How to Fall While Snowboarding to Avoid Serious Injury

For more than a decade, Jason Altzman has headed Aero Marketing Group (AeroMKG.com) as principal. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, this firm provides promotional marketing and events services to companies in the automotive industry. For recreation, Jason Altzman enjoys heading to the slopes to snowboard whenever possible.

Beginner snowboarders quickly learn that falling is a part of the improvement process. At the same time, learning to fall safely can help boarders avoid injury in both the present and the future. The first lesson in falling safely is wearing quality protective gear, including wrist guards, goggles, and helmets. Beginners may want to add pads for their knees, chest, torso, or hips.

The correct way to fall depends on the fall’s circumstances. When falling forward, snowboarders should keep their forearms in front of their bodies and attempt to land on knees and then arms. The most important point is avoiding falling on hands since this typically leads to wrist injuries.

When falling backward, snowboarders can reduce their risk of injury by tucking the chin down, which keeps the back of the head from striking the ground. Ideally, individuals land on their buttocks and then roll onto the back. As with forward falls, there is a risk of instinctively reaching the hands out to brace the fall, but again, this should be avoided to protect against wrist injury.