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Boots > Snowboard Safety: Injury Prevention and Treatment

Snowboard Safety: Injury Prevention and Treatment


 by: Jeremy Hier

Snowboarding is one of the most popular snow sports and like any other physical activity, it is susceptible to injury. However if the right precautions are taken and the correct protective gear is worn, the body can be protected from any severe injury. Here are a few snowboarding safety tips dealing with common injuries, how to treat those injuries and what can be done to prevent them.

Common Snowboarding Injuries

Snowboarding injuries occur mostly in the upper extremities of the body and the ankle, the most common being sprains followed by fractures and contusions. Upper body injuries are common as snowboarders usually fall forwards or backwards. With a forward fall, snowboarders will protect themselves by stretching their arms outwards to stop themselves from falling. This leads to sprained wrists, wrist fractures, elbow, shoulder and head injuries. If a snowboarder falls backwards mild head as well as coccygeal injuries can occur such as bruising to the tailbone. When they fall snowboarders are advised to try and keep their arms tucked in and to roll with the fall therefore distributing the impact of the fall over a larger portion of their body. It is better to rather have body bruises than a fractured wrist!

Lower body injuries are rare and occur mostly in the ankle and knee area. This is due to the feet being strapped into the board and both feet pointing in the same direction, which localizes knee movement and prevents twisting. However, as the level of snowboarding expertise increases so does the risk of knee injury due to the frequency of aerial maneuvers and the use of hard boots. Aerial maneuvers also present more abdominal, chest, spine and head injuries. Ankle injuries are very common such as sprained and fractured ankles, also known as snowboarder?s ankle. Contusions are common on the head, face, chest, abdomen and pelvis, lacerations on the head and face and dislocations in the upper extremities. Severe head and spinal injuries have occurred when snowboarders have lost control of their board at high speed.

It is important to note that a fracture of the lateral process of the talus (LPT) can masquerade as an ankle sprain and is frequently undetected on plain x - rays.

Misdiagnosis of this fracture may lead to severe degeneration of the joint, disability and pain.

How to Tell if Your Injury is Serious

There are various symptoms that suggest what type of injury you have and what should be done to heal it. Swelling is a definite sign of an injury and shouldn?t be ignored.

It usually occurs around a joint and causes pain and reduced range of motion. Tenderness will be found if you press the injured body part with your finger. Weakness in the injured area can occur as well as numbing and tingling, which are often related to nerve compression and should never be ignored as they may be signaling a serious injury.

How to Treat Any Sprain

If you have sprained your wrist, ankle or knee RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, Exercise) is the safest and easiest way for anyone to heal an injury. It is important to follow these steps, as swelling can cause pain and loss of motion which will limit the use of the muscle, resulting in the weakening, shortening and delayed healing of the injured limb. After following RICE it is advisable to visit a physician for a proper diagnosis of the injury.

Rest

You should rest the sprained limb for 24 ? 48 hours post injury.

Ice

Ice should be used to reduce swelling and pain, and should not be applied for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.

If you do not have ice on hand, you can use anything frozen such as a bag of frozen peas.

Never apply heat to an injury as this will increase swelling!

Compression

There are various options for compression:

Elasticated tubular bandage (Tubigrip) which can be strapped either single or doubled over. This should not be worn too tight as it may lead to thrombosis.

Crepe bandage

Elastoplast strapping

Elevation

Elevate the sprained limb horizontally to decrease swelling and discomfort.

Exercise

As soon as symptoms allow gently exercise the injured limb.

Prevention and Protection

Snowboarding injuries can be prevented by following a number of safety precautions.

A fitness programme is essential to train the body for the maneuverability needed for snowboarding. Taking a few snowboarding lessons and having a good instructor helps to minimize the number of injuries that occur, teaches you how to snowboard effectively and what gear must be worn for your safety. The most important of injury prevention is wearing the right protective equipment. There are different types of gear that are specifically designed to protect certain areas of the body.

Helmets

Helmets are very important in preventing head injury as it is common for snowboarders to fall and injure their heads. There are different types of helmets from lightweight to heavyweight, with venting or no venting, with or without ear flaps, as well as different styles.
It is important to choose a helmet that fits you snuggly, is comfortable and not too heavy.

