Interesting sites or how to avoid hospitals

When we are young we never think of accidents or hospitals. Why,,,,we are invincible!

But it does happen and so if you want to avoid "visiting" hospitals here is a site that you should all visit!

You see often I first begin to teach beginners ( and not so beginners) how to fall! Often they are insulted initially since of course we all know how to fall!

When I tell them there is a right way to fall and a wrong way to fall some do listen! Many an ACL was torn because a skier did not learn how to fall!

Visit this site. View the total artificial knee replacement! That will motivate you to practice your falls!

It is like insurance. You do not want the event to occur, but when it does you are "covered"!


Let your fall be a happy one!

Visit:ttp://www.sportsknee.com/sports.htm

Interesting.

A bit surprised to learn that 'The purpose of the [pole] strap is to hang the poles up on a hook'?????

Surely they are there so you don't drop them on the piste and create danger for others.

Anyway, about the knees - some of the causes of knee injuries - 'attempting to get up while still moving after a fall' - Yep, I can relate to that one.

It is an interesting site, but I suspect the article was written by someone without much of a ski background. The stats on body positions in injury falls are probably correct, but to extend that to the suggested stance to assume prior to the fall... well, good luck! (If you're in the described stance, you're less likely to fall in the first place.) Still a good idea to practice falling properly early in the learning process.

I think the pole strap advice is garbage. It is true that they can cause thumb injuries, but much more likely if the straps are not positioned properly, which I would estimate from my own observations on the hill that 90% are not. Some design has gone into the mounting of the handles and straps on the poles, and there is a left and right pole. For those who have never been told, or who have forgotten, I offer this...

The pole should hang with the strap crossing the back of the hand, with all the fingers and thumb through the strap, and no twists in the strap. You should then be able to lower your hand directly to the grip so that you can hold it naturally, with your hand holding the strap (both sides) against the grip below its attach point, and the strap then curving smoothly around the back of your hand. The lower side of the strap as it exits the grip should be on the thumb side (that's the left vs. right bit).

Holding the poles thusly does actually reduce the chance of a thumb sprain, makes it easier to retrieve your grip if you lose it on the fly, and gives a more efficient transfer of power when you're poling on the flat (watch classic x-c skiers sometime). You will also spend less time climbing the hill or digging for a lost pole vs. letting the straps hang. You may also use the straps for hanging the poles up.

Here endeth the sermon. Good skiing.

tinman wrote:The stats on body positions in injury falls are probably correct

I doubt it actually, a rule of thumb is that unsourced data is pretty much always wrong in any field. In fact some of the "facts" look curiously familar as findings from research on snowboard vs skier injuries which were widely rubbished, although as I say without source it's hard to know.

tinman wrote:I think the pole strap advice is garbage. It is true that they can cause thumb injuries, but much more likely if the straps are not positioned properly, which I would estimate from my own observations on the hill that 90% are not.

That sounds about right. In truth it's practically impossible to pole plant correctly without using the strap so that's just silliness :roll:

you just fall on your ass don't you? :wink: Okay after reading that one mustn't fall on their bum. Okkk got it. I agree about the pole straps, cut them off BAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA that's cute pay 90$ for poles and chop off the straps. :lol: