But in terms of injuries to the knees, I'm under the impression that falling forward is much much safer - I'm worried about blowing out a knee and would not want to try to sit back onto my butt.If at all possible, you should try to sit down on your butt or fall onto your hip. That would be the safest way to fall. Falling head first down the hill could result in serious injury, even with a helmet. I realize you don't always have a choice, but if you do, choose the safest way!
I was going to start a thread about self arrest to get ideas of what I could have done differently.
I fell two days ago on a pretty steep bump run. Snow was actually very nice, not icy or even hard packed but I fell on my back with my head downhill. I felt like a flipped over turtle sliding off on the shell. It took only 12 seconds for me to self arrest. But that 12 seconds felt like eternity yet it got out of hand so quickly. My husband was only 2 feet from me and all he could do was watch me slide off helplessly. First few seconds was spent on finding my bearings since I was spinning around, another few seconds to attempt to self arrest. When that didn’t slow me down, I started panicking. I was very lucky to be able to walk off the mountain without any injuries and continue to ski.
I can’t believe someone upthread said advanced skiers don’t fall, as if only beginners can fall. Accidents happen even to the most skilled skiers. Skiing is a humbling sport and being cocky about it will only get you in trouble. No one goes on the slope expecting to fall and you certainly don’t get to pick how you fall, regardless of your skill level.
I spoke to two of my instructors afterwards and showed them my video and they both said there really isn’t any good way to practice self arrest. You just have to fight for your life in situations that calls for it.
I don't think you should drop the poles of you fall.For skier falls, I think the most important injury is going to be skier's thumb and what you do with your poles .
Proper strap position or even going no straps; is not going to prevent skiers thumb if you're deathgripping the poles during a fall.
If it's possible to learn how to drop or ditch the poles to save your thumbs during a recreational skiing fall (assuming no other whatif circumstances), I think that's a more likely important falling skill to learn.
Skier's thumb is not life threatening or even season threatening, but it's the small but common injuries that are annoying and this is most likely.
Recreationally, there always will be someone who will come along and help you gather stuff up, or you can take your time and and collect up your yard sale.
Well now we’re getting rid of straps and LEKI attachments?Except for extreme terrain, for the most part even if you slide for awhile, you are not risking further injury, you only are getting laughed at since it takes you longer to collect up your yard sale.
Could you explain the last sentence?Falling on steep slopes where given momentum, a body may slide requires a different strategy than where one will not. I have taken only one long fast slide so, and that ended my season in 1997 due to a knee strain (High Yellow Gully with rocks...Alpine) when a ski caught an edge in the snow before I could raise both skis up while speeding on my back/side. It is true sans skis, a long fast slide staying in a position while no objects are below may not be too dangerous however with skis attached not so and with obstacles gruesome possibilities.
The only thumb injuries I've suffered were all during my first decade skiing. Always have my hands in straps skiing where a slide is possible because the prime directive on such slopes regardless of how steep is to self arrest instantly upon hitting the snow before gravity momentum makes that difficult. Especially true with rocks or trees below in a slide path. When as someone that hikes and climbs in mountains (not skiing), I do fall, am like a cat automatically twisting my worm body to right myself. And on steep snow upon hitting to stop, am going to use my ski edges if possible and my pole grips to dig into the snow with maximum pressure.
Once sliding starts avoiding ski edge catching is the prime danger. The second directive if ski(s) are still attached is to position it in a way, like on one's back head down skis in back up so, so an edge won't catch.
Speeding sliding head downward on side/back skis elevated in back to not catch. Am not experienced enough to describe how to do so with authority haha, something you would have more to add about and have thought through. Note there are plenty of steep drops in my olde age I have no interest in challenging like I did when young though regularly practice such gymnastic moves in steep bumps jump turning.Could you explain the last sentence?
It's a really bad idea to slide head first.Speeding sliding head downward on side/back skis elevated in back to not catch. Am not experienced enough to describe how to do so with authority haha, something you would have more to add about and have thought through. Note there are plenty of steep drops in my olde age I have no interest in challenging like I did when young though regularly practice such gymnastic moves in steep bumps jump turning.
@KingGrump Slim Slidell crossed my mind immediately and I remember thinking “but he is facing the slope”! I tried to grab onto anything but there was nothing and near impossible with my palms up. Then I realized my skis were still attached and I remember thinking “My knees! My knees! Save my knees!”
A few more seconds I might have ended up in St. Bernard...
years ago. Back then “extreme skiing”was a new buzz word.
At lunch after the morning SkiWeek group, a couple people in the were talking about the West Ridge. A lady who was part of their group but in a lower level asked, “Is that extreme skiing?”
We answered no, then someone came up with, “It’s beginner extreme”
Thanks for that experienced corrected input, thanks! Makes sense if one can gradually offer resistance of skis below.It's a really bad idea to slide head first.
As soon as you can, ie immediately, get on your belly skis below you and start applying edge, gently first then forcefully, you want to stop asap.