It was a crystal clear day at Crested Butte ski resort in Colorado. Tim was excited about another day of skiing. He had spent the last five days improving his downhill speed and the conditions seemed perfect for his assault on the slopes. Tim began warming up early in the morning, acclimating himself to the skiing conditions. Several of his skiing partners were challenging him to pick up the pace. Tim took the challenge and raced by his buddies. However, as he made a turn on the left, he lost control and fell onto his outstretched arm. Upon impact, Tim felt a pop with a “shooting pain” to his left thumb. The pain subsided quickly and he was able to move the thumb without too much difficulty. This lead him to think the injury was not serious. Tim continued to ski but began to feel increased stiffness and swelling at the base of the thumb. In addition, he had difficulty grasping the pole. He consulted the on-site physician and was diagnosed with skier’s thumb – a third degree sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in the web space between the thumb and index finger. Often injuries on the ski slope happen so quickly, they are difficult to prevent. When most people think of skiing accidents, they think of injuries to the knee or ankle. Indeed, some of the most memorable skiing accidents – such as the one that sidelined Picaboo Street – are injuries to the lower body. However, what most people don’t realize is that the head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and hands are also vulnerable while skiing. One of the most common injuries to occur when you hit the slopes is skier’s thumb. When a skier falls, their thumb may be pushed back by the ski pole, stretching or tearing the ligament. The signs of skier’s thumb include swelling, stiffness, discoloration, and difficulty grasping objects. A total ligamentous tear usually requires surgery. The ligament is reattached and a splint applied to protect the injury. The splint may be worn up to six weeks. The physician may also refer the athlete to a sports medicine facility for strengthening exercises. Finding a facility with experience in rehabilitating hand injuries is recommended. Often injuries on the ski slope happen so quickly, they are difficult to prevent. However, prevention of a skier’s thumb may be easier than preventing most injuries. Keeping a firm grasp on the pole during a fall can prevent the thumb from being pushed away from the hand on impact. But this may be easier said than done. Even experienced skiers suffer this injury – just ask Tim. He had his thumb surgically repaired and has since regained normal use. These days, Tim is more cautious when skiing – if he can only protect his knees now!
Provided by
