{"id":6622,"date":"2022-01-04T19:26:33","date_gmt":"2022-01-04T18:26:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportortho-wien.at\/winter-sports-injuries\/"},"modified":"2025-04-03T14:21:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T13:21:09","slug":"winter-sports-injuries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportortho-wien.at\/en\/winter-sports-injuries\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter sports injuries"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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What you should know<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Typical winter sports mainly include skiing, snowboarding, ice skating and tobogganing<\/strong>. More broadly, winter sports can also include any other physical activity in the fresh air. This also includes jogging or cycling, for example. Snow, ice and wet conditions are particular sources of danger in winter. In connection with these special circumstances, a variety of classic sports injuries can occur. Extremities such as arms and legs are particularly affected. In this article, I will give you an overview of the most important winter sports injuries<\/strong>. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Risks of falling, strain and cold<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Fall injuries<\/strong> are very typical in winter. On ski slopes, toboggan runs and ice skating rinks, it is easy to fall during sporting activities. Collisions<\/strong> with other athletes are particularly dangerous<\/strong>. Anyone jogging or cycling in the winter landscape must also expect to fall more often in icy and snowy conditions. <\/p>

Falls at high speed<\/strong>, especially in alpine skiing, can result in sprains, lacerations, bruises and fractures. In particular, injuries to the extremities (= arms and legs), back and head occur regularly. The hard-prepared slopes, the ever faster equipment and the greater willingness to go off-piste make skiing increasingly susceptible to injury.<\/strong> <\/p>

The sporting strain itself – possibly due to a lack of previous training and a generally poor athletic condition – can quickly become an overload. Ligaments are strained or torn. Strains due to the cold are also not uncommon, especially if athletes neglect the warm-up process before sporting activity. The cardiovascular system can also be considered indirectly susceptible to the consequences of winter sports. The physical exertion in cold air, which many people are unaccustomed to, favors cardiovascular events. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Injuries to the knee joint<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Winter sports enthusiasts on the ski slopes are particularly at risk of knee injuries. It is estimated that over 30% of all skiing injuries are knee injuries<\/strong><\/a>. Overloading or accidents can lead to torn ligaments or injuries to the meniscus. injuries to the meniscus<\/a><\/strong>. The cruciate ligament injury<\/strong><\/a> is particularly common and feared, as it often results in surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation process. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The knee is usually bent more, the center of gravity is further back, while the knee is rotated inwards<\/strong>. This is known as the phantom foot mechanism or dynamic snowplow. The cruciate ligament can also tear during classic “threading” due to valgus (=X-leg) and external rotation. <\/p>

Many athletes feel a snap<\/strong> in the event of an accident, which is accompanied by an immediate effusion of the knee joint<\/strong>. A hemarthrosis (= bloody effusion of the joint) indicates a torn anterior cruciate ligament until proven otherwise. <\/p>

It is often not just a cruciate ligament injury. Lateral ligament injuries and meniscus tears are often also affected<\/strong> and prolong the necessary subsequent rehabilitation process.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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In young athletes, a torn cruciate ligament is<\/strong> usually repaired with a so-called arthroplasty<\/strong> <\/a>reconstruction. In older people with low functional demands and good joint stability, conservative treatment methods such as bandages, strengthening exercises, rest and painkillers are also used. In the case of combined injuries to several ligaments and the meniscus, athletes are more likely to benefit from surgery. In young athletes, a torn cruciate ligament is<\/strong> usually repaired with a so-called arthroplasty<\/strong> <\/a>reconstructed. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Conservative treatment methods such as bandages, strengthening exercises, rest and painkillers are also used in older people with low functional demands and good stability of the joint. In the case of combined injuries to several ligaments and the meniscus, athletes are more likely to benefit from surgery. When choosing a treatment method, it should always be borne in mind that incorrect or untreated meniscus and cruciate ligament tears<\/strong> can lead to premature joint wear<\/strong> and osteoarthritis. Overall, knee injuries can be very protracted. Those affected are restricted in their movement for weeks and must take appropriate rehabilitation measures to build up the surrounding muscles. <\/p>

Lower leg fractures<\/strong> just above the edge of the ski boot also occur regularly. In the case of a fracture of the tibia and fibula, those affected generally also benefit from an operation to stabilize the bone. Here, too, a correspondingly long period of time off must be expected in order to recover from the injury. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Shoulder area<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Falls on wet, slippery surfaces at high speeds often result in shoulder injuries. shoulder injuries<\/strong><\/a>. Common injuries here include <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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