“Have you had the misfortune of suffering a snowboarding related injury? Are you going snowboarding for the first time? Want the confidence to try all those cool new tricks you’ve seen the pros do in the magazines?”

Preventing a fall or possible injury means wearing the necessary snowboard protection. Also, take the needed steps to improve your skills & performance. Take lessons, get plenty of sleep, and don’t snowboard when you’re tired. Each year, there are in excess of 150,000 injuries and dozens of deaths related to skiing and snowboarding combined, according to Jeffrey Hadley, Ph.D., an epidemiologist with the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and a former Ski Instructor. Here are some of the most common reasons for snowboarding injuries:

 • Lack of necessary skills

• Muscle fatigue, a.k.a., “leg burn”

• Tiredness or sleepiness

• Alcohol intoxication or a hangover

• Poor visibility or blizzard conditions

• Dull edges on hard snow conditions

• Fear and anxiety

• Snowboarding too fast, relative to your ability

• Encountering moguls or small bumps

• Hard, icy, and other poor snow conditions

• Not wearing proper snowboard protection