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With winter just around the corner, your kids will be itching to get outside and participate in cold weather activities. The problem is that with the colder weather comes the increased risk that your child may suffer an injury from a winter sport. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, sports such as snowboarding or sledding account for a substantial number of visits to hospital emergency rooms each year. The majority of injuries experienced included:

A recent study by Canadian researchers found that football players were at a higher risk of injury during practice and games that were played in the wintertime. Out of the five most common injuries studied, the risk for ankle and shoulder injuries rose by almost 150 percent. While some of the increase in injuries may be related to sports equipment reacting differently to colder temperatures, it’s important not to forget the colder weather’s effect on your body. Your muscles get tight and you have decreased mobility.

Is hockey the most dangerous sport? What about skiing or snowboarding? There’s something about a winter sports injury, where speed is often coupled with cold weather, that can make athletes (and their parents) particularly nervous.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 220,000 patients were treated for injuries from winter sports during the year 2017. This data includes visits to doctor’s offices, hospitals, and emergency departments. So winter injuries can be common–but there are steps you can take to avoid them, especially if you’re an active winter athlete.

One of the most feared injuries for athletes is an ACL tear. As one of the four ligaments that stabilize the knee, a minor tear or complete rupture of the ACL could mean months of recovery or possibly an end to playing sports. An injury to the ACL can cause the knee to give out and increase the possibility of injuring other parts of the knee.

Most ACL injuries occur from:

• Abruptly changing directions while running – such as in basketball, football, soccer, skiing, volleyball and more
• Falling after a jump or landing wrong
• Weak muscles that have affected the stability of the knee
• Receiving a direct blow to the knee