At present, ice and snow sports are becoming more and more popular among ordinary people, and many people have packed their equipment and participated in ice skating and skiing. But everyone should be aware that skiing is very emotional, and playing is risky. While having fun, be sure to stay safe.
How can you protect yourself from unnecessary injuries during ice and snow sports?
Before skiing, the first thing is to fully warm up and activate the body's functions. Zhou Meng, the attending physician of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, introduced that skiing is an outdoor sport in winter, and the temperature is often low, so it is more necessary to carry out correct warm-up exercises when exercising under low temperature conditions, so as to reduce muscle viscosity, improve joint flexibility, and avoid muscle strain in sports. It should be noted that due to the peculiarities of the technical movements of skiing, it is necessary to focus on stretching and activating the shoulder joints, knee joints, back of the thighs, hips and waist during warm-up exercises.
Secondly, you should wear protective gear. Zhou Meng said that when it comes to ski equipment, the first thing that comes to most people's minds is snowboards and snowshoes, and they often ignore all kinds of safety gear. In addition to helmets, hip pads, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist pads and even armor are also crucial for skiers of all levels. It should be emphasized that for the "little turtle" protective gear that has been popular in the ski resort in the past two years, all skiers should choose carefully. Because this type of protective gear is often large, it will affect the center of gravity of the skier after wearing, and secondly, it is recommended to remove the "little turtle" when taking the chairlift to avoid increasing the risk of falling due to improper seating. In addition, due to the low temperature of the snow resort, all kinds of thermal insulation equipment, such as gloves, face protection, snow socks and anti-frost stickers, are also essential anti-frostbite "protective gear".
In addition to the normal gliding technique, the most important thing a beginner needs to master is how to fall properly. Zhou Meng reminded that the first reaction of many people to fall is to support their body with their hands, but due to the large impact force when the body falls, it is very easy to cause sprains, dislocations or fractures of the joints of the upper limbs. For skiers, when falling, they should curl up so that the side of their hips hits the ground first to slow down the damage to the body; For snowboarders, don't use your wrists to support the ground when falling, and use large areas of your body such as your back and hips to get good cushioning. At the same time, do not tilt your head back, it is easy to let the head hit the ground first and cause head injury.
Skiing should also be done within your ability and at your speed. Zhou Meng said that skiing is not a game for the brave, skiers should take it step by step, do their homework before skiing, and choose the slopes that match their levelWhen skiing, remember to "look left and right", do not interfere with other skiers, do not chase other skiers, and remember the principle of "the rear avoids the front".
It's just that after playing in the snow for a day during the day, my eyes hurt so much that I couldn't open them. "When skiers experience the charm of ice and snow sports, the ophthalmology department of the hospital will receive some patients with similar symptoms from time to time, most of them feel eye pain, continuous tears, and difficulty in opening their eyes. "In this case, it may be the case'Electro-optic ophthalmia', which is what we often say'Snow blindness'。Meng Bo, the attending physician of Beijing Friendship Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, explained that electro-optic ophthalmia is caused by damage to the conjunctiva and cornea caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays. The main clinical manifestations of electro-optic ophthalmia include redness and swelling of the eyelids and conjunctiva, severe foreign body sensation and pain, photophobia, tearing, difficulty opening the eyes, and blurred vision during the onset of the disease.
Some people produce a lot of ultraviolet rays when they are welding or gas welding, and if they do not wear protective glasses or face shields, they can cause eye damage, which is where the name electro-optic ophthalmia comes from. Compared to electric welding, the intensity of ultraviolet rays in the natural environment is much lower, but in areas such as mountains, glaciers, snow, sea or deserts, due to the increased ultraviolet content of reflected light, the eyes can also be damaged by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays, which is why many people get sick after skiing. Meng Bo said that if you enter a room that has not turned off the ultraviolet lamp, it will also cause your eyes to be burned by ultraviolet rays. Therefore,Be sure to wear protective glasses when skiing to avoid UV rays that hurt your eyes.
