[Click! Health] Enjoying Healthy Winter Sports, Starting with Thorough Preparation

Most Ski Resort Accidents Occur from Falls
Cases of Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Knee Cartilage Tears
Be Careful of 'Elbow' Injuries When Enjoying Indoor Sports

Ski stock photo. [Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The first winter sports season since the lifting of social distancing measures is approaching. Ski resorts have started selling season passes with various events and partnership products, and regions are busily preparing tourism products such as skating and sledding. Recently, not only traditional winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, and skating but also hiking and camping populations have been increasing. However, since the risk of various accidents and injuries grows in cold weather, thorough preparation is necessary.

Skiing, known as the "flower of winter sports," carries various injury risks as thrilling as the sport itself. According to a ski resort safety accident survey released in December 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, 92.6% of ski resort safety accidents were caused by slipping or falling. Among these, 56.9% involved bone and ligament damage. The most common injury sites were the arms and hands, followed by the hips, legs, head, and shoulders.

In particular, skiing fixes the legs to accelerate, which can cause significant impact to the lower limb joints when falling, such as twisting or hitting the knees. This can lead to tears in the anterior cruciate ligament or knee cartilage. The cruciate ligaments connect the thigh bone and shinbone inside the knee, stabilizing the joint center and controlling forward and backward movement, divided into anterior and posterior ligaments. The anterior ligament is thinner than the posterior and can easily tear due to severe twisting or intense exercise. When the anterior cruciate ligament tears, a popping sound may be heard, accompanied by pain and swelling. Although swelling may subside over time, neglecting it can lead to degenerative arthritis and damage to the knee cartilage, so it is advisable to visit a hospital promptly.

Lee Yong-jun, an orthopedic surgeon at H Plus Yangji Hospital, said, "Treatment for anterior cruciate ligament injuries varies depending on the severity. Initially, conservative treatments such as injection therapy, physical therapy, and use of braces can be tried," adding, "If the ligament damage is severe or surrounding tissues like cartilage are also injured, surgical treatment may be necessary."

During the cold winter, people often avoid outdoor sports and enjoy indoor sports such as squash, badminton, and indoor golf, which can easily lead to lateral epicondylitis, known as tennis elbow or golfer's elbow. Lateral epicondylitis is inflammation caused by damage to the tendons attached to the elbow bone. If not treated early, it can cause chronic pain that interferes with daily life. Most elbow pain can be improved with conservative treatments such as medication, injections, and physical therapy, but it is important to take sufficient rest and consistently manage the injured area with stretching.