Preventing Ski and Snowboarding Injuries

By Scott Ruhlman MD

Ski and snowboard season is in full swing and that means so are snow-related injuries! A basic understanding of the common injuries related to winter sports not only helps prevent such injuries, but also can allow you to positively identify an injury earlier, minimizing the potential for longer-term effects and/or disability arising from ski- or snow-related accidents.

Skier’s Thumb

Often called gamekeeper’s thumb, this injury occurs when a ski pole is held between the thumb and index finger during grasp – causing a severe stretching injury to the thumb during even a routine fall. Essentially, it’s a thumb sprain that stretches or tears the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb. … read more

Elbow Surgery

If your symptoms do not respond after 6 to 12 months of nonsurgical treatments, your doctor may recommend surgery. Most surgical procedures for tennis elbow involve removing diseased muscle and reattaching healthy muscle back to bone.

The right surgical approach for you will depend on a range of factors. These include the scope of your injury, your general health, and your personal needs. Talk with your doctor about the options. Discuss the results your doctor has had, and any risks associated with each procedure.

Open Surgery
The most common approach to tennis elbow repair is open surgery. This involves making an incision over the elbow. Open surgery is usually performed as an outpatient surgery. It rarely requires an overnight stay at the hospital.

Arthroscopic surgery. Tennis elbow can also be repaired using tiny instruments and small incisions. Like open surgery, this is a same-day or outpatient procedure.

Surgical Risks
As with any surgery, there are risks with tennis elbow surgery. The most common things to consider include:

  • Infection
  • Nerve and blood vessel damage
  • Possible prolonged rehabilitation
  • Loss of strength
  • Loss of flexibility
  • The need for further surgery
  • Rehabilitation

Following surgery, your arm may be immobilized temporarily with a splint. About 1 week later, the sutures and splint are removed.

After the splint is removed, exercises are started to stretch the elbow and restore flexibility. Light, gradual strengthening exercises are started about 2 months after surgery.

Your doctor will tell you when you can return to athletic activity. This is usually 4 to 6 months after surgery. Tennis elbow surgery is considered successful in 80% to 90% of patients. However, it is not uncommon to see a loss of strength.

What is a Rotator Cuff and How Can it be Injured?

The rotator cuff is a group of four tendons and muscles – supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis. These muscles not only provide power to the shoulder, but also stabilize the shoulder joint, keeping the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) in place against the shoulder blade. Rotator cuff injury is a tear that occurs to one or more of these four tendons or muscles.

What are the Causes and Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Injuries?

The two main causes of a rotator cuff injury are acute tears, caused by trauma such as a fall, and chronic tears which are caused by degeneration of the tendon over time. Acute tears are more noticeable because they result in immediate pain and you may experience a snapping sensation or weakness of the arm. You may have developed a chronic tear if you notice some or all of these symptoms: pain while working, lifting, or reaching over your head, pain when sleeping on the affected shoulder, or a weakness in your arm. Both chronic and acute tears can worsen if not treated properly. … read more

Tennis Elbow – Should I See a Doctor?

Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is a painful condition where the outer part of the elbow becomes sore and tender due to repetitive motions that put a strain on the elbow. Tennis elbow is one of the most common repetitive stress injuries.

Common Causes of Tennis Elbow

While commonly referred to as tennis elbow, only 5% of the people afflicted with this injury are actually tennis players. In fact, the majority of people who suffer from tennis elbow are not athletes. … read more

Meniscus Tear: Signs, Symptoms, and Signals

The word ëmeniscusí means crescent shaped structure and owes its origin to Greek. The C-shaped meniscus made of tough cartilage is wedged between the cartilage surfaces covering the three bones that form our knee joint. Meniscus aids the function of the joint by distributing weight and improving its stability. The function of meniscus is of grave importance for the general health of the knee. Meniscus tear or torn cartilage can severely impair the mobility of the knee joint.

Meniscus tear is one of the most common knee injuries that results in severe pain in the joint. It is especially common among athletes and sportsmen who play contact sports such as football, boxing, and hockey. There are two chief causes for meniscus tear ñ It can be due to traumatic injury, primarily seen in athletes or due to degenerative processes that are seen in older patients who have more brittle cartilages. Sudden twisting and turning or bending the knee joint is sometimes responsible for torn meniscus. Rotating the knee while slightly bent can cause meniscus tear. … read more