The Beijing Winter Olympics have opened!
While expecting Good Results from Chinese athletes, is your heart racing?
However, many people were eager to try it, took the pistes, and finally ended their first "ski trip" with a fall and sprain.
Today, we're going to talk about a few things you must know before skiing. (Note: Beginners can learn deeply, and those who have already skied can check and fill in the gaps.) ）
The reason why skiing has become a "top class" sport in winter is that its own charm cannot be underestimated.
Stylish, premium, cool... Skiing is almost impossible for young people to refuse. Both men and women are fascinated by the sport. The ski suits and snowboards on the slopes are a beautiful sight.
However, when skiers go up steep snow slopes, they will have to really shine their "skills" and become full-fledged strengths.
Skiing is really cool! Many people will find out after learning to ski: there is no way to stop!
Studies have found that during skiing, the brain secretes a neurochemical, dopamine, which makes people feel happy [1].
The human body has a reward mechanism, and skiing is a pleasant experience, which is fed back to the brain again and again, and the brain gives the command to experience it again. This is what makes skiing "addictive".
In addition to dopamine, when skiing, the body secretes a hormone that regulates mood, endorphins, which regulate the nervous and brain systems. The outdoor snow field is built on the mountain, and people feel relaxed and happy when they feel a peaceful and pure natural scenery in the beautiful snow scenery.[3]
In addition to making people feel good to fly, skiing also has many benefits for the body, such as improved cardiovascular health, sleep, strength, agility and coordination, and so on.
In high-speed falling and sliding, people are in a state of low oxygen, which can make the lungs and heart work harder.
After a ski, melatonin surges in your brain, guaranteeing you a good night's sleep.[2]
Skiing is mainly based on the waist, abdomen and legs, and regular skiing can strengthen the lower limb muscles, enhance balance and core strength.
In some cases, skiing can be fast. Skilled skaters glide down from the top of the mountain at speeds of tens of kilometers per hour (beginners should not imitate!). This process promotes adrenaline production, creating a feeling of weightlessness and pleasure.
To sum up: skiing is not only very cool and "addictive", but also good for health!
However, not everyone is suitable for skiing, and after you really get up, you still have to do what you can according to your own situation.
If you are a person who can't ski, you may not have experienced these benefits of skiing, and you have heard about many people's ski injuries.
Some even half-jokingly said that at the end of the ski slope is the hospital orthopedic department.
Indeed, there are snow fields of a certain size where wheelchairs and stretchers can be seen almost every day. Even if they are top professional athletes, there are not a few people who have fractured their bones because of skiing.
The vast majority of ski injuries are mainly fractures and dislocations of the legs, wrists, knees, ankles, shoulders and other areas [4].
Whether you are a beginner or already have some skiing experience, avoid the following risks before every ski:
First of all, choose a regular snow resort and try to avoid the risk factors caused by hardware conditions (conveyor belts, cable cars, etc.).
For starters, don't be a lone hero. The snow field is not a battlefield, and it is necessary to ask a coach to accompany the teaching. If the cost is unbearable, it is recommended to go with senior snow friends and have a care.
Second, before you learn to ski, you must learn to wrestle.
On the snow field, it is inevitable that people will turn over on their horses. Do not struggle vigorously when falling, try to reduce the center of gravity to the left rear or right rear to sit down, after the hips land on the ground, the steel edge of the snowboard will blow into the snow to cause resistance, preventing the snowboard from sliding.
It is especially important to remind that when falling, do not sit directly behind, because the hips at this angle are often unable to sit on the ground. At the same time, raise your hands, bend down, and slide down naturally, taking care to avoid head down, and even more importantly, avoid tumbling [5-6].
In addition, choose the right slopes and have a clear understanding of your own strength. Do what you can, don't be reckless.
In terms of injuries, the highest number of injuries in the intermediate lanes, accounting for 40%, may be due to the fact that many beginners have not yet mastered basic skiing skills, but they pursue excitement or overconfidence, losing their center of gravity or unable to dodge others in high-speed taxiing, causing injuries to themselves and others.
