January is Winter Sports Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
For those of us living in Illinois and Indiana, there are all sorts of outdoor activities to enjoy as soon as we have our first big snowfall.
Family Winter Fun: Ice Skates and More
For instance, Illinois offers family fun events like free ice skating every Thursday on Theme Night at Chicago’s Millennium Park Ice Rink (January’s themes include Bling in the New Year (90s hip hop music) with DJ Shon Dervis; Totally Tubular (80s pop and rock music); and Soul Train (70s disco, funk and soul music) with DJ John Simmons).
VisitIndiana.com suggests bundling up for a winter hike on either paved trials or rugged ones offered at places like McCloud Nature Park (near North Salem); the Sodalis Nature Park; or the various Indiana state parks offering guided winter hikes including those at McCormick’s Creek, Turkey Run and Shades Park, where winter hikers can appreciate the beauty of snow-covered scenery and winter wildlife.
However, for many Hoosiers and those living in Illinois, winter fun means riskier winter sports, like downhill skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, ice hockey, and sledding.
Winter Sports in Indiana and Illinois: Skiing, Snowboarding, Hockey, Tubing
In the Chicago area, for example, there is a professionally-run ski facility at Villa Olivia, in Bartlett, Illinois. Villa Olivia has seven downhill ski runs, and covers those hills with man-made snow when necessary to make sure that winter sports are always available at their Illinois facility.
Near Lawrenceburg, Indiana, Hoosiers can visit the Perfect North Slopes Ski Resort. Here are slopes ranging from easy to experts-only, as well as 16 lanes for snow tubing. Perfect North was open for business on December 16, 2018 for the 2019 Winter Season, making snow as necessary until the weather provides its own natural snow.
Of course, ice hockey is very popular winter sport in our part of the country. You can follow the Valpo Vikings’ Ice Hockey Schedule as part of the Indiana State High School Association site.
Risk of Injury in Winter Sports
While all winter sports can be fun and rewarding, there is an increasing risk of bodily injury the more intense and competitive the sport becomes. The Illinois Department of Public Health warns that equipment used in the sport itself can turn against the victim, causing injury in an accident:
- Sleds can have protruding rivets or bent metal parts;
- Ski bindings can fail; and
- Skates can be too loose or too tight.
Another factor that contributes to the danger of serious harm during winter sporting activities involves the reality of the cold weather and its impact upon the human body. The colder the temperatures, the more strain and stress is experienced by limbs, joints, and cardiovascular systems.
Finally, the speed involved in most winter snow sports brings an increased risk of harm particularly that of traumatic brain injuries. Those suffering a fall while skiing downhill at high speeds on advanced ski runs are more likely to become victims of a TBI than someone learning to ski on the bunny slope.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (citing data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission), in 2017 over 220,000 people suffered bodily injuries in winter sports necessitating medical treatment (hospitals, emergency rooms, etc.):
- 69,000 injuries from snow skiing
- 54,000 injuries from snowboarding
- 52,000 injuries from ice skating
- 5,000 injuries from sledding and tobogganing.
Some of these winter sport accidents involved minor injuries like sprains or broken bones. However, some of accident victims suffered more serious and permanent harm as their brains were damaged in the winter sport accident.
For these winter sport enthusiasts, their futures are forever altered as they face coping with the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury.
January is Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month
Next month is National Winter Sports Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness Month, where safety advocates across the country try to increase public awareness of the serious risk for permanent and traumatic brain injuries resulting from winter sports accidents.
- Each year, around 600,000 injuries occur while someone is skiing or snowboarding, and 20% of these winter sport accidents involve victims suffering head trauma.
- Ice hockey is responsible for the highest number of Winter Sport Traumatic Brain Injuries in this country. Among ice hockey players, enforcers are the most at risk for head trauma and TBI.
- Sledding is another winter sport that can cause severe head trauma. It is reported that in collisions involving sleds, 34% of those injured in a sled collision accident suffered trauma to the head.
Winter Sport Brain Injury Accidents: Be Safe on the Slopes
It is important to remain active during the cold winter months we face here in Indiana and Illinois and there are all sorts of benefits derived from participating in winter sports no matter the age. However, everyone who takes to the ice, or rides the ski lift, must understand the need for care and precautions in winter sports.
The risk of permanent harm to the body, particularly decreased brain function in the form of traumatic brain injuries, during winter sports is real. Sadly, many of these winter sport TBIs will be the result of preventable accidents caused by the carelessness and negligence of another.
In our next post, we’ll discuss the particular concerns facing our children and teenagers as they participate in winter sports. Please, be careful out there!
