Seven Pre-Skiing Precautions
If you want to avoid injury as much as possible, pay attention to the following seven points before skiing.
Precaution One: Beginners should find an instructor.
Beginners are advised to find a more skilled coach or experienced companion for guidance, and ski solo only after mastering the basics.
Precaution Two: Don’t skip the warm-up.
Warm-up exercises can increase the excitability of the central nervous system, raise muscle temperature, improve blood circulation, and enhance the flexibility and range of motion in your joints and ligaments—generally reducing the risk of falling.
Precaution Three: Dress warmly and smartly.
Your clothing should be both warm and easy to move in. If possible, wear knee pads and wrist guards for added protection. In extremely cold weather, wear gloves and earmuffs. After practice, wipe off sweat promptly and dress warmly to prevent colds or frostbite.
Precaution Four: Remember how to fall safely.
When you feel your balance is about to fail and you’re about to fall, immediately bend your body to lower your center of gravity. Tuck in your limbs while falling to help avoid or lessen injury.
Precaution Five: Avoid dangerous moves.
Do not perform dangerous actions or maneuvers that may interfere with others’ skiing. Do not carry sharp objects such as nail clippers or knives, or fragile glass bottles in your pockets or waistband, to avoid injury from punctures if you fall.
Precaution Six: Bring some basic medicine.
It’s best to bring some essential medications before setting off, and familiarize yourself with some basic first aid knowledge. Prepare sterile dressings (such as gauze and cotton pads), bandages, and triangular bandages. For colds, take heat-clearing cold remedies or Isatis root granules. In case of a sprained joint, you can apply topical pain relief solutions such as Haiduo Kuai or Ditao Zhitong Ye, or use external plasters like Musk Bone-Strengthening Plaster, and take internal medications like Ditao Pills, Sanqi Tablets, or Yunnan Baiyao Capsules to alleviate pain and swelling.
Precaution Seven: Choose slopes according to your skill level.
When you first arrive at the ski resort, get a general understanding of the area, carefully check the height, slope, length, width, and surroundings of the ski runs, and choose an appropriate one based on your skill level. Familiarize yourself with the terrain, the location of resort facilities, emergency response procedures, and strictly follow the resort’s safety management regulations. Pay attention to the cable car operating hours and never ride them without supervision.
In addition, although snow is relatively soft, most ski slopes go downhill, generating significant impact force. In case of an accident, injuries can be very severe. If you experience intense pain after a fall, do not try to stand or walk immediately—call for help nearby. If you have severe back pain, call emergency services for professional assistance.
Prevent Further Infection in External Injuries
External injuries often result in wounds, through which bacteria and foreign substances can easily enter, causing infection. Bleeding can also be profuse if blood vessels are damaged, potentially leading to shock. Therefore, once a wound occurs, prevent further infection and stop the bleeding promptly.
Regardless of how the wound occurred, assess its location, size, level of contamination, and the extent of damage to blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and bones before treatment. This will help determine the proper care for different types of wounds.
For shallow wounds without damage to blood vessels or nerves, stopping the bleeding is usually easy. If conditions allow, rinse the wound with saline solution, then disinfect the surrounding skin with 75% alcohol—avoid getting alcohol inside the wound. Then dress it with sterile materials. If conditions are not available, use clean cloth, towel, or clothing to apply pressure to the wound, then seek medical treatment.
Head injuries are relatively common. If you get a head wound, quickly apply sterile gauze or clean cloth to stop the bleeding. For heavier bleeding, applying manual pressure for about 15 minutes can help stop it.
Finger injuries most commonly involve cuts. Directly apply a band-aid to stop bleeding and reduce inflammation. Be careful not to wrap the band-aid in a circle, as this can restrict blood flow. The correct method is to wrap it spirally around the finger. Also, don’t wrap it too tightly—excessive pressure on the veins can make it harder to stop the bleeding.
Determine if a Fracture Occurred in an Accident
In case of an accident, first determine whether a fracture has occurred. Look for signs such as subcutaneous bleeding, deformity, bone friction sounds, swelling, and abnormal (non-joint) movement. If a fracture is suspected, immobilize the area immediately using a splint. If no splint is available, use a book or similar object—failure to do so could injure blood vessels upon contact, causing deformity. Even if there is no fracture, taking these steps won’t cause harm.
Clavicle fractures typically involve visible deformity, hematoma, and increased shoulder pain during movement. Minimize stimulation to the injury site to avoid damaging the subclavian blood vessels—just use a triangular bandage to suspend the arm. If no triangular bandage is available, a scarf can be used as a substitute.
Upper arm fractures can lead to swelling, bruising, pain, visible deformity during movement, and limited arm mobility. First place the splint on the back side, then the front, followed by the inner and outer sides, and secure it with four bandages or 2–3 triangular bandages.
Forearm fractures can involve the radius or ulna alone, or both bones together. Movement without joint function and visible deformity are common signs. These fractures rarely damage blood vessels or nerves. They can be immobilized with small splints or two wooden boards (one on top and one underneath), with the elbow bent at 90 degrees and suspended from the chest. Alternatively, you can elevate the forearm directly using a book placed underneath it.
A femur fracture causes swelling, pain, deformation, or shortening of the thigh. If conditions allow, use one long splint extending from under the armpit on the injured side to the heel, and one short splint from the inner groin to the heel. Also bring the uninjured leg alongside the injured one, then secure both with seven broad bandages. When securing, place cotton padding over bony prominences at the knee and ankle joints for protection, and fill any gaps with soft materials.
Symptoms of a lower leg fracture include bleeding and swelling. Avoid overtightening when immobilizing, and add extra padding over the fractured area for protection. Ideally, use five splints when splinting; if only two wooden boards are available, place one on the inner side and one on the outer side of the injured leg.
Spinal fractures occur in the cervical and thoracolumbar regions. Therefore, if a spinal fracture is suspected—especially in the spine—never let the injured person attempt to walk. Always use a wooden board when moving someone with a spinal fracture to prevent worsening spinal cord injury. Otherwise, displaced bone fragments may compress the spinal cord or damage the cauda equina, leading to paralysis.
For a cervical spine fracture: first, place a neck collar around the neck to restrict movement; second, roll materials such as newspaper, towel, or clothing into a neck brace and wrap it around the neck from back to front. The neck brace should be thick enough to limit movement of both sides of the jaw.
For thoracolumbar spine fractures, if possible, use a wooden board of similar length and width to the injured person’s height and shoulder width for immobilization. When securing, first gently place the injured person on their side, maintaining the body’s long axis alignment throughout. Pad firmly under the head, neck, ankles, and hollow area at the lower back. Additionally, before transporting to the hospital, secure the shoulders, pelvis, thighs, and feet with broad bandages to prevent jolting or swaying.