Olympics and possible sports injuries

Kim Yu-na, the reigning champion of ladies’ figure skating, falls during her performance at the 2013 Golden Spin of Zagreb, Croatia, in this file photo taken on Dec. 8, 2013. / Yonhap

By Song Sang-ho

All sports fans around the world are zeroing in on the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Koreans’ eyes are on their national team, which will participate in 14 events with its largest contingent of athletes and staff members.

For the athletes, preventing injuries is the most crucial part in achieving their goals and winning events. They are highly exposed to injuries, which may devastate their career, due to the combination of winter sports’ inherent characteristics, speed and the competitive mood of the Olympics.

In the case of joint injuries, these hardly heal naturally and are often aggravated if proper and timely treatment is delayed. Thus, an immediate check-up at a clinic or a hospital is advised for athletes and enthusiasts alike, at the first instance of experiencing pain or injury. There are common injuries occur during sports at the Winter Olympics.

This Olympics is under the spotlight as the retirement stage for Kim Yu-na, the reigning champion of ladies’ figure skating. She has suffered spinal and hip injuries as well as in her feet over the past several years. Figure skaters are prone to chronic injuries due to their tough technique which requires spins, jumps and turns. These frequently cause injuries.

In the case of spiral technique, in which the skater glides on one foot while raising the free leg above hip level, there are risks of spine injuries such as a bulging disc or back sprain. Above all, there is a potential risk of a hip fracture caused by frequent falls on one’s buttocks.

In fact, Kim, who suffers chronic hip pain, had to give up 2008 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championship because of the pain. Falling on ice can cause not only bruises but also joint fractures. Hip fractures are particularly dangerous because natural healing is difficult and severe complications or sometimes disorders that follow. Fracture patients need to wear hip protectors after treatment in order to prevent a potential relapse.

Ski jumping is another event that brings the thrill to both athletes and spectators, as much as it enmeshes athletes in injuries with critical consequences. A ski jumper slides down the take-off ramp to jump over 100 meters, reaching a maximum speed of nearly 200 kilometers per hour. Injuries on landing can lead to fractures or meniscus tears. Thus, it is important for jumpers to bend their knees and maintain a bodily balance at the moment of landing, in order to reduce the stress on their knees.

Fans — as well as professional jumpers — may also hurt their knee or meniscus from poor jumping and improper landing. For its treatment, either physical therapy or drug therapy can be administered in the early stages depending on the severity of the injury. If those therapies are not effective enough, treatment through arthroscopy is highly effective.

In the Sochi Games, people will be able to see women’s ski jumping, which has been introduced for the first time. It will be another part of the fun to predict who will be the first gold medalist.

Last but not the least, there is our favorite short-track speed skating, a sport where multiple skaters compete on an ovoid-shaped ice-track. Many of the injuries occur from athletes bumping into each other or slipping toward the fence while turning the corner.

Skating is a winter sport enjoyed by many, but also one that poses the risk of knee injuries or cuts by sharp skate blades.

So it is always advised to wear a helmet and knee and elbow protectors before skating.

Watching the Winter Olympics is a thrilling experience, but as an orthopedic surgeon, it also keeps me on edge as the risks of injuries in joints always inherently present themselves.

Moreover, winter sports injuries could lead to severe joint injuries and complications, since many of them are played or performed with minimum protective gear. Especially, joint injuries require proper and timely treatment, but many young winter sports fans do not seem to comprehend the dangers.

I wish our national team a streak of luck in an injury-free Winter Olympic Games.

The writer is the president of Wellton Bone & Joint Hospital.