| Snowboarding is an extreme winter sport that has | | | | when they do, they try to catch themselves. This |
| been growing in popularity over the years. It has | | | | instinctive move is referred to as a 'FOOSH' by |
| been estimated that there are at least 1.5 million | | | | emergency room staff members. 'FOOSH' stands for |
| snowboarders worldwide. Snowboarding might be fun | | | | Fall Onto an Out Stretched Hand. Always wearing |
| and exciting, but the fun stops when someone gets | | | | wrist guards and tucking your arms in when you fall |
| hurt. The majority of injuries acquired from | | | | are sure ways to protect yourself from serious wrist |
| snowboarding are usually preventable. Wearing proper | | | | injuries such as sprains and fractures. |
| gear, such as helmets and wrist guards, can help | | | | Another common mistake leading to injury that |
| protect you against some of these injuries. | | | | snowboarders make is not wearing their helmets. |
| Snowboarders' injuries differ in their locations | | | | While at most slopes a helmet is not required, it is still |
| compared to those of skiers. | | | | a very important piece of snowboarding gear. When |
| They are less likely to hurt their lower limbs and | | | | choosing a helmet, keep in mind that it must be a |
| more likely to hurt their upper limbs and head. With | | | | snowboarders helmet. They are specifically designed |
| simply falling being the number one cause, the wrist is | | | | to be stronger on the sides where impacts will most |
| by far the most common of these injuries. The | | | | likely occur in a snowboarding accident. Twenty-five |
| current rate of wrist injuries in snowboarding is 13 to | | | | percent of injuries happen during a person's first |
| 15 times higher than in skiing. Beginners who have not | | | | experience and one-half are during their first |
| yet mastered their balance tend to fall easily and | | | | snowboarding season. |