RCR is moving in a new direction that will enhance safety at all of its resorts.
RCR cares deeply about the well-being of all of its guests and takes responsibility for their care very seriously. “We are undertaking an industry-leading initiative,” says Matt Mosteller, Senior Director of Business Development for Resorts of the Canadian Rockies. “All man-made snow jumps will be eliminated from RCR terrain parks this season.”
“We have found that one of the main issues that increase the likelihood of serious injury on our mountains is big air,” says Mosteller. “When we are making decisions about safety at our resorts, the big jumps in the terrain parks always come into the equation. We decided to make a change.”
Continues Mosteller, “We are committed to providing our guests with a safe experience at our mountains. We realize that this change may disappoint some guests who regularly use these man-made jump features. However, we believe we have a strong moral obligation to not compromise the safety of our guests.”
At the same time, RCR will be making an increased investment in new rails and features for RCR’s terrain parks. For example, this year’s RCR TELUS Park at Lake Louise Mountain Resort features the highest-ever investment in new, state-of-the-art rail features that will cater to a wide variety of ages and abilities. RCR will have rail parks this season at Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Fernie Alpine Resort and Nakiska.
With the new rail park format, RCR will host a Rail Jam Series that will take place at Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Fernie Alpine Resort and Nakiska. Features used in the Rail Jam Series will be suitable for a high level of competition, while also adhering to safe practices.
For the past three seasons, RCR has also worked hard on developing its family-friendly terrain parks. These unique parks, separate from the larger parks, feature small rails, boxes and rollers, encouraging learning, safety and fun in a non-intimidating environment. The feedback on these parks has been positive and they will continue to develop at all of the resorts.



Think it will drop the injury stats??? EH NOOOO!!!

robinph

Jonnykitedude wrote: »

Would be interesting to know if all of the above were boarding or skiing

From this article that I saw at the beggining of the year boarding is 1.5 times more dangerous than skiing and 2 times more dangerous than ski-boards. Of course that then all depends on the type of injuries that are more likey depending on how your attached to your sliding apparatus. Wrist injurys have to be relatively easy for begginer boarders to pick up, but for a begginer skiier to injure themselves at all they have to be doing something pretty stupid or someone else runs into them. Your probably less likley to get complete begginers messing about on ski-boards as well so in theory should not be as likley to get injured as a begginer boarder would be so the statistics will be a bit squewed as far as which is more dangerous.

edmund_f

heard it someplace that golf is considered an extreme sport due to the number of deaths on the course?

Neilthefunkee1

edmund_f wrote: »

heard it someplace that golf is considered an extreme sport due to the number of deaths on the course?

ha ha ha ha.. brilliant.. extreme golfing.. Cant wait to see tiger on the green wearing a helmet...:D

JæKæ

I went snowboarding for the first time on Sunday-nearly popped my shoulder out twice. When I fell a few times, my reflex was to stick the arms out and try stop myself from sliding down the hill. Any advice on avoiding shoulder strain?

Static M.e.

JæKæ,

I think you just have to learn to fall better (not being smart) I like to think I've picked up a knack for it now. The most important thing for me is to have a very edge on my board to no matter what the conditions I can stop myself, even if its slow stop.

If its a small fall, as in I'm falling forwards I just clench my fists to I punch the ground rather than using the full flat out of my hand. This is a good habit to get into as you can also use it to right yourself in the middle of a fall so you can avoid the fall (if that makes sense)

When I slide down the slope (Snowboard to the front) you just dig your heals in repeatedly, if your going fast down a very steep slope you have to do this a few times and it can be tough on the knees but its works. Also keep your knees up close to you, dont fully extend them.

When I'm sliding down back wards I keep my arms in & up out of the way and just do the reverse up the above by kicking my heals into the snow so I can catch a grip.

But both of the above require a good edge on your board. I never use my arms any more to stop or slow me down because I learnt the hard way coming down a black in NZ. I didn't have decent edge on my board, big rocks at the bottom, sliding head first, tried to use my arms to slow me down for all the good they did and ended up removing the skin off both my arms which left me pretty much useless for a few weeks. Funny thing was my jacket was perfect!

Neilthefunkee1

JæKæ wrote: »

I went snowboarding for the first time on Sunday-nearly popped my shoulder out twice. When I fell a few times, my reflex was to stick the arms out and try stop myself from sliding down the hill. Any advice on avoiding shoulder strain?

dont put your hands straight out.. i know its the natural reaction and all!! Pull your arms closer to your chest and ball your hands.. use your fore arms to absorbe as much of the impact..

if your going down on your toe edge then roll your body up if you feel yourself falling.. pull your arms into your chest!

Spetzcong

so far in 13 years of snowboarding I've broken my ribs 3 times (both sides, different times, funny shaped ribcage now), broken my coxix (spelling? Tailbone anyway), broken my nose, knocked myself out, dislocated my shoulder, sprained both wrists, torn cartelidge in my knee (although that was already damaged from a car accident), split my shins open on rails, and given myself countless minor cuts and the likes.

The most painful thing I did was the tailbone, not going to go into detail but lets just say the way they fix it isn't pleasant and neither is the recovery period.

These days I always wear a lid and proper knee and arse protection, if I'm hitting the park I usually wear a spine protector or a backpack with a built in spine protector.

Skiing and boarding are dangerous sports, but its all about taking calculated risks, sometimes it goes wrong and you have to suck it up, but for the most part if I were to count the amount of time I spend on a snowboard versus the amount of times I've been injured I'd have to say that your chances of injuring yourself are actually quite low unless you're acting like a total plank.