As the weather cools, ice skating can be a great way to burn off some stress. This applies to both kids and adults. Unfortunately, this fast-paced activity can often lead to injuries. Ice skating danger is real and should be treated with caution.

In today’s blog, let’s take a look at some of the more common ice skating injuries and some ways to avoid sticky situations.

Ice Skating Danger: Most Common Risks

There are lots of ways to be hurt while skating. Falls and slips can happen quickly and often without warning. Here are five of the most common risks:

Cuts and Scrapes

First, let’s start with the obvious. Taking a fall can lead to cuts and scrapes. During particularly bad falls, serious lacerations may occur. Never skate without a first aid kit nearby.

Ankle Sprains & Fractures

Twisting quickly on the ice can easily lead to injured ankles. Making sure to wear properly fitted skates can help to prevent ice skating danger. You’ll be more sure-footed and less likely to tumble.

ACL Tears

Taking an awkward fall can cause a tear in your anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. This is one of the key ligaments that help stabilize your knee joint. An ACL injury can be extremely painful.

Head Injuries

Head injuries are a serious matter. Taking a fall can cause more damage than expected. Concussions can become fatal if ignored. Some injuries may become worse over time, so if you take a nasty fall, be sure to seek medical attention. 

Hand and Wrist Injuries

Alongside head injuries, people have a natural inclination to protect their sensitive bodies and heads. Often this leads to a natural instinct – throwing out your hands and arms to guard against an impending fall. Unfortunately, this often leads to hand and wrist injuries.

Beyond Falling: Cold Water Shock

Next, let’s talk about one of the most serious types of ice skating danger: falling through the ice. This unfortunate situation can lead to cold water shock , which is what happens when a person’s body is suddenly submerged in freezing cold water. Put simply, when this happens, we have a natural response to automatically gasp for a breath of oxygen. Unfortunately, being stuck underwater, a person will instead accidentally breathe in freezing cold liquid rather than air.

Thin Ice Danger

You can never quite tell how thick – or thin – a patch of ice might be. It is always best to stay cautious. Never skate alone and, most importantly, always obey any posted warnings.

When possible, try to skate where there are other adults or lifeguards nearby. Aside from the cold water shock mentioned above, being trapped under the ice is another potential drowning hazard.

If you do break though the ice, be sure to stay calm. Control your panic as best as possible and force your body to become horizontal. When you are in position, kick your legs furiously.

Once you reach the surface, don’t simply stand up. Assume that the ice is still quite thin around you. Instead, remain flat on the ice and roll your body to safety.

To learn more, watch this informative video from ABC News:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS49wGhYwvU