STEUBENVILLE — As the Ohio Valley enters the peak of the winter season, Trinity Health System is highlighting the importance of physical safety and injury prevention for outdoor enthusiasts.

Winter activities — such as skiing, snowboarding and sledding — provide excellent cardiovascular benefits, but the combination of cold temperatures and high-impact surfaces increases the risk of musculoskeletal trauma. According to the CDC, snowboarding accounts for 25 percent of all winter sports accidents, while sledding contributes to more than 50,000 injuries annually.

“The cold weather in winter activities creates some unique challenges for our muscles and ligaments,” said Dr. Kumar Amin, medical director for Trinity orthopedics. “Our muscles and ligaments will require more time to warm up and prepare for work. Therefore, it is important to have an established and comprehensive warm-up and stretching program prior to participation in winter sports or any outside activity.”

Because the body’s soft tissues — muscles, tendons and ligaments–become less pliable in the cold, they are more susceptible to tearing. Trinity Health System’s clinical teams often see a rise in knee injuries, such as torn meniscuses or ACLs, as the joints absorb the brunt of the shock from skiing or skating.

“In addition to being less pliable, the inflammatory response to injury can often be reduced in the winter because of the cold weather. Particularly in the case of skiing, it takes a lower energy force to sustain a significant ligament injury such as anterior cruciate ligament tears,” Amin said. “So, it is particularly important for the clinician to be aware of this potentially different presentation and to continue to perform a very careful history and physical when evaluating winter sports injuries.”

Trinity recommends the following safety measures:

• Pre-season conditioning: Build strength in the core and lower body before hitting the slopes.

• Thermal layering: Use moisture-wicking layers to maintain a consistent body temperature, reducing the risk of hypothermia and muscle cramping.

• The power of hydration: Cold air masks thirst, but dehydration increases fatigue and slows reaction times, making accidents more likely.

• Protective gear: Helmets are non-negotiable for sledding, skiing and hockey to prevent the concussions that make up 30 percent of sledding-related injuries.

“In Steubenville, we are blessed to be able to experience all four seasons,” said Dr. Aaron Orlosky of Trinity Sports Medicine. “There are multiple reasons that it is important to take proper precautions with outdoor activities through the winter months.

“First and foremost, would be to avoid an acute injury and all of the subsequent downtime or recovery afterward. I also encourage outside activities for the longevity benefits of cold exposure and to avoid becoming deconditioned, which could increase your risk of becoming injured in the nice spring months.”

Trinity is a member of CommonSpirit Health.