Who wants to spend the holidays
in traction?

> The winter sports least likely to injure you

Ed Appleby
Senior Columnist

 

hat is it with winter sports?
Does something strange
happen in the human brain when it
snows—similar to the entire
population of the Lower
Mainland forgetting
how to drive—that
makes us think that
strapping wood to
our feet and hurtling
down a hill is fun? Or
strapping knives to our feet
and swinging sticks at each
other? Shockingly, some of us
are averse to injuring ourselves
for fun, so maybe—just maybe—
there is some sort of seasonal sport
for those of us who wish to make it to
March without concussions and broken
bones.

Curling

The great Canadian pastime

that is not hockey. For those

of you who are unfamiliar with

the sport, it involves sliding

a big rock down a sheet of ice

in order to get it closest to a target,

like lawn bowling on ice with sweeping.

And unlike other ice sports, the surface

isn’t kept mirror smooth, but is instead

roughed a little to add traction to the

rock. The sliding apparatus is limited to

one foot and you also have a broom to

balance yourself. It is no wonder that like

other low-risk sports—like bowling and

baseball—beer leagues are common.
However, there are still risks to

curling. Though there is little chance

for acute or life-threatening trauma

with regards to curling, Lea Bree of the

Capilano Rehab Centre points out that

curling does pose a risk of lower back

strain, elbow pain, knee strain, and pelvic

torsion, especial at the competitive level.

Cross-

country skiing (XC
skiing)
The great Nordic sport is one of the best
full-body cardio exercises you can engage
in, outside of swimming. Unlike downhill
skis, cross-country skis are long, only
attached at the toes, and are designed
for primarily horizontal as opposed to
vertical movement. Cross-country skiing
is a fast way to move through the snowy
landscape and get some great exercise
and spectacular views in as well. Though
wipeouts are still common—especially for
novice skiers—the low speed does mean
that traumatic injuries are less common.

However, according to Sophia

Sauter’s article in Active Life
Physiotherapy, about 75 per cent of
injuries sustained by cross-country
skiers are a result of overuse due to the
repetitive nature of skiing. This includes

Sport: Forever

> A humble writer's goodbye

Davie Wong
Sports Editor

 

A: you can tell from the title, this
isn’t going to be a cheery piece. In
fact, it’s my last article as the Sports
Editor for the Other Press. For two
and a half years, I’ve had the privilege
of calling this paper my primary
occupation. But all things come to
an end, and as my time at the Other
Press closes, I want to reflect on the
importance of sports, to myself, and
likely so many others out there.
Growing up, I moved around a lot,
so the only real constant in my life was
my family—and sports. Whether it was
soccer, hockey, or basketball, I knew
that I always had sport, and that was
comforting. As my life grew more stable,
sports shifted from being a constant, to
an outlet. I used sports to meet people,
make friends, and when I started
playing rugby, to hit people. Gruesome,

I know.

Teenage depression hit me like a
truck, so I used sports to get through it.
Although high school sucked, I knew if I
just got through the day, I could go play
sports and be good at something. Sport
was always there for me when I needed
it to be, but don’t be fooled! Sport is a
cruel mistress.

Towards the end of high school,

I tore my rotator cuff in training.

It was a devastating injury which I
never fully recovered from. As I found
myself on the outside looking in, and
even cut from my high school team, I
thought my life with sport was done.

I resigned myself to only watching

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
     
 
    

such
things as knee

pain, rotator cuff and tendon

damage, and lower back pain. Acute
injuries can include ankle sprains, thumb
dislocations and the ever-popular groin
sprain.

Snowshoeing

All of the fun outdoor exercise of cross-
country skiing without the risk of
running into a tree. Snowshoeing has
gone from a necessity for fur trappers
on the Canadian Shield to a sport that is
basically jogging in clown shoes. Modern
snowshoes are small, light and designed
to both grip as well as keep you above
the snow. If you are an avid hiker in the
warmer months this might be the sport

sports, but little did I know that was
the best thing I could have done. I was
already quite knowledgeable about
sports, and spectating gave me another
angle to comprehend. When I got

the opportunity to become a Sports
Reporter at the Other Press, my heart
leapt.

It’s been a long two years since
then, and I’ve never felt more connected
to sports than I do now, despite not
having played a pickup game in years.
But as sports are, you have to be active
about it. Sport doesn’t just happen, you
make it happen, and you have to get a
little lucky. I was lucky enough to have
the backing of the Other Press as I

C C It's been a long two years since, and I've never felt
more connected to sports that I do now, despite
not having played a pickup game in years”

 

for you.
Like hiking, though, there is a great
risk of getting lost or injured in the
backcountry. North Shore Search
and Rescue advise sticking
to the snowshoe trails
and keeping a charged
cellphone handy in
case something goes
wrong. Many snowshoers
overestimate their skill and
underestimate the weather
and terrain—the results can

be deadly.

Ice fishing
Cut a hole
in the ice
and throw
out a line.
Ice fishing
can bea great
activity for
those who aren't
looking to overexert
themselves. The culture
and social nature around
the activity is prevalent and
there are many festivals and
competitions, as well as many
viable lakes throughout the interior
of British Columbia that allows such
activities. Just remember to get a fishing
licence.

Oh, and check the thickness of the
ice. Thiels et al noted in their 2016 study
of American ice fishing injuries that “Ice
fishing is associated with more severe
injury patterns and more thermal injuries
and immersion injuries than traditional
fishing.” It is recommended that you also
know the area and not set up near inlets
or running water.

So if you do decide to go out and
enjoy yourself this winter, play smart and
stay safe. As for me, | will be engaging
in some professional level wine mulling,
and that’s about it.

pursued new ways to write about sports.
I was lucky enough to have the support
of Douglas College, who gave me
opportunities to be a part of something
so much bigger than myself.

Through the ups and the downs,
sport has always been there, and always
will be. It’s give and take, a fight all the
way, but it’s so rewarding. No matter if
you're an athlete, a coach, a writer, or
even an outsider looking in, sport will
always be there. As I move forward with
my life, I know that sport will always be
with me.

Thank you to all of the readers. No
matter how much we at the Other Press
joke about no one reading us, we know
youre out there. Thank you to everyone
who has ever mentored, taught, or
coached. It’s you that passes the torch
that allows sport to shine. Thank you to
my colleagues, who have always pushed
me to better myself. And thank you to
sport, for always being there. Sport,
forever.

Illustration by Ed Appleby