Boots

There are three kinds of snowboarding boots that differ in the support they give to the ankle and foot.
Soft boots are used by most snowboarders and offer sufficient stability and flexibility. Hard boots are usually worn by racers and provide ample ankle support.

Hybrid boots have the support of hard boots with the comfort and maneuverability of soft boots. It is important to choose the right footwear for the particular snowboarding activity that you will undertake, i.e. beginner, racer, etc. as each of these boots place the body under different injury risks. Soft boots present twice the risk of ankle injury compared to hard boots due to their moderate ankle support, however hard boots present twice the risk of knee injury than soft boots because they offer less movement. Hiking boots must never be used as they can lead to serious injury. It is important to note that boots and bindings must be bought together as the choice of boots depends on what type of bindings you want to use such as step in bindings or strap bindings.

Wrist and Elbow guards

Wrist guards help support the wrist and are available in different styles for over and inside the glove as well as integrated into the glove. Wrist guards used for inline skating and skateboarding can also be used for snowboarding. Elbow guards help to protect the elbows from bruising and fractures.

Knee and tailbone pads

Knee pads help to protect the knees from bruising, and should be worn if you have weak knee caps. Tailbone pads help to protect the tailbone and should be worn with beginners, as they frequently fall backwards.

Padded jackets and pants

Padded jackets and pants help to prevent other parts of the body from bruising.

Goggles

Goggles help to keep the snow and wind out of your eyes. They also protect the eyes from the harmful rays of the sun which are also reflected by the snow.

If you are wearing a helmet and goggles make sure that the goggles fit comfortably with the helmet.

Follow these snowboard safety tips and you will have the ultimate pain free snowboarding experience!

About The Author

Jeremy Hier

Find out more about snowboard safety, plus read about snowboard equipment that will keep you safe and having fun by going to http://www.snowboard-guide.com.


Christmas Decorating: Create A Lifelike Santa In Your Bathroom

Christmas Decorating:
Create A Lifelike Santa In Your Bathroom

 by: Johann Erickson

If you love to go all out with your Christmas decorating, here is a whimsical, original idea for your bathroom:

Materials needed:

*If you can draw, you may not need the projector. If you are not artistically inclined, and do not already own a projector, see if you can borrow one.

Let's get started!

If you're using fabric instead of a shower curtain, you'll need to make it standard shower curtain size, which is about 72" x 72"....

Christmas Decorating: Create A Lifelike Santa In Your Bathroom
Boots > Christmas Decorating: Create A Lifelike Santa In Your Bathroom

Burton Bullet N Baron Snowboards For Big Boots

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 by: Anthony Barretti

Burton snowboards have been making sure boarders get the best ride down the slopes for many years. Burton's reliability and credibility are etched in stone. Two boards you may consider are the Burton Bullet and Baron.

The Burton Bullet has a giving sidecut and snappy flex which offers increased pop and an incredible ride for a wide board. This all combines to give you a fast, responsive, versatile, snowboarding experience.

The Burton Bullet is constructed with a wider waist width which allows riders with a size 10.5 or bigger foot to power through, speedy turns. Those with big boots will find the Bullet fun to ride and long lasting.

The Bullet's slantwall construction provides bigger-boot riders a controlled snow feel and durability. A 70's muscle graphic looks great on the board which includes a silver metallic detail print.

Next is the Burton Baron ES. It...

Burton Bullet N Baron Snowboards For Big Boots
Boots > Burton Bullet N Baron Snowboards For Big Boots

Tandem Skydiving; Your First Parachute Jump Part Two: Preparation for Your Tandem Skydive

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Preparation for Your Tandem Skydive

 by: Jeff Wark

A Four Part Series:


* 1 Arrival & Sign-up


* 2 Preparation


* 3 The Plane


* 4 Freefall & Landing

Part Two:
Preparation for Your Tandem Skydive

Now what are you going to wear for your tandem skydive?
Wear tennis shoes if you have them.
If you have boots and they have hooks for the laces, the drop zone will put duct tape on the hooks.
The clothes you wear really do not matter as long as they are comfortable.
I always tell students to wear comfortable jeans and a tee shirt and bring along a sweatshirt because sometimes it is a little cool at altitude when it is time to jump from that airplane.
Some drop zones have suits you can wear but not all of them do.
If jumping when the weather is cool, wear layers that still allow you movement.

