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ANN ARBOR,
MI - As the whole world gets ready for the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City this February, Americans are once again catching
a winter sports fever that seems to strike every four years. Around
the country, people of all ages are sharpening skate blades, hauling
out sleds and tuning skis in a rush to have some winter fun and
imitate Olympic heroes.
U.S. athletes
Picabo Street, Brett Hull, Michelle Kwan and Daron Rahlves have
spent years in training to prepare for their Olympic moments, trying
to avoid injuries while pushing their bodies to the limit. They'll
be in top physical condition when they go for the gold.
But ordinary
kids and adults out for some Olympic-style fun can risk serious
injury if they don't take winter sports safety seriously, warns
a University of Michigan Health System sports medicine expert. Those
who don't take care could wind up watching the Olympics from the
couch, instead of having a good time on the snow or ice.
Warming up
your muscles, dressing right, knowing your limits, taking basic
safety precautions, and keeping the winter weather always in mind
can lower your risk of illness or injury, says Edward Wojtys, M.D.,
an orthopaedic surgeon who treats the victims of many skiing, skating,
hockey and sledding injuries in his role as medical director of
the UMHS MedSport
program.
"The winter
Olympics usually bring a renewed appreciation for these activities,"
he says. "Winter sports are no different than summer sports
in that the more preparation you do, the more likely they're going
to be safe and fun for you."
So whether
you want to sail gracefully across the ice like Kwan, take slapshots
on goal like Hull, attack the slopes like Street and Rahlves, or
cruise downhill like the U.S. bobsled and luge teams, take the following
tips to heart. You may not win a medal, but you'll stay healthy.
Keep an
eye on the thermometer and the sky:
The same winter weather that makes skiing, sledding and skating
possible can make you miserable while you're outside having fun.
Wojtys advises all winter athletes to take the temperature, wind
and other conditions into account whenever they're outside.
"Keep
in mind that the cold does take a toll," he says. "It
saps your energy, and it will make you tired quicker. What you could
do on a beautiful sunny day, and what you could do on a day when
it's below zero, may be completely different." Watch out for
winter storms and winds, too.
Warm up
your muscles:
If you haven't been training like an Olympian before you hit the
slopes or the rink, you should treat your muscles carefully. Muscle
function can vary a lot depending on the temperature.
"Whether
you're skiing cross country or downhill, skating, or hiking on snowshoes,
all these activities require muscle function," says Wojtys.
"If you 're not usually doing aerobic activities, some preparation
is helpful." Indoor conditioning using the muscles that will
get the most use outdoors is good. And everyone should stretch and
do a warm-up activity before putting on their gear, to increase
performance and reduce the risk of pulling a muscle or tearing a
ligament.
"The rule
of thumb is to get your body to the point where you do break a sweat,"
Wojtys explains. "You can do that indoors by riding an exercise
bike, or you can do that in the outdoors by starting off slowly
and doing an easy type of exercise like a brisk walk. The key thing
is to remember to warm up. " If your sport requires periods
of inactivity - between periods of a hockey game, for example -
keep moving all the time to keep your muscles warm.
Bundle up
- but with the right kind of clothing:
What you wear when you venture outdoors for winter sports can make
the difference between fun and freeze. The wrong choices can even
set you up for cold-related illnesses or infections.
Sweat is the
key factor. Even when it's below freezing out, your body perspires
under your clothes, especially if you're active. "Moist, cold
clothing on top of a body that's exercising can cause problems,"
warns Wojtys. "So, using fabrics that wick moisture away from
the body, such as polypropylenes, are usually the safest."
Cotton, on the other hand, is not a good choice - it soaks up sweat
and melted snow, and holds onto it. Whatever you wear, dress in
layers, so that you can add or take off clothing as you work out.
Even if your
body is covered in the right gear, your head, hands and feet can
suffer without the right protection from the cold. "About 25
to 40 percent of all the heat loss from your body is through your
head, so even if you're not used to wearing hats, if you're going
to be outside in the cold exercising, it's a good idea to get used
to wearing one," Wojtys says. The same goes for gloves or mittens,
and socks and boots, which can all help keep the heat in.
