Is snowboarding dangerous?

Question

Hey

Im 23. I went to snowboard yesterday (first time) ..... in my second loop (a downhill of about 1 or 2 km, the easiest one), my board suddenly stopped ( my mistake), and my body went forward; I hit the ice with my chest really badly. For a moment i though i broke a rib or something...i felt it even in my jaws.....after 10 min I was ok....i came back later on to continue....and i did quite good.,...after the 8 loop i really could curve and i did not fell...it was so fun.....

My question is how often one gets injured snowboarding.....i dont want to brake a bone or something because i also do some bodybuilding......some statistics and (detailed) experiences...would be appreciated TO MAKE MY JUDGEMENT

Answer 1

It is not the most or the least dangerous sport - but it is just like all others in one important way: the harder you push yourself and the less training / knowledge you have the more likely you are to get hurt.

If you are going off of huge kicker jumps in the park or doiing big tricks in the half pipe, you are more likely to get hurt. If you are riding within your ability and doing small tricks as you get better you are less likely to get hurt.

I am over 40 years old and have been riding over 10 years - I have crashed off of jumps, boxes / rails, and wiped out on the groomed runs and never seriously hurt myself. The key is to learn how to fall.

1. NEVER try to catch yourself to protect your wrists. Fall forward to your forearms and fall backward on to one side of your butt to protect your tailbone / back.

2. Wear protective gear - especially a helmet and maybe wrist guards

3. If you are really worried about getting hurt, take it easy and don't go off any 20 foot jumps in the park

Good Luck

Answer 2

You will find that you will fall less and less with practice.  Usually your first time, you spend the whole day falling and are really sore the next day.  Once you have been snowboarding a while, you won't fall very often, and it is great waking up the next day not being sore at all!!!

Answer 3

The most common snowboarding injury is a broken wrist; obviously people try and break their falls with their wrists so this makes sense. Injuries can be common; you should wear a helmet. Don't push your limits when you are just learning and get a lesson or two!

I've been snowboarding for a while and the first few times I went I was so sore and covered in bruises. Now I never really fall, so you just gotta get past the first few times and get a helmet if you don't have one! Also, go out west and snowboard in powder. :) Much better than ice.

Answer 4

Like TahoeT said, learn how to fall, it will dramatically reduce your chance of getting seriously injured. That should be the first thing to learn.

Snowboarding and skiing are dangerous sports that can cause serious injuries and even death. So just becareful and you should do fine.

Answer 5

i ruined my knee and my life hasn't been the same since I went snowboarding.  i didn't even fall hard or anything.  yes, you can break your wrist/arms from falling forward and backwards.  and you can hit your head on the hard ice pretty easily.

Answer 6

wrist injuries are the most common injury in snowboarding, because people try to break their fall with their hands, but these can be easily avoided by buying a pair of wrist guards made to fit under your gloves.  I was going through some trees and came up on some ramps going a little too fast.  I hit the first one, landed, and didnt have time to recover for the second one and hit it at a bad angle.  I flew up and hit the ground and rolled all over like a ragdoll.  I sprained my wrist but i got some wrist guards and used it like a brace, and i was able to snowboard without injury the next day.

    

Anyways, as long as your not reckless and stupid, you will probably not get injured too seriously.

Answer 7

Anything in which you have high speeds on a slippery surface is gonna have some danger to it. Include sports with wheels in place of slippery surfaces (rollerblades, skateboards, etc.)

Wrist injuries seem to be the most common.

Here is more info:

http://www.ski-injury.com/wrist.htm

http://www.wms.org/pubs/snowboard.html

http://www.ski-blog.com/2008/01/some_sta...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sno...

http://snowboarding.about.com/cs/safety/...

snow skiing/snowboarding

In 2000, more than 18,500 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for snow skiing-related injuries. Another 24,700 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for snowboarding-related injuries.

Answer 8

yes snowboarding can be very dangerous.  One of the most dangerous sports.  Any bad fall could make you paralized, but isnt that the fun of it all?!?

The injury that most snowboarders are prone to are of the wrists, knees, tailbone, and neck.  Wrists as the most common. Knees and tailbone is usually a long term effect and doesnt get to you until your old cus snowboarding will wear out your knees.   You can injure your neck with a very bad fall by faceplanting or landing upside on your head.  This is what can get you paralyzed.

But if your very careful and dont goof off too much, these injuries are reduced.

From my experience of snowboarding for 3 years, I've only got one concussion leading to a black eye and a scar on my face.  My knees also give out on me once and awhile.  

Dont be afraid of getting hurt and go out there and have fun!!!

Answer 9

I've been snowboarding since I was seven and Ive never goten hurt. I can be dangerous sometimes. Andif you done to get hurt just don't do crazy jumps and stuff.and never go straight down a hill. Keep turning as you go down.

-Mason