Tandem Skydiving; Your First Parachute Jump Part Two: Preparation for Your Tandem Skydive
Boots > Tandem Skydiving; Your First Parachute Jump Part Two: Preparation for Your Tandem Skydive

Christmas Decorating: Create A Lifelike Santa In Your Bathroom

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Create A Lifelike Santa In Your Bathroom

 by: Johann Erickson

If you love to go all out with your Christmas decorating, here is a whimsical, original idea for your bathroom:

Materials needed:

*If you can draw, you may not need the projector. If you are not artistically inclined, and do not already own a projector, see if you can borrow one.

Let's get started!

If you're using fabric instead of a shower curtain, you'll need to make it standard shower curtain size, which is about 72" x 72"....

Christmas Decorating: Create A Lifelike Santa In Your Bathroom
Boots > Christmas Decorating: Create A Lifelike Santa In Your Bathroom

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 by: Cari Haus

Should I get a dog, or should I not?
This is a question that so many people are asking themselves.
Do I really want to get a dog?
The pleasures of dog ownership are numerous, but along with the pleasures, there are also responsibilities.

Gone are the days when a dog just "hangs around", and you occasionally throw him a bone.
Gone are the days of just feeding the dog each day and forgetting about it.
Many people are now opting to share their homes with their dogs, inviting them to be part of their family.
Some people are opting for dog ownership in lieu of a family or in lieu of having children.

Obviously the role of dog ownership has certainly changed......and what about the role of the dog?
This role has also changed.
There are mixed breeds and purebreds just like there always has been, and now there are "designer"...

To Dog or Not to Dog: That is the Question
Boots > To Dog or Not to Dog: That is the Question

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 by: Maricon Williams

According to Jessica Simpson?s song, ?boots are made for walking?. However, boots are also good for riding escapades.

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When looking for a perfect fitting pair of boots, you must consider ventilation. Boots usually heats up feet faster that other shoe apparel. Therefore, it must have good ventilation system to make your feet comfortable yet precluding rain from coming...

Boots Are Also Made For Riding
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Snowboard Safety: Injury Prevention and Treatment Snowboard Safety: Injury Prevention and Treatment

The ABCs Of Computer Memory

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 by: Ron King

Computer memory is called Random Access Memory (RAM). The information stored in RAM can be accessed randomly, rather than sequentially. This means that data can be found in any location at the same rate of speed. Other storage media, such as CD-Rom and hard drives, must wait while the drive spins to the correct location before the data can be accessed.

Computer memory is simply a storage area for the program code...

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 by: Sharon Hopkins

Whether you are on business trip, a romantic holiday, a family trip or simply want to experience outdoor life, aromatherapy essential oils come useful along the way. Take along carrier oils for diluting the essential oils.

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Aromatherapy While Traveling Snowboard Safety: Injury Prevention and Treatment Boots perfume Aromatherapy While Traveling Snowboard Safety: Injury Prevention and Treatment Boots perfume
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Payroll Taxes

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 by: Matt Bacak

If you have employees, you are responsible for payroll taxes. This is a term that lumps all the different forms of employment taxes into one category known as ?payroll tax?. In reality, payroll taxes encompass Federal and state income tax withholding, social security and Medicare taxes (also known as FICA), Federal unemployment tax (FUTA), as well as any state and local unemployment taxes assessed. Payroll taxes are deducted each...

Snowboard Safety: Injury Prevention and Treatment Boots Payroll Taxes payroll Snowboard Safety: Injury Prevention and Treatment Boots Payroll Taxes payroll
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Some Steps Towards Credit Repair

Some Steps Towards Credit Repair

 by: Brandon C. Hall

Credit is an essential tool to most people's lives. A good credit rating allows for many things that we take for granted: having a credit card, being able to rent property, qualifying for in-store financing etc. . . If you fail to make payments towards a creditor this will affect your credit report collected by your credit bureau, and will make doing the above things difficult if not impossible. When your credit...

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