This 2024/2025 snow season, more than a million people will leave the UK and head to the slopes. If you’re planning a trip, then you need to ensure that you take all the necessary precautions to try to prevent any accidents from occurring.

Although skiing and snowboarding are great fun, and provide excellent exercise, they can be dangerous, and injuries do often happen.

Every day during snow season, more than 1,000 UK residents get injured, with sprains, fractures and breaks being extremely common, so the OrthTeam regularly provides medical advice to many of these patients overseas and expedites treatment once they are back home.

It can be very daunting if you or a family member does get injured and are told that you/they need treatment for the injury. It’s important that you make an informed decision as to whether to have treatment abroad or delay it until you arrive back in the UK. Our leading experts have put together a quick guide below to help you determine which injuries require immediate treatment and what can potentially wait.

Dislocations 

This is when a joint comes apart and is extremely painful. The most common ski dislocation is in the shoulder. This injury requires immediate reduction of the dislocation at an urgent care facility abroad, however, further treatment thereafter can often wait. 

Fractures 

Open fractures are where the bone communicates with the skin through a wound. These require urgent attention abroad. Closed fractures, however, can often wait. Sometimes, if the bone is very severely displaced and out of position, it can be improved by manipulation under local anaesthetic abroad and placed in a plaster back slab to maintain a reasonable position. Definitive treatment can then be planned back in the UK. 

Ligament injuries 

Almost all ligament injuries can wait until you arrive back in the UK, but we recommend that you are assessed urgently by a specialist on your return. The most common ligament injuries that occur on the slopes are to the knee and the thumb, with ‘skier’s thumb’ being one of the most common snow sports ligament injury. 

Spinal and head injuries 

Severe spinal and head injuries often require specialist assessment abroad. Always wear a helmet, and with children, consider a spinal support. These may prevent their head and/or spinal injuries from colliding into a solid object, such as a tree, and can also offer protection from being hit by another out-of-control skier.

Checklist 

• Winter sports insurance

• Helmet

• First aid kit 

• OrthTeam Centre number stored in your phone 0161 447 6888

To find out more about our Winter Sports Injury Service or to book a consultation with one of our experts, please visit orthteamcentre.co.uk or call 0161 447 6888