Snowboarding: How to Prevent Injuries in Children

During the winter months, families all across the world will participate in common winter sports; from ice skating to sleding, from skiing to snowboarding. With these winter sports activities, parents should pay particular attention to the activities of children to ensure winter sports related injuries are minimal. Understanding some of the most common sports injuries when beginning a snowboarding event, will ensure a more pleasant snowboarding and skiing experience for your children.

Recreational snowboarding is a fun winter activity for children. Using proper snowboarding equipment and protective snow wear will provide for the prime foundation for preventing snowboarding injuries. With snowboarding, selecting a snowboard appropriate to the child's foot size and right and left handed approach, will provide for added protection with ankle and leg support.

For most child recreational snowboarders, the focus is on having fun but it is not uncommon for children to mimic the stunts and talents of professional and Olympic skiers and snowboarders. Because of this, many children participating in snowboarding will suffer elbow, knee and ankle injuries. While these injuries do not, necessarily, result in a break, the child may complain of significant joint pain. To prevent this type of joint pain, in the days prior to skiing and snowboarding, consider allowing your children to practice light weight bearing exercise. Lifting canned vegetables or performing simple household chores, such as vacuuming, can work to provide the child with some joint strength. In addition, consider filling a box with cans and encourage the child to push the box around the house with alternating feet. This home exercise method will work to provide resistance strength training to the lower extremity.