Both skiing and skating experts say it's important to fall to the side to avoid hitting your head. I don't bring up falling or getting up until someone in the class falls. But just letting the fall happen is important. Jim Allott, director of guest services and the ski patrol at White Face Mountain Ski Center in Wilmington, N.Y., agrees. According to Allott, people make several mistakes when they fall that could make the situation more dangerous and the injuries more severe.
People try to struggle to their feet to get up.
On the other hand, if you're sliding toward trees or rocks, use your poles or skis to try to stop. If you stiffen, you're even more likely to tear a ligament or break a bone. More than 6 million people seek medical help each year for knee injuries, many of them due to the combination of speed and collisions or falling during sports on ice and snow, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Though the knee is the largest joint in the body, it is also very fragile, and the ACL is crucial to keeping it working properly. Several studies have documented that ACL injuries are more common in women.