Watch out
for common winter ills:
Three of the most common ills faced by winter athletes -from Olympians
on down - are frostbite,
hypothermia
and dehydration. All three can sneak up on you if you don't watch
out.
Frostbite,
which affects exposed and under-protected skin in cold temperatures,
comes on as a aching pain, and progresses to numbness. Most often,
it strikes the fingers, toes and nose, but it can affect any area
where cold and other factors reduce blood flow to the skin. Lack
of circulation means permanent nerve, skin and other damage can
occur. So, Wojtys says, at the first sign of ache, head for a warm
place, and bathe the affected areas in warm water.
Even if your
extremities don't show signs of frostbite, you can be at risk for
hypothermia, in which your body starts to shut down due to cold.
Signs include severe chills, uncontrollable shaking, a drop in body
temperature, and mental confusion; seek warmth and medical attention.
Dehydration,
in which the body doesn't have enough water to perform all it needs
to do, may not seem like an obvious hazard of winter sports. But
as you exercise or play, your body uses water and produces sweat
- making it crucial to replace those fluids by drinking often. And
though it might seem like a natural drink for winter athletes, hot
chocolate isn't a great choice: it has caffeine that can cause the
body to lose fluids. Choose water or a sports drink instead.
Know the
risks for your sport:
No matter what winter activity you choose, there are risks involved.
But that doesn't mean you can't have fun. Just take time to learn
the most common problems, and how to avoid them. If your sport takes
you to remote areas, remember to bring emergency supplies and a
cell phone.
- Downhill
skiing: Falls, caused by skiing out of control or at high
speeds, are the most likely source of injury. Skiers can sprain
knees, fracture bones or tear ligaments - all painful injuries
that may require surgery and can take a while to heal. One moment
of carelessness can cause months of pain, so ski in control and
teach children to do so, too.
- Snowboarding:
"The injury risk with snowboarding is directly related to
the phenomenon of 'getting air'. The more time you spend off the
ground, the higher your injury risk is going to be," says
Wojtys. So, the more stunts a snowboarder wants to attempt, the
more gear he or she should wear, including wrist guards, knee
pads and helmets.
- Cross
country skiing and snowshoeing:
These may seem much safer than their downhill cousins, but falls
can cause ankles to twist, knee ligaments to tear, and arms to
break.
- Skating
and hockey: Unless you're attempting a Michelle Kwan double
axel jump, figure skating's biggest risks are probably bumps and
bruises from falling onto hard ice. But hockey players face shoulder
injuries and worse from their sport. One of the biggest worries
is a concussion, caused by a blow to the head. Helmets and good-fitting,
annually inspected mouthguards are crucial to absorbing the shock
and preventing short- and long-term effects.
- Snowmobiling:
Michigan and other snowy states have miles of great trails to
enjoy. But a scenic cruise can turn tragic when snowmobilers drink
alcohol, drive too fast and crash. Each year, hundreds of deaths
and injuries result from snowmobile incidents; helmets can help
prevent some effects, but the only real solution is to slow down
and stay sober.
- Sledding:
"With sledding and tobogganing, going face first is probably
the worst thing you can do," says Wojtys. Also dangerous
is sledding too close to others, or to trees, going too fast,
and sledding after drinking. Having seen his share of patients
with injured faces and mouths, concussions and worse, Wojtys advises
a dose of common sense while coasting.
Facts about
winter sports injuries:
- Each year,
more than 41,600 children under the age of 15 are treated for
skiing injuries.
- More than
80,700 kids and teens suffer hockey injuries yearly, many to the
head or neck.
- In one recent
year, more than 46,000 people were treated for sledding and tubing
injuries.
Find out more information on the Internet at:
U-M Health
System: Your Child - Recreation Safety
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/recreat.htm
American Academy
of Orthopaedic Surgeons - Orthopaedic Connection
www.orthoinfo.aaos.org
Written
by Kara Gavin
For more
information, contact Kara Gavin or Carrie Hagen, UMHS Public
Relations, 734-764-2220, or by e-mail.
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