How Will We Hold Up? Skiing and Concussions

J

JimmyRecard

Member
Reading through Sports Illustrated the other day I encountered yet another ex football player horror story. We all know of the incredibly devastating effects of concussions, and also the shear damage of years of wear and tear on a body. I've seen retired players in there 40's who can't walk, not specifically because of head damage, but really because theyre just too damn beat up. This really got me thinking. Our sport is undeniably young, even most of the veteran freeskiers out there are still charging hard. But with jumps getting even bigger, tricks getting more and more dangerous, maybe not the extent of football, but could something like what ex NFL players are dealing with be seen in ex park or urban skiers. There is no doubt we beat the hell out of ourselves doing what we love. But to what extent will it affect our bodies later in life? I plan on skiing as long as I am able, it is one of the things i cherish most in the world. But the question had to posed
 
Yes. But I don't think people have been falling down sets of stairs on their faces numerous times in a night until pretty recently
 
Fair point, but I think the number of people doing urban is very very low. I'd be interested to know what percent of this site even does urban, maybe 50%? I honestly have no idea.
 
Agreed about the relatively low number of people doing urban. To be honest I'd have to guess the actual number is more around 10%-15% of users. Most likely on the lower end. You gotta think about all the older members, lurkers, parents, etc...
 
Yeah to be honest, most of us aren't going to hurt ourselves to the point where there will be lasting repercussions. Thinking about it, this thread holds alot more ground in regards to professional skiers who are really charging hard, whether it be in the streets, the park, or on big mountains.
 
Slow down there young buck. As one of the "older members" you are referring to we are still out there. We just have to be smarter about it. Yes we can go to real jail not just have the po po's call mommy, and yes it takes us a few extra days to feel 100%. That being said. Sure as shit it takes its toll on your body. I'm 33, not that old in my book but I've had 7 knee issues ranging from full rebuilds to clean-ups. Broken way to many bones and multiple concussions. Am I concerned? No, I still get to ski with my kid, I coach on the weekends and can still teach some of them young whipper snappers a thing or two. We are all going to die at some point, hell it might happen on the way home tonight, after I go session the school where there is a sweet down flat down. When I'm done, two alieve and a beer.
 
Are you talking about Chris Nowinski the guy that wrote head games?

Watched the movie on it the other night. I've actually been looking for people researching this stuff for years. I want to see if I can get somebody to scan my brain, then maybe again at a certain point, and then take my donated brain and study it after I'm dead.

 
I have had a double handful of concussions and broken bones and the only side-effect is a constant desire to do drugs and murder people.
 
As far as concussions, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (what SI has been writing about) mostly shows up in people who did sports where you're constantly getting 'minor/subclinical concussions' - ie. you get hit pretty much every time you play hockey/football/boxing. In skiing, it seems like you're either not hitting your head at all or getting a full blown concussion - which probably doesn't have the same long term consequences. Nobody really knows tho.

However, given how common meniscus/knee damage is, we're going to be at much greater risk of osteoarthritis. I had part of my medial meniscus removed a while back, which basically guarantees that I'll develop OA sometime in the next 4 decades.

 
I think we'll hold up better than football players. They slam their heads day in and day out, and get run over by 200+ pound players regularly. Skiers may be injury prone but they aren't being hit over and over again, especially not in the head.
 
id way rather tumble down a couple stairs than fall off a cliff, or a loose a ski at 80mph in a downhill course...
 
i think football players are more inclined to having a mushy brain down the road because of all those helmet-to-helmet hits. in skiing, you maybe hit your head on a bad fall MAYBE a once or twice every while or so. concussions still fuck you up, dont get me wrong. i still dont have the best of balance after mine, and i will sometimes say shit that doesnt make sense every now and then. but i dont think i'll be like muhammed ali in 10 years though.
 
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