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Article #131: 5 Important Lessons From A Skiing Accident

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Having arrived back from my December ski would have been the point at which
trip somewhat battered and bruised, I gravity took charge of my flight path
found myself giving a great deal of which had by then been in excess of 10
thought to the factors leading up to my metres and I was re-united with the snow.
unwelcome encounter on what one would As I rolled to a halt I was clutching my
ordinarily see as a safe and predictable chest. I have to admit that the pain was
slope. I decided that there are five scary. It's amazing how many thoughts go
distinct lessons to be learned from my through your mind at such a time. I know
misfortune. I was visualizing all manner of injuries.
Lesson 1: Seemingly Safe Situations Can Somehow I rolled to my knees and it began
Hide Nasty Surprises to dawn on me that my legs were fine. I
It would seem, as our week skiing in was extremely grateful for that. Slowly I
Andorra reached the last day, that I was staggered to my feet. My chest hurt with
(unknown to me) lining up to follow in a passion. Yet I was so pleased that my
the tracks of a fellow skier who is far legs were ok. Some 23 years ago I had a
better known than I. It so happens that skiing accident and did not get up. My
on my birthday, one full week before my left leg suffered a fractured tibia. Not
own accident, the governor of the US as bad an injury as Governor
state of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, I grant you, but it did
Schwarzenegger, suffered a rather more take 3 months to mend. In any event, I
serious injury. Yahoo News reported that was very pleased to have brought a
"Schwarzenegger broke his right femur on precautionary helping of pain killers
December 23 when he tripped over his ski with me. Going shopping for medication
pole while standing on a slope in Sun after the event would not have been
Valley, Idaho." enjoyable.
There are a number of similarities Lesson 5: Recovery Can Take Time And
between our two accidents. We were both Doctors Can Only Do So Much
performing activities which we would not So what did happen to me? I am still not
have immediately thought would be quite sure. I might have sustained rib
particularly hazardous. Inevitably this damage. I very probably pulled chest and
is a state of affairs that tends to lead back muscles in all sorts of directions.
to a relaxed state of mind which My son re-united me with my skis. Unknown
ironically left us both more vulnerable to me at the time, he caught my right ski
to our respective hazards. However, just before it went over the edge and
despite the considerably more spectacular down the mountain. That would have really
nature of my incident, I walked away spoilt my day. Some concerned skiers
which is where we differ. surrounded me, clearly worried about my
Governor Schwarzenegger must have been injuries. It took a while but I decided
unbelievably unlucky. Tripping over while that I was capable of skiing down. I even
stationary is something that most skiers ended the run on a black (difficult)
will have experienced at some time or slope which was slightly icy. I was
another, usually brought about by being pleased about that. End of skiing for
distracted or simply experiencing a this trip. Good job it was the last day.
"balance anomaly". I have never in my I did not seek medical attention after
life heard of a significant injury being the accident. I was later told that
caused in such a manner. Governor attending hospital would be futile as one
Schwarzenegger managed to break the is not even x-rayed for rib injuries
largest bone in the body necessitating unless puncture wounds are suspected. In
surgery for a realistically rapid repair. my case, repairs were down to the body.
Lesson 2: Beware The Funnel Here Ends The Lesson
The slope that I was on was not at all In truth I am not altogether sure what
difficult - although the section where I did happen in terms of injuries. I was
collided had been substantially narrowed munching pain killers with a passion for
on account of lack of snow. Think of it the best part of a week, less so for the
as a funnel. Pour too many skiers into second week. Now, one full month later, I
that funnel and - well - a collision will don't need them at all. The body can be
be waiting to happen. Even with a modest remarkably good at doing its own repairs
number of people in the funnel, if one or but when injured it definitely hurts.
more people are travelling at speed then I had my first life experience as a human
the opportunities for avoiding obstacles glider. My skis left my boots at the same
are reduced. In my case, there were no time and that saved me some serious
more opportunities. damage. I know that there were two
Lesson 3: Your Own Memory Of Events May impacts. The first was with the shoulder
Differ Substantially From Others of the snowboarder, the second was with
I remember the instant before the impact the snow when my gliding experience ran
- the realisation that I was indeed going out of lift and I made my rather untidy
to have a collision. The impact knocked landing. I find it amazing that after a
the wind out of me and the pain was lot of yelling, I staggered up and skid
almost instant. I was not aware of the down the rest of the run finishing on a
fact at the time but my ski bindings black. Compared to Governor
earned their keep and did what they were Schwarzenegger, I was very lucky indeed.
designed to do - they released my boots How could I have avoided the accident?
from the skis and they did so quick Only by skiing slower through the funnel.
enough to avoid injury to my legs. As a It would have been really helpful if the
result of pitching forward from the boot person who I collided with had looked
release, the snowboarder's body acting as before crossing the slope. For motor
a pivot point and the momentum I had, I vehicle drivers, the person I collided
became airborne. I was not particularly with performed the skiing equivalent of
aware of this at the time, but my son had pulling out onto a busy road without
turned round and saw the events unfold. looking. Same as with driving really.
Lesson 4: Injuries Can Really Hurt So Expect the unexpected.
Take Some Pain Killers With You As The only question that remain are, should
Insurance I now wear a helmet and should I be
I remember shouting with the pain. I looking at body armour? Maybe, just
remember another pain of impact. This maybe.






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