But now, most snowboarders have switched to boots that more closely resemble those of Alpine skiers, which means they reach higher, past the ankle, and are much stiffer. As the boots have gotten stiffer and stiffer, the rate of injuries has gotten smaller and smaller. To the foot and ankle, that is. Now, it seems, more and more snowboarders are injuring their upper extremities. Nearly a quarter of all snowboarding injuries are to the wrist, and many of the injured are beginners, says a study of snowboarding injuries in Colorado over the last 10 years.
More experienced boarders seem to dislocate elbows and shoulders, the study reports.
And then there are always concussions, largely because too few snowboarders wear the recommended helmets. Details appear in a recent issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine . But no one wants a concussion. Kids are doing jumps off half pipes and rick-riding rails. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons estimate that 141,000 snowboarding injuries will be recorded by the end of this winter season.