Winter Sports Safety

Winter sports and activities combine ingredients that potentially can be a recipe for injuries—cold temperatures, slippery surfaces, and vigorous activities. Remember, for young children especially, supervision, proper cold-weather clothing, and protective equipment are extremely important. In addition, one should never ski, sled, ice skate, snowmobile or snowboard alone. Here are safety strategies for popular winter sports from National Safety Council – Nebraska, American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP), American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and Kody Moffatt, M.D., sports medicine specialist at Children’s Physicians. Sledding “Sledding injuries are related to speed,” explains Moffatt. An extremely dangerous combination is a child who lacks self-control and control of the sled. To keep kids safe, survey the scene, and provide supervision. Moffatt says, “Make sure there are no rigid obstacles, no terrain changes, or a big hill that could be used as a ramp because kids could become airborne.” Use a sled they can steer—it’s safer than flat sheets, toboggans, or snow discs. Never go downhill headfirst, but sit facing forward and steer to avoid obstacles. Snowboarding and Skiing Snowboarding causes more than two times the injuries than sledding. In fact, AAP recommends that children under age 7 do not snowboard. It is important that children take snowboarding or skiing lessons from a qualified instructor in a children’s program. Slopes should also fit the ability and experience. “Know your limitations and ability,” says Moffat. “Be aware of everyone around you, especially skiers with less experience and control who could be uphill from you. Avoid crowded slopes. And as with any sport, the equipment must fit properly. Skiers should wear safety bindings adjusted every year, and snowboarders should wear gloves with built-in wrist guards. Snowmobiling Children under 16 should not operate snowmobiles, and children under 6 should never ride on snowmobiles. Approved helmets are key. Never use the snowmobile to pull a sled or skiers. Ice Skating and Hockey “Skating on a frozen pond is wonderful,” says Moffatt. “But ice that is not thick enough is dangerous.” Check for signs posted by local authorities or call to find approved areas. At rinks, advise children to skate in the same direction as others, avoid darting across the ice, never skate alone, and don’t chew gum or eat candy while skating. Also, consider a helmet for your child. For ice-hockey skaters, be sure they have the right proper-fitting equipment. Never tolerate dangerous play, such as checking from behind. Frostbite, Sunscreen, Appropriate Dress Sunburns and frostbite happen in winter weather. To avoid sunburns, apply sunscreen with an SPF 15 minimum on exposed areas. “Obviously, the colder the temperature, the higher the wind speed, the less time you should spend outdoors, no matter how you are dressed,” Moffatt says. It’s important to dress appropriately with layered clothes that keep kids dry. AAP’s rule of thumb for young children is to dress them in one more layer of clothing than an adult in the same conditions. Finally, winter sports will help kids get needed exercise. Playing it safe will keep them having fun and creating lasting memories, too.