Therefore, for beginners, the middle and high-level Dao can go, can not go and do not shame people, come to Japan for a long time!
Protective gear is also an important tool to protect skiers from injury.
Beginner skiers must be equipped with the following three things:
1. Helmet. Be sure to wear a helmet, helmet, helmet! Say something important three times, and nothing less can be less than it.
Helmets are the bottom line of ski safety, in addition to protecting the head from injury, it also has the effect of protecting against cold and warmth.
2. Gloves. Ski gloves should be bought with velvet, thick and waterproof, which is also a must to prevent freezing of the hands.
3. Snow mirrors. Snow goggles can protect against snow, wind and eye protection, including snow blindness and ultraviolet rays.
(For more information about snow mirrors, you can see today's headline article, Dr. Tao Yong of Ophthalmology personally explained to you)
Studies have found that the knee joint is one of the most vulnerable areas (about 60% or more) in snow sports, followed by the head and neck, wrist fingers, and shoulders and back [8-10].
If you're an advanced skier who wants to try more difficult moves, you must wear basic braces such as knee pads and wrist pads.
When choosing protective gear, pay attention not to ask for "full" and "big". Otherwise, being too bloated is not only not conducive to doing the action, but will directly lead to a fall.
No matter what level of skier you are, as long as you go to the slopes, you must remember the 10 rules of the International Skating Federation (FIS) to be good to you, hello to everyone.
Teenagers are particularly reminded to ski under the guidance of an adult.
Don't linger on the slopes to take pictures, danger and beauty are often between the lines.
When you need to rest or are about to fall, you should immediately move to both sides of the slope, do not block the middle of the slope, and avoid being hit or affecting others to ski.
Remember, skiing is wonderful, but returning safely is a pleasure.
I wish you all the best of luck: have fun skiing and go home safely.
Special Author: Wang Liang
Reporter of the Sports Department of the People's Daily
Reviewers:
Yang Yuping
Chief Physician, Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital
Feng Qiang
Deputy Director of the National Physical Fitness Research Center of the Research Institute of the General Administration of Sports
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[2] Bryan Reynolds,Skiing for life: A miracle sport for generative happiness, December 5, 2017;
https://freeskier.com/stories/skiing-life-miracle-sport-generative-happiness
[3] Li Cunteng, Wei Ming, "The Impact of SkiIng on the Physical Health Level of Adolescents", Adolescent Physique and Mental Health, October 2020 (No. 90)
Wang Sugai,Zhong Yaping. Research progress on injury characteristics, influencing factors and prevention strategies of alpine skiing[J].Journal of Wuhan University of Physical Education,2019,53(12):59-67.
[5] Yuan Qiang, "Winter Skiing Is Not Injured, Protection and First Aid Should Be Proper", January 26, 2022, Beijing Daily
Wang Hongwei. Learning and precautions of basic skiing techniques[J].Heilongjiang Science,2017,8(03):46-47.
[7] Yang Yuping, Ma Xiao, et al., "The Role of Winter Olympic Snow Field Medical Station and Near-Earth Medical Security Hospital in the Ski Sports Injury Treatment System", Vol.53, No.3, June 2021, Journal of Peking University (Medical Edition)
[8] Castellani C，Singer G，Eibisberger M，et al．An epidemiologic analysis of winter sport accidents on ski slopes comparing two seasons［J］．J Sports Med Phys Fitness，2019，59(4) :648－654
[9] Patrick E，Cooper JG，Daniels J． Changes in skiing and snowboarding injury epidemiology and attitudes to safety in Big Sky，Montana，USA: A comparison of 2 cross-sectional studies in
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Editors: Ye Zhengxing, Di Hao, Zhang Jie
Proofreader: Wu Jiaxin | Typesetting: Li Yongmin
Operation: Han Ningning | Coordinator: Wu Wei