What do you say to non-skiers when you get injured while skiing?

[cantunamunch]

The "jumped out of a moving car to pick up $1.00" item seems... I don't even know what adjectives to put here.

Dollar wise, steel foolish?

 

[Tricia]

So I recently broke a bone in my hand while skiing. This is my first serious injury in 25+ years of skiing (probably less than 200 ski days total over that time with 100 of those in last 6 years).

I find myself avoiding mentioning skiing if possible when explaining my injury. "I tripped and fell with my hand outstretched onto a rock" is effectively what happened. But if I mention "skiing" to a nonskier, the response is typically that skiing is "dangerous" and you're an idiot/daredevil for skiing and "you had it coming if you were skiing."

So how do you typically explain an injury you acquired while skiing? Do you run into this attitude from nonskiers and/or skiers?

I don't understand the question.

 

[raytseng]

So I recently broke a bone in my hand while skiing. This is my first serious injury in 25+ years of skiing (probably less than 200 ski days total over that time with 100 of those in last 6 years).

I find myself avoiding mentioning skiing if possible when explaining my injury. "I tripped and fell with my hand outstretched onto a rock" is effectively what happened. But if I mention "skiing" to a nonskier, the response is typically that skiing is "dangerous" and you're an idiot/daredevil for skiing and "you had it coming if you were skiing."

So how do you typically explain an injury you acquired while skiing? Do you run into this attitude from nonskiers and/or skiers?

At least you didn't do that trying to snowboard, did you?

 

[Seldomski]

At least you didn't do that trying to snowboard, did you?

Nah, Snowboarders are just asking for it

It was at least a double black... coverage looked better than it was.

 

[Tony Storaro]

So how do you typically explain an injury you acquired while skiing? Do you run into this attitude from nonskiers and/or skiers?

I saved 6 kids and their dog from an avalanche.
No biggie, will heal in 2 weeks tops.

 

[Tony Storaro]

She thought it sounded dangerous and inquired who to contact to go canoeing.

Absolute ace!!!

 

[raytseng]

I saved 6 kids and their dog from an avalanche.
No biggie, will heal in 2 weeks tops.

yea that's it, or bar fight/ fight club, injuries and scars were always from a bar fight; and definitely they were not from slipping in the parking lot.

 

[Tony Storaro]

yea that's it, or bar fight/ fight club, injuries and scars were always from a bar fight; and definitely they were not from slipping in the parking lot.

Life is tough in the mountains, takes real men, not for the faint of heart. We put our lives in harm's way day in day out but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, right?

 

[locknload]

Collection of "skiing" injuries: ( not all me)

Slipping on icy stairs in ski boots. Broken wrist.

Getting run over by snow cat. Broken femur.

Bad helicopter landing. Tibia broken.

Fitting right ski boot and step on own unbooted left toes. Compound toe fractures.

Tree collision. Broken left hip.

Hit in back of head with chair (lift, not bar fight). Stitches.


But when the story is told, all are full of action and danger.

Run over by a Snow Cat?!?!? Wow..that's nuts. Is there a story there that's worth sharing. Amazing you are still skiing.

 

[locknload]

The premise of the question kinda bugs me. I guess b/c skiing has some level of danger to it but so much depends on what conditions you ski in, how responsibly you ski and sometimes just weird/bad luck. I had chronic injuries in pick-up basketball (jammed fingers, badly sprained ankles, torn labrum and broken arm/elbow) that I just gave it up b/c I was tired of getting hurt and hacked by aging athletes(like me) who are now 2 steps slow and make up for it by hacking and fouling. Skiing (knock on wood) has been much better on my body and I ski primarily in pretty soft conditions where wipeouts aren't as catastrophic. Any non-skier or even timid beginner who thinks its dangerous all the time is projecting their own fears and risk aversion on me and I just don't have a ton of time for that. I'll smile and say "yeah..it can be dangerous...especially for those amazing downhillers who fly down those courses and those mogul skiers who throw inverted air at high speeds". All life has some element of risk and you accept those consequences when you enjoy more exhilarating activities like skiing.

 

[scott43]

Everyone says hockey is dangerous..most of the serious injuries I've seen occurred in soccer and basketball..foot plant.

 

[pchewn]

Run over by a Snow Cat?!?!? Wow..that's nuts. Is there a story there that's worth sharing. Amazing you are still skiing.

I said "not all me" .

But here's the story:

1973 (I think). One of my friends in high school was skiing at Steamboat Springs on a fairly steep run. Back then, they did not do as much separation of skiers from snow-cats. So you might encounter one on the trail. He was skiing down and fell. He had to put his skis back on.

Meanwhile, the snow-cat above him got going really fast downhill (slipped out of gear, brakes failed, whatever). The operator panicked and bailed out. The snow-cat ran him over. He was desperately trying to move, but without the skis on in powder it just wasn't happening. He says the last thing he remembered was the big grooming roller coming over him.

He woke up in the hospital with a broken leg and concussion. Luckily that's all it was.

When he returned to Denver, his parents made him soak off the cast because they observed some sort of religion that believes more in prayer than in medical science. He missed a couple of months of school. When he returned and was "fully recovered" he went from a top athlete to a bench warmer because he just couldn't run like before. Sort of sad.

They didn't sue Steamboat. His dad was actually a lawyer for Steamboat.

 

[Prosper]

My orthopedic surgeon who just did my TKA told me that, in his experience, the activities that seem to be most highly correlated with knee injuries to middle aged and older adults is playing soccer and skiing. Of course, that may be different depending on where you live and what activities are most popular.

 

[François Pugh]

My orthopedic surgeon who just did my TKA told me that, in his experience, the activities that seem to be most highly correlated with knee injuries to middle aged and older adults is playing soccer and skiing. Of course, that may be different depending on where you live and what activities are most popular.

Maybe that's just because middle aged and older adults aren't playing rugby, American football or jumping into a mosh pit so much.

 

[Marathoner]

I've come to the conclusion that Crossfit is very tough on the body and really encourages to push as close to your physical limits as you can. It is awesome for how it makes you fit but it also causes injuries and exacerbates latent injuries. Hence, I have concluded that I am too old and frail to do Crossfit. I stick to skiing

 

[Cheizz]

People that I would call my 'friends' all know I love to ski. They, too, have their passions (some ski, some don't). If I were to get injured, they would probably feel bad for me and support me wherever they could. I also think they would not blame it on skiing. Any activity can get you injured, basically. They would know that.

If people would start bitching about skiing (or any other passion that one might have that poses a potential risk) or at me being stupid loving skiing so much, chances are they are not or won't become 'friends'. I like to hang out with grown-ups who can see past the case/example and reason like adults with common sense.

 

[aveski]

I ruptured my Achilles tendon three weeks ago while skiing. Had surgery two weeks ago. Everyone knows I did it skiing. All I've received are words of encouragement. My surgeon has worked on at least seven other people I know. I have an outdoor knee scooter too. Up to almost a mile. Of course it's on Strava.

 

[Jenny]

Ouch! Your knee scooter pad looks nice and cushy at least . . .

 

[dbostedo]

I ruptured my Achilles tendon three weeks ago while skiing. Had surgery two weeks ago. Everyone knows I did it skiing. All I've received are words of encouragement. My surgeon has worked on at least seven other people I know.
View attachment 132252

The perfect shirt. Heal fast Averum!!!

 

[Tony Storaro]

If people would start bitching about skiing (or any other passion that one might have that poses a potential risk) or at me being stupid loving skiing so much, chances are they are not or won't become 'friends'. .

Hence-they do not deserve the truth, hence-you can have as much fun as you want bull*hitting them.