Snowsport Trauma and Safety: Opportunities to Make Snowsports Safer

Snowsports have long attracted individuals with a desire for adventure and an appreciation for the great outdoors. Before the advent of uphill ropeway systems (such as tow ropes, chairlifts, and gondolas), skiers had to climb uphill on snowy, mountainous terrain to capture the thrill and speed of a relatively short descent. Aerial and surface lifts helped change the sport of skiing in dramatic ways, by enticing more people to ski and concentrating skiers in areas near the lifts (into ski resort areas). As the number of skiers increased, so did the number of skiing related injuries and skiing earned the reputation for being a dangerous sport. In the 1970s, a community of medical doctors and engineers joined together to solve the problems related to skiing injuries and improve skiing safety. This group grew into the International Society for Snowsports Safety (ISSS). The objective of the ISSS has been to bring together individuals from many professions to identify, evaluate, and discuss all aspects of safety concerning outdoor, winter sports activities.