By Martin Kiel, M.D. Snowboarding has become an increasingly popular winter activity in the past decade. With its rising popularity, we are seeing more snowboarding injuries, some serious. Every sport has its own spectrum of injuries. Snowboarders tend to injure their wrists and ankles more often than skiers.
Skiers are at greater risk for knee injuries.
Spinal injuries, according to a recent article in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, are four times more common with snowboarders than skiers. The authors attribute the injuries to more jumping and aerial maneuvers by snowboarders. The National Ski Areas Association compiled some interesting mortality statistics. Skiing and snowboarding actually have lower mortality rates than some other recreational activities. According to the National Safety Council, the 1995 skier-snowboarder fatality rate was 2.9 per million participants.