Whats More Dangerous? Skiing or Snowboarding?

Growing up I learned how to ski when i was four years old. I always wanted to snowboard but my parents thought it was too dangerous and I was way too young. Once I turned eight years old I demanded that i was going to snowboard and i was ready. For the past thirteen years i have been snowboarding and loving every minute of it. Looking back at my parents decision to make me wait was probably the right idea. Scientific studies show that snowboarding is in fact more dangerous than skiing and the injuries caused by snowboarding were significantly higher.

The study looked over injuries that occurred to both skiers and snowboarder and compared them side by side.   The results show that the injuries  to the abdominal areas were much higher in the individuals that participated in snowboarding. Also mistakes after jumping for skiers were much lower than then snowboarders. Over time snowboarding has become larger and overall more popular.  As well as seeing a boost in popularity, we also saw a boost in snowboarding related injuries and the study show the data. Although this study specifies that snowboarding has significantly more injuries, another study shows skiing having a higher injury rate.

This scientific study brings together Spinal injuries from both skiers and snowboarders over a two year span. The results state that there was a larger amount of skiers who suffered from a sever spinal injury. Out of 56 spinal injuries that occurred during the observed time frame, over half of the individuals who suffered those injuries were indeed skiers.

https://www.google.com/search?q=skiers+vs+snowboarders&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS710US710&espv=2&biw=1089&bih=594&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjx99f0o-vPAhWDeD4KHZ1IDuAQ_AUIBygC&dpr=0.75#imgrc=ha47IkLJy0w2CM%3A

https://www.google.com/search?q=skiers+vs+snowboarders&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS710US710&espv=2&biw=1089&bih=594&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjx99f0o-vPAhWDeD4KHZ1IDuAQ_AUIBygC&dpr=0.75#imgrc=ha47IkLJy0w2CM%3A

Both Studies showed two different side of the argument as to which winter sport is more dangerous. As growing up I know the injuries that come along with both skiing and snowboarding. In my perceptive I believe it is mostly what you are most conformable on but if i had to choose from my own experiences which one is more dangerous, I would consider skiing being more dangerous. Let me tell you why.

Skiing when you have two skies, one for each foot. They are disconnected to one another and they are most commonly ridden with ski poles at your sides for pushing. This can be seen as a extreme risk. If the skis get crossed, you will be projected forward. At any time if you loose control there is a high probability that you will be crossing your skis causing you to fall. There is also two poles that are in your hands that have the potential to cause harm to you are get in the way while falling. For a snowboarder, your feet are both secured to one board and if you lose balance here you will most likely slip onto your stomach or butt. From experience, i would much rather fall on my butt or side rather than cross my skis and create a face indent into the snow in front of me .

https://www.google.com/search?q=skier+faceplant&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS710US710&espv=2&biw=1089&bih=594&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwivtIbSqOvPAhXDez4KHfE5AXcQ_AUIBigB#q=skier%20face%20plant&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg%3ACWWJNo2Ldn0FIjhRsY9QCaIcFvKLfyzgKnnZc6Zj5faDSFpggXeh4Q2TWOoKFimRkjcugbZkVoG2kJzark52xs2TOSoSCVGxj1AJohwWEW4Z-cau5jlpKhIJ8ot_1LOAqedkRGgx87qjTLfwqEglzpmPl9oNIWhFURvUoaql4nCoSCWCBd6HhDZNYEQ0ZBe3lScs4KhIJ6goWKZGSNy4RWKWdIPVvIOUqEgmBtmRWgbaQnBG1xtJUuTzSTSoSCdquTnbGzZM5EXYORHZyuOQk&imgrc=7FyzFM34HIqPOM%3A

Link here- Figure 2 

Overall, Studies show that in some aspects snowboarding can be seen as the more dangerous sports and other Studies show results of skiing being the sport that causes more injuries. Which Sport do you think is more dangerous? Skiing or Snowboarding?

Snowboarding injuries of the abdomen: comparison with skiing injuries . (2016).Sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 21 October 2016, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020138398002101

Tarazi, F., Dvorak, M., & Wing, P. (1999). Spinal Injuries in Skiers and Snowboarders. The American Journal Of Sports Medicine, 27(2), 177-180. Retrieved from http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/27/2/177.short

7 thoughts on “Whats More Dangerous? Skiing or Snowboarding?

  1. Sean Patrick Hickey

    I have skied and snowboarded, although I haven’t skied since I was about 10, and just from what I have seen I would guess that snowboarding is more dangerous because when a snowboarder falls going down a hill the snowboard does not come off like skiis do and this can cause the body to contort in very unnatural ways leading to injury. While a skier can brace himself with his legs and possibly avoid less serious injuries. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vv5e_E93gM , this a video of snowboard wipeouts and they seem more painful then skiing wipeouts.

  2. David Ross

    I have always been a skier ever since I was a child. I have never even touched a snowboard so I have no room to speak against them. One thing that came across my mind was the mean age for snowboarders and the mean age for skiers. I feel like older people tend to use skis and they are more prone to injury on the slopes. Whenever I see a snowboarder, it is usually a teenager or young guy in his 20s who has enough experience with snowboarding in order to prevent injuries in certain situations. Skiers, I feel, have a much wider range of ages and skill levels and so a higher level of injuries would not surprise me. I enjoyed reading this article and it made me excited for the cold weather rapidly approaching!

  3. Matthew Jacobs-Womer

    As an avid snowboarder, I believe snowboarding to be more, but not by a large amount, dangerous than skiing. I believe this for pretty much the same reason that you think skiing is more dangerous than snowboarding, because the snowboard stays strapped to your feet. When you take a fall on skis, depending on the din setting, they will fall off and just your body will be tumbling around. I have never once seen a snowboard fall off so when you take a wreck on a snowboard, not only is your body tumbling around, but also the board that is strapped to your feet. This board also has sharp metal edges which can be dangerous for other people too. The two sports are both dangerous, but I believe snowboarding is slightly more dangerous.

  4. dff5115

    For me i have tried both snowboarding and skiing and prefer snowboarding. I personally believe snowboarding is a little more dangerous and the reason for that is your legs are locked into place where as skiing your feet can detach easier

  5. Patrick James Mcgovern

    This is probably obvious, but speaking from experience skiing and snowboarding involve very different initial forms and challenges.

    For the average skier, taking on a steeper slope or a run with moguls can mean everything. But for a snowboarder, all runs require the same skills and positions to accomplish the same ends. Depending on the run and difficulty, every rider knows that their equipment is designed to handle accidents, but they don’t what kind of accident will happen. This is where I do agree that the presence of poles and two boards makes skiing dangerous. However I think that snowboarding causes issues with the feet not being able to spread or move at all. Needless to say, both forms of snow travel are risky and should be taken seriously.

  6. Colleen Bridget Mcshea

    I have never tried skiing, but I have tried snowboarding and don’t believe it seems to be too dangerous unless, of course, you run into a tree or something. On the other hand, I have heard so many times on the news about ski accidents and the dangers of skiing. If you have ever seen the movie Parent Trap, with Lindsay Lohan, you may have heard that the mother in that movie, Natasha Richardson, actually died in a ski accident. I’ve never heard of any deaths from snowboarding, though. This is just one case, of course, but I definitely feel there are many more risks that come with skiing than snowboarding, mainly do to the equipment used.

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