 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi,
Wondered if anyone could give me some advice or share their experiences.
I broke my wrist at the end of december. Supposed to be going skiing on 25th January, which will be 4 weeks since the injury.
Its in a lower arm fibreglass cast. I was not going to ski at all but still go along for the rest of the holiday but my arm is starting to feel better and i'm thinking of maybe doing a little bit. I'm an intermediate-advanced skier and we are going with a few beginners so I'm thinking of seeing how my arm feels and taking it easy just doing nursery slopes/blues with them.
Has anyone skied with a broken arm/wrist before?
Also can anyone advise on insurance. Surprisingly I can get winter sports cover with a broken arm disclosed.
However policies say things such as not covered if
"accident directly or indirectly caused by pre-existing condition"
"not taking reasonable precautions to avoid injury"
"traveling against medical advice" - i'm not travelling against medical advice but unlikely that doctors would be happy for me to ski
These seem like grey areas that IF anything did happen they could argue to avoid paying out despite covering me for winter sports with a broken arm.
I will have my E111/EHIC card with me and am planning on getting carte neige insurance too. Does anyone know if this will cover me IF something happened and they found out was skiing with a broken arm?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
I can't speak to the insurance questions, but I broke my wrist last January in Lech (snowboarding). I had surgery there, and was told by the surgeon that I'd be able to ride again in eight weeks. I left Lech thinking I'd be back on the slopes again by the end of the season. However, I decided against it. It just takes too long to get full mobility back. Plus, my physio therapist strongly urged me not to, as I could do even worse damage if I fell on it again. Looking back at it, I'm glad I took my time to heal. This season I'm back, strong as ever. Good luck, and I hope you heal well!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
aprilsnow,
I skied a week in the Three Valleys with my arm in a cast. I didn't think twice about doing it, but apparently I should have informed my insurer of my pre-existing condition before the holiday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
aprilsnow, yes you certainly need to declare that
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
My friend managed to dislocate her shoulder on the second day of a ski holiday in a weird ski pole related fall. She had a sling and was told not to ski for the rest of the week. After a couple of days in the apartment, she was going stir crazy and decided to risk skiing. She skied cautiously on blue pistes although the injury actually made her quite tense and defensive, and she ended up falling (rushing turns). As she fell, knowing that she was going down on the side of her injured shoulder, she twisted to protect it......dislocating her knee instead. While I appreciate that the circumstances are not quite the same, do think twice in terms of skiing. Only you and the doctors know how healed you are. Also, even if you don't fall often, nothing is stopping someone hitting you from behind (especially an out of control beginner). That being said, if it was me, I'd be seriously considering risking it as I love the snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I doubt it would be ready for you to ski on and if you are intending on doing it make sure you let your insurance company know
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I skied with a broken wrist and had no issues - however please don't take that as advice or encouragement, merely fact!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He who dares!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
aprilsnow,
Your main concern is if your fell very heavily you may break the arm at the top of the plaster.
But i have sent plenty of people off skiing if the break is relatively minor ( not into the joint) and they accept some risk
Jonathan Bell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I skied with a broken scaphoid last Christmas, first day was exactly a week after the break. Mine was in a thermoplastic splint and apart from having to buy a huge glove to fit over it I didn't have a problem, apart from a crash where I ended up dropping my pole in deep snow and losing it. Kept on icing it after each day skiing, easy with the amount of snow around. Declared the accident to the insurance (already purchased before accident) and they didn't have an issue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
At Easter my daughter skied 8 days after having screws put in her hand. She was in a cast and skied pole less and stayed away from the busy pistes. We got full cover, including for the existing injury for the 2 of us for £70 for the year including
an extra 30 because of the hand. As we are going in February this year it has covered us for both trips. Company was Goinsure. Very helpful, very supportive and full insurance cover with no restrictions so covered us for summer as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
I'm skiing with a broken scaphoid right now, a couple of weeks after the break. Actually I broke it snowboarding, and I've been forever saying I'm going to learn to ski so this seemed like a good forced opportunity since I wouldn't snowboard with this injury, given that snowboard falls are frequently fore/aft whereas ski falls are frequently sideways.
(Well, in fact I did snowboard with it last week because I wanted to watch the SBX World Cup in Arcalís (Andorra) and the only way to get to the course was by sliding. I told myself I'd get the lift back down, but then I decided to take the easy green piste; and then due to the ridiculous hordes of observers, competitors and organizers making their way down the same piste I went off-piste instead to the car park. Which taught me (1) that I don't have enough self control to risk snowboarding with the injury, and (2) the risk of falling on a board due to having limited movement means you have to go so slowly and carefully that it's not sufficiently enjoyable anyway.)
I stick the broken wrist under the chest strap of my rucksack to prevent instinctively extending it if I fall. It's working pretty well, though of course as a beginner I'm only doing easy blues, and only on mid-week days on quiet pistes so there is a pretty low risk of collision. I still managed to have a fall the other day in very flat light at the end of the afternoon, when I couldn't tell the difference between a blue stick and a black one and hence found myself on an unpisted black instead of my nice blue, at which point I promptly fell awkwardly, had the pole from the other hand twist awkwardly, and ended up coming down on my other wrist :-O. It still hurts a little bit; I'm telling myself it's fine and that the lesson is "ski only in great visibility and don't use pole straps" rather than "don't ski with a broken wrist"  .
I'm probably being idiotic (and I really really really don't want two broken wrists!). But I can no sooner not be on the mountain than not breathe!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I have terrible wrists too, for different reasons, falling off my snowboard makes the ganglions in my wrist hurt, A LOT! Self control's a tough thing, there's always another excuse to be made. I use a cold compression wrap to get the swelling down fast when I do fall on them, they are so awesome, much of your pain is from inflammation, it also prevents proper blood flow which repairs the damaged tissues, but it does help to protect you from yourself if your going to do things like board with a broken wrist  Check out this cold compression wrap, well worth it.
http://www.kingbrand.com/Wrist-Ice-Packs-and-wraps.php?REF=52PV19
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@aprilsnow, how did it go?
I broke my wrist at Xmas, was out of plaster after 4 weeks, and then out to grimentz a day later. Just back from that, had a great time. Wore a wrist brace whilst skiing, which was mostly guided off piste.
Wrist was quite stiff after being in plaster, and I think the activity was beneficial overall.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Elizabeth B wrote: |
| I skied with a broken wrist and had no issues - however please don't take that as advice or encouragement, merely fact! |
I broke a wrist, very badly and had Xfix for the first 4 to 5 weeks then a fibreglass cast. The second I had the cast I started mountain biking into work. Absolutely stupid but I was not allowed to drive and didn't have a practical alternative.
I don't know if skiing would be better or worse than riding rolling trails on an MTB. I can imagine that it will be uncomfortable and awkward. I can see lifts being awkward, how did you get on?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
@aprilsnow, On the insurance front, if you do not inform your company prior to leaving you will leave the door open to them being able to deny you compensation.
You are responsible in informing your insurance company of any illnesses, impediments etc outside the norm of a "normal, fit" (can be open to interpretation) person prior to travel.
Unfortunately, yes this could mean an increase to your premium or even them stating that they will not cover you.
If you do not inform them and you have an accident even minor and not on the slope and not related to your arm/wrist, your claim could be invalidated.
Hence better safe than sorry...
Most insurance companies could/would ask the following:
- How long ago
- Severity
- State of repair
- Doctors current opinion and if available "clearance" to ski, even if still weak
- X-Rays
Normally you will be advised that you would be cleared to ski, however, should you re-injure your wrist/arm, unless you had additional cover, you will not be covered.
Hope that helps...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
