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Skiing Injury Rates

SkiFanE

New member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
1,260
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0
Location
New England
My 15 year old fractured three vertebrae and smashed his wrist out in Colorado this December while on a training trip with his school. Fun phone call to get. People are going way bigger and faster than ever. Dont ever think this cant happen to you. Be as careful as you can while having as much fun as you can.

Ugh...I have to agree. I have 2 kids in race programs and when I see the leaders going all out I get very scared. My oldest's ski friend from program (also 15yo) got a concussion and broken back last weekend..still in hospital. Although after my hubby's TBI...broken bones and things are nothing compared to a whacked brain...can't function in life w/o a brain, but you can with a hobble lol.
 

Vortex

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2004
Messages
458
Points
18
Location
Canterbury NH, Bethel Me
My hubby was air-lifted almost 2 years ago after a ski accident. Brain injury, some broken bones. ICU, 3 weeks IP rehab, 5 months outpatient rehab, back at work FT after 6 months. He flew too high and fast over a jump and landed on his face on hardpack (had a helmet). He never jumps, he was just racing with buddies on a boarder cross. He's been sking over 40 years, and the one injury was doing something he never does. Everyone asked "did he hit a tree" b/c he would be in the trees 100% of the time if he could, and we both ski along the side the trail most of the time. He had some balance issues too, but PT took care of most of them and he was on snow about 6 months later.

My biggest advice..make sure your LTD and STD disability are up to date (if you have a family), never realized how important that is until we needed it, we were very lucky. In an instant your life could change, for a few days I thought I'd have a permanently disabled spouse.


We are all glad it ended well. You are strong. :)
 

Nick

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
13,184
Points
48
Location
Bradenton, FL
Website
www.alpinezone.com
My hubby was air-lifted almost 2 years ago after a ski accident. Brain injury, some broken bones. ICU, 3 weeks IP rehab, 5 months outpatient rehab, back at work FT after 6 months. He flew too high and fast over a jump and landed on his face on hardpack (had a helmet). He never jumps, he was just racing with buddies on a boarder cross. He's been sking over 40 years, and the one injury was doing something he never does. Everyone asked "did he hit a tree" b/c he would be in the trees 100% of the time if he could, and we both ski along the side the trail most of the time. He had some balance issues too, but PT took care of most of them and he was on snow about 6 months later.

My biggest advice..make sure your LTD and STD disability are up to date (if you have a family), never realized how important that is until we needed it, we were very lucky. In an instant your life could change, for a few days I thought I'd have a permanently disabled spouse.

Wow, so glad it worked out in the end, that's very scary!

Now that my wife is pregnant I find stories like this start to freak me out a lot more. I'm a gung ho kinda person, always caught big air when I could, took risks... it's changing for me every day though. In some ways I feel like I want to resist it and keep being the daredevil I always was; but then I also realize there is more at stake than just me now.

That said, I'll never be slow poke joe schmoe. I just might avoid the huge jumps ;)
 

SkiFanE

New member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
1,260
Points
0
Location
New England
Wow, so glad it worked out in the end, that's very scary!

Now that my wife is pregnant I find stories like this start to freak me out a lot more. I'm a gung ho kinda person, always caught big air when I could, took risks... it's changing for me every day though. In some ways I feel like I want to resist it and keep being the daredevil I always was; but then I also realize there is more at stake than just me now.

That said, I'll never be slow poke joe schmoe. I just might avoid the huge jumps ;)

Congrats on the baby! You just get better at picking and choosing your risks, IMO. Your decisions affects the lives of others, not just yourself.
 

Tooth

New member
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Messages
433
Points
0
Location
Maine coast and SL
Wow, so glad it worked out in the end, that's very scary!

Now that my wife is pregnant I find stories like this start to freak me out a lot more. I'm a gung ho kinda person, always caught big air when I could, took risks... it's changing for me every day though. In some ways I feel like I want to resist it and keep being the daredevil I always was; but then I also realize there is more at stake than just me now.

That said, I'll never be slow poke joe schmoe. I just might avoid the huge jumps ;)

Time to be smarter. Soon you'll be spending most of your mountain time teaching the little one. Thats better than any huge jump anyway. :snow: Wait until you see how much fun you have skiing/riding with your kid. Best thing ever.
 
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