A method for controlling a wind turbine to minimize rotor blade damage, the method comprising: receiving, via a controller (26, 74), sensor data from one or more sensors indicative of at least one blade parameter of the rotor blade over a predetermined time period, wherein the at least one blade parameter is capable of indicating the structural and/or loading characteristics of the rotor blade, wherein the at least one blade parameter comprises a pitch angle; trending, via the controller (26, 74), the sensor data for the predetermined time period with respect to at least one wind parameter, wherein the at least one wind parameter comprises at least one of wind speed, wind direction, wind turbulence, wind shear, wake, or combinations thereof; determining, via the controller (26, 74), at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data, wherein the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data comprises at least an average of the trended sensor data and/or a standard deviation of the sensor data; comparing, via the controller (26, 74), the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data to an operating threshold, wherein the operating threshold is a damage threshold, and wherein the comparing comprises determining whether the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data deviates from the damage threshold by a predetermined amount for a certain wind speed range and/or for a certain time period within the predetermined time period; and, implementing, via the controller (26, 74), a control action if the comparison of the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data and the operating threshold indicates blade damage is occurring or is likely to occur, wherein the control action includes altering a blade pitch of one or more blades to reduce blade loading. receiving, via a controller (26, 74), sensor data from one or more sensors indicative of at least one blade parameter of the rotor blade over a predetermined time period, wherein the at least one blade parameter is capable of indicating the structural and/or loading characteristics of the rotor blade, wherein the at least one blade parameter comprises a pitch angle; trending, via the controller (26, 74), the sensor data for the predetermined time period with respect to at least one wind parameter, wherein the at least one wind parameter comprises at least one of wind speed, wind direction, wind turbulence, wind shear, wake, or combinations thereof; determining, via the controller (26, 74), at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data, wherein the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data comprises at least an average of the trended sensor data and/or a standard deviation of the sensor data; comparing, via the controller (26, 74), the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data to an operating threshold, wherein the operating threshold is a damage threshold, and wherein the comparing comprises determining whether the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data deviates from the damage threshold by a predetermined amount for a certain wind speed range and/or for a certain time period within the predetermined time period; and, wherein the operating threshold is a damage threshold, and wherein the comparing comprises determining whether the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data deviates from the damage threshold by a predetermined amount for a certain wind speed range and/or for a certain time period within the predetermined time period; and, implementing, via the controller (26, 74), a control action if the comparison of the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data and the operating threshold indicates blade damage is occurring or is likely to occur, wherein the control action includes altering a blade pitch of one or more blades to reduce blade loading.