“According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), traumatic brain injury is an acquired type of brain injury that takes place as a result of a sudden trauma that causes injury to the brain. For example, during skiing, if someone were to collide with a tree and hit their head at full-on impact that could certainly cause them to develop traumatic brain injury.

TBI is quite common and there are over 3.8 million TBIs in sports, in general, on a yearly basis within the United States alone. The NINDS has again reported that possibly half of the persons who are severely injured patients will need surgery to remove or repair ruptured blood vessels or bruised brain tissue. Sometimes, long-term effects, including disabilities may be a resulting issue.

Safety Precautions:

• Wear protective gear, such as a helmet.
• Be vigilant and avoid idling. This helps you to keep focused on what’s in your path ahead so you don’t collide with objects.
• Be mindful of the situation with the snow and ice. Is the ice super slippery or if there are hanging blankets of snow that may cause an avalanche?
• Ensure that wherever you take yourself or your family has a medical team on standby.”

Sioux Center Health – An Avera Partner

(https://www.siouxcenterhealth.org/latest-news-and-blog/national-winter-sports-traumatic-brain-injury-tbi-awareness-month/)