Mitigating the risk | Extreme sports injuries & ‘preventative’ measures

Extreme sports athletes – those who push the boundaries when it comes to adventure – are fearless risk-takers; adrenaline junkies intent on upping their performance and taking on the mountain, the sky, the sea, the road or the snow. The fact that injuries are inevitable is not a deterrent to these die-hard mountain bikers, skateboarders, BMXers, snowboarders and wakeboarders.

It is interesting to note the neuroscience studies which suggest that those who are most likely to sign up for extreme sports are emotionally stable people. (This does not infer the inverse; that if you do not take part in an extreme sport you are emotionally unstable!) The psychological explanation is that emotionally stable people are able to control their emotions during sudden changes and are able to remain calm in risky or dangerous situations. 

But, despite their love for the ‘thrill of the ride,’ these extreme sports athletes are not careless. They are also not naive, nor in denial of the reality of sports injuries and will often be the first to know how to treat and prevent them. They most likely have protective gear – in the form of helmets, knee pads, wrist guards and ankle braces – as part of their sports equipment. 

Snowboarding extreme sprot injury

But for the uninitiated newbies to the growing phenomenon of extreme sports, it is worth doing some due diligence as to the 2 main types of sports injuries and some basic preventative measures to keep you doing what you love to do.

2 main types of extreme sports injuries:

Sports injuries are commonly caused by overuse, direct impact, or the application of force that is greater than the body part can structurally withstand.”  -Better Health Channel

The world of sports injuries – in the extreme sports and traditional sports arenas – is broadly divided into chronic injuries and acute injuries. 

  • An acute injury occurs suddenly; often due to an awkward landing or fall – e.g. a sprained ankle, dislocated shoulder or broken wrist. 
  • A chronic injury is one where there is repeated overuse and physical strain (or overcompensation) of a group of muscles or joints. Chronic injuries can also be the result of poor techniques or physiological abnormalities. 

No matter the injury – be it ankle sprain, groin strain, bruises, abrasions, knee joint injuries, muscle spasms, stress fractures or even concussions – a medical opinion should ALWAYS be the first course of action as the injury may be worse than originally anticipated (It doesn’t matter if you were wearing an ankle brace, helmet or other protective gear). 

Ankles braces & protective gear to help prevent serious skateboard injury

With adrenalin coursing through the body, an extreme sports athlete will often be able to endure extreme pain after a fall and may get up and continue, but they are at risk of doing more damage to their body. (We are assuming that these emotionally stable people will not take such chances after a serious fall). Your future in the sport is way more important than any post-fall bravado or heroics. 

2 main types of preventative measures:

Wearing full body armour is counterintuitive and not a practical solution for taking part in an extreme sport. In other words, every extreme sports athlete enters this world with the knowledge that it is impossible to completely prevent a sports injury. It is also unlikely that extreme sports adventures will leave any athlete unscathed. 

However, there are measures to put in place to limit or reduce the extent of the injury:

  • The first is protective gear for kids or adults. The obvious list includes ankle braces, helmets, wrist braces, mouth guards and knee pads, but kinesiology tape, when correctly applied, will also help treat pain from sports injuries, help prevent further injury and improve athletic performance.

Protective gear (ankle braces, helmets & knee guards) for extreme sports

  • The second is pre-participation warming up and strengthening exercises and post-exercise cooling down and stretching. Where called for, it is also vital to focus on correct techniques. Most professional athletes will have a programme or routine in place, but this is often an area overlooked by newbies and where serious injuries can occur. Maintaining a healthy level of fitness and taking part in cross-training disciplines will help to strengthen all muscle groups and joints. 

Getting hooked on an extreme sport is all about the energy and the feeling of invincibility.

But whatever your risk-taking, thrill-seeking extreme sport of choice, we appeal to your emotionally stable psyche to factor in the high chance of injury and do what is necessary to reduce personal injury and increase your longevity with the sport.