08.02.2012
Safe skiing
We have heard it many times - stories about people who get into trouble on their long awaited ski vacation. The rest of the week will be spent in bed, lying with your foot up, while friends and family are having fun on the mountain. Not quite a dream scenario, but nevertheless the reality for many ski tourists.
But why is it that we get into trouble? And is there something we can do to prevent it?
Over courageous?
Once we reach the Alps, we don’t think about all the things that can go wrong. We just enjoy the holidays - and that is of course how it should be. We may be cautious the first 2-3 days, but then we forget all about exposed knees and sprained ankles.
Cockiness is causing many injuries on the slopes. We engage in activities that might be a bit too challenging - and that is when it goes wrong. It is often on the second and third day that most injuries occur. At that time we feel safe and in control, and we don’t think about the possible consequences.
Listen to your body
When we go skiing, we enjoy the good food, the atmosphere and the hot chocolate. But it is the trip down hill, which makes us come back year after year. Therefore, it is also important that you take care of yourself.
Instead of pushing your body to its limits and beyond, listen to what it is trying to tell you. It is exhausting to go skiing. It is a one-week intensive exercise, where your body is working all day.
Injuries often occur when you are tired. It's when your muscles are overloaded and your skis won’t listen that something goes wrong.
If you are used to exercise at home, it is definitely an advantage. And it will mean that you don’t have to take as many breaks on the mountain because your muscles are in better shape.
Don’t forget travel insurance
If something should happen to you, it is important to have good, valid travel insurance. Your insurance company will then make sure, that you don’t have to pay for transport and take care of your medical bills. Hopefully you will not need the insurance, but it's really unwise to not have one.
SOS International and The Danish Ski Federation have made a Safe Skiing App if you would like more informations.
Facts with 5 tips:
- Train at home: You can ski for a longer period of time without becoming exhausted and prevent injuries.
- Wear a helmet: It's still up to 15% of all ski injuries that happens to the head.
- Don’t be overconfident: Injuries often occur when we force ourselves into doing something that our abilities do not match.
- Don’t use straps on ski poles: They can get stuck on your wrist or thumb, when you fall.
- Don’t forget travel insurance: Emergency assistance to travelers is very expensive – you don’t want to pay such a bill yourself.
