Going Skiing? Follow These Four Medical Tips

Are you heading off on a ski trip in the coming weeks or months and worried about staying safe? It’s understandable to have concerns over your medical wellbeing, with the price of treatment reaching excessive levels in a lot of cases.

In the Bavarian Alps – a spot which is particularly popular for skiers – the cost of an air ambulance is a staggering $120,000. Needless to say, this is an expense you’ll want to avoid at all costs.

Today, let’s explore four medical tips which you need to adhere to when you next go skiing. Follow these closely and you won’t find yourself in much bother.

 1. Stick to your level

Don’t push yourself too hard when it comes to a ski trip. When you arrive at a new location you’ll find there are different slopes which offer a varying level of difficulty. Don’t opt for the one which sounds the most fun or makes you look brave – choose a trail which matches your abilities.

The FIS (International Ski Federation) has developed a “Rules of Conduct” which explicitly states people should stick to their own level when it comes to skiing – as well as providing a general code of conduct for ensuring safety on the slopes at all times. This will make the chances of avoiding collisions much higher.

2. Watch out for the sun

It might sound paradoxical, but you should be incredibly wary of getting damaged by sunlight during a trip to any mountainous region. Fields of snow don’t necessarily equate to a lack of sun – in reality, it’s an area where you’re insanely at risk.

Owing to the lack of particles which serve as prevention methods for UV rays at higher altitudes, people are four to five percent more likely to suffer overexposure to the sun when they’re skiing in the mountains. Ice and snow also act as a very reflective surface, so make sure to wear as much protection as possible.

3. Wear appropriate gear

It’s important to get the right gear sorted before you head out. Having items of clothing which are too large or small for you could cause you to have an accident. The skis themselves are usually the main culprit of this.

The larger a ski is, the faster and harder to control it’ll be. Make sure to get ones fitted which are in accordance to your skill levels and abilities. Other important pieces of equipment which need to be the right size include:

*Boots

*Gloves

*Helmets

4. Ski with a friend

If you follow the above steps, you’ll go a long way to avoiding getting yourself in a mischief. However, it’s literally impossible to guarantee it will never happen. By skiing with a friend, you ensure that even if the worst does occur you’ll have someone who can instantly get in touch with medical services.

The last thing you’ll want is to experience a head injury and be stranded all by yourself with nobody having any idea where you are. Always take a buddy with you to prevent this from happening.

If you follow these expert medical tips you’ll find yourself staying out of danger when you hit the slopes on your next skiing trip.

I took a deep breath and swallowed easily. What a lovely feeling! I couldn’t imagine how long it had been since I  had been swallowing so easily but I had a feeling it had been quite a while. I sat up and noticed my husband dozing in the chair beside my hospital bed and love for him filled me up until it forced some tears out of my eyes. I wondered how long he had been sitting there while I was lying in bed.

I didn’t find out until much later that he had been with me the entire time I had spent in that bed and in the hospital. He had called the front desk at the hotel when I passed out, drove to the hospital after loading up the truck with all our stuff, waited while they worked on me, then spent the next few months waiting for me to recover. Days, weeks, months, he waited patiently for me to finally wake up, remember where I was and what was going on, and then gingerly took me home after I finally remembered everything up to the point where I passed out.

I was shocked that so much time had passed – 5 months had slipped by in the blink of an eye – and I  had lost a ton of weight. Not the best way to lose weight though. I was down to what I had weighed right before I got pregnant and that was years ago! I didn’t remember anything about the time I was out of it. Who had come to see me, getting up out of bed to walk and get exercise, every little thing that happened every day.

I looked at the pictures Tom had taken and had no memory of any of those events. My wonderful family, my children, and friends had been to vist numerous times, brought me presents, stayed to visit and talk, and then returned to visit again and again. I had no memory of any of their visits but I appreciate every one. How could I not?

They actually loved me and appreciated me so much that they came to the hospital again and again while I was in there to let me know how much they appreciated me and were waiting for me to get better and come home. Once I was actually home and comfortable, they came to visit, to bring me treats, to talk and visit, and to just enjoy being together. It was the best part of coming home.

Having all my family and friends excited about me being there.