- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preteenagers today articles
- preteenagers today q&a
- teenagers today articles
- teenagers today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Avoiding Early Injury
Advice from a U.S. Ski and Snowboard Teams' Doctor
RICE. Few sports enthusiasts are unfamiliar with this term, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Dr. Plancher recommends icing a sore joint in 30-minutes-on/30-minutes-off intervals for up to three hours. "If swelling and pain remain the same or worsen during that time, patients should seek medical attention," he says.
Consult an expert. Skiers and snowboarders who want the fastest possible return to the season should consult an orthopedic sports medicine physician to evaluate the injury. "There are many options – from physical therapy to orthopedic braces and other devices – that can help speed healing and hasten a patient's return to the slopes," Dr. Plancher says. "In addition, an orthopedic specialist can provide a number of leading-edge surgical options that reduce both the invasiveness and the recovery time usually associated with surgery. It can be possible today to have injuries surgically repaired in October or November, and be back on the slopes for the new year."
Kevin D. Plancher, M.D., M.S., F.A.C.S., F.A.A.O.S, is a leading orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine expert with extensive practice in knee, shoulder, elbow and hand injuries. Dr. Plancher is an associate clinical professor in orthopedics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in N.Y.