LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For many children winter is a time of celebration and fun activities like skiing, snowboarding, sledding and ice skating. But with that fun comes the chance of serious injuries unless parents and their children take some basic precautions to minimize the danger.
“Part of the joy of being a child is to get out there and experience all that every season has to offer,” says Dr. Jennifer Beck, associate director of the Orthopaedic Institute for Children’s Center of Sports Medicine in Los Angeles, “but safety should always come first, which is why it is important that children follow some simple safeguards during these common recreational winter activities:
- Downhill skiing – One of winter’s most popular sports also carries a high risk of injury. Children are especially susceptible to ski-related injuries such as fractures in the lower extremities. A qualified ski instructor can teach young skiers the fundamentals of navigating the slopes, controlling their speed, and avoiding collisions with stationary objects or other skiers. And, of course, skiers should wear a helmet at all times.
- Snowboarding – Since snowboarders don’t use poles, they rely on their hands and arms for balance making injuries to the upper extremities and ankles more common. Like skiing, wearing a helmet and receiving instruction from a qualified instructor are essential.
- Sledding – While sledding might seem benign, sledding leads to a significant number of injuries each year. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, nearly 33 percent of sledding injuries are fractures and another 6 percent are vertebral fractures. Children should wear a helmet when sledding, always face forward and sit up on the sled, and stick to hills that are free of obstacles, like trees.
- Ice skating – One of the biggest risks to ice skating is falling on the ice, which can be hard enough to break a bone. Novice skaters may want to wear wrist guards and avoid going too fast. Teach children to go in the same direction as other skaters and avoid darting across the ice.
While these activities are traditionally associated with the winter months, Southern California’s mild weather allows residents to enjoy activities like biking and skateboarding year round. Skateboarding alone accounts for nearly 80,000 emergency room visits among adolescents; and the most common injuries involve fractures of the wrist, ankle or face. Wearing wrist guards and helmets can reduce the severity of these injuries.
If a basic injury should occur, Dr. Beck suggests that parents seek the advice of a doctor if the child is experiencing symptoms that don’t go away after rest and home treatment or when pain prevents the child from performing daily tasks. And most important, parents should contact their doctor immediately if there has been an injury to the head.
“A delay in diagnosis and treatment can lead to a more serious or disabling injury,” says Dr. Beck. “One of the key factors to ensuring the best care for children is to make sure they are treated by a physician that specializes in children’s injuries and who knows what signs to look for in these cases.”
About Orthopaedic Institute for Children
Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC) was founded in 1911 as Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital. Focused solely on musculoskeletal conditions in children, Orthopaedic Institute for Children receives 60,000 patient visits each year. In alliance with UCLA Health and with the support of the OIC Foundation, we advance pediatric orthopaedics worldwide through outstanding patient care, medical education and research. Our locations in Downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Westwood, and Calexico treat the full spectrum of pediatric orthopaedic disorders and injuries. For more information, visit us at ortho-institute.org.