What should I do if I have the unfortunate symptoms of electro-optic ophthalmia**? Meng Bo introduced that ultraviolet rays lead to the exfoliation of the corneal epithelium and the exposure of nerve endings between the epithelium, which is the cause of severe eye pain, and the pain symptoms can last for 6 8 hours, and then gradually reduce, and completely recover in 2 3 days. Therefore, the most difficult thing to endure in electro-optic ophthalmia is the time of ultraviolet burns within 1 day. **The measures mainly include: reduce eye use, close your eyes and rest; Use of drugs that promote corneal epithelial repair, antibiotic eye drops, and ointments; If the pain is really unbearable, you can order some anesthetics or take some painkillers by mouth. It is important to note that anesthetics should not be abused for pain relief, as they are irritating and can hinder the growth of the corneal epithelium. If the eye pain can be tolerated, try not to use it, the eye symptoms will generally improve significantly after 1 day, and the damaged corneal epithelium can be completely healed in 2 to 3 days, so there is no need to worry too much.
As an exciting and challenging outdoor sport, ice and snow sports have certain dangers, so everyone should still pay attention to self-protection and avoid accidental injuries while enjoying the joy of sports. Sun Xu, deputy chief physician of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, reminded.
Pay attention to the safety of the ice surface when skating on the outdoor ice rinkAvoid gliding on ice surfaces with ice holes, cracks, and crevasses; At this time, the weather is very cold, and you should also pay attention to keeping warm when skating, skates are generally thinner, and the warmth is relatively poorAvoid frostbite on your feet caused by prolonged gliding. When skating on an indoor ice rink, you usually need to skate counterclockwise, avoid carrying hard objects, and:It is recommended to wear light gloves to prevent cuts from skateblades. Be sure to wear well-fitting skates when skating, and the tightness should be appropriateIf the skates are loose, they are prone to sprains, and in severe cases, ankle fractures can occur. Sun Xu introduced.
When skiing, you must choose a course that suits your ability level and follow the signs set by the ski resortDo not ski into closed slopes and areas, so as to protect yourself and others. At the same time, it is forbidden to obstruct the taxiing courseDo not stay in the middle of the slopes, in narrow sections, or in places where the view is obstructed. When entering the slope intersection, be careful not to block other skiers who are skiing above the mountain. Third,Keep in mind the rescue of the snow resort**. In addition, both novices and veterans should beLearn and abide by the "FIS Top 10 Safety Guidelines", so that the skis are not moving, and safety comes first. Sun Xu said.
Even with strict adherence to safety guidelines, accidents are not inevitable. In the event of a traumatic injury, how can we assess it quickly and accurately? "When a skiing injury occurs, proper early treatment not only reduces the suffering of the injured person, but also avoids further injury. Zhou Meng suggested that you should go to a nearby hospital as soon as possible to avoid delaying your condition.
"After an injury occurs, the first thing to do is to immobilize the injury, relieve the pain and prevent further injury. ”Zhou Meng introduced that for shoulder injuries, snow friends can use scarves and other items to make a simple sling to hang the affected limb on the chest; For knee injuries, snowboarding can be used as a simple splint to temporarily immobilize the affected lower limb.
Remember to call the professional rescuers in the ski resort as soon as possible to carry the injured correctly to avoid secondary injury. This is followed by ice to constrict blood vessels, reduce exudation, and reduce swelling. Cold stimulation has an analgesic effect and promotes early recovery of collagen fibers in muscle tissue. Wrap a towel around the outside when applying ice packs to avoid frostbite**; Do not apply safflower oil, bone-setting wine and other external drugs to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis immediately after injury, and do not massage, rub or apply hot compresses to the injured area, which will increase the inflammatory exudation of the damaged tissue, which is not conducive to the recovery of the injury. Zhou Meng finally reminded.
This article was originally published on the 7th edition of the People's Political Consultative Conference Daily on January 31, 2024.
Reporter: Chen Jing.