With the recent “polar vortex” and multiple storms that have pounded the Midwest and East Coast, winter weather related falls and injuries are definitely a concern. Unstable surfaces from ice and snow are unavoidable winter hazards. Ankle sprains, twisted knees and back injuries are incredibly common during the cold months.
Although racecar driving isn’t often considered a sport, considerable amounts of athletic skills are necessary to bring home a win. In August, Tony Stewart broke his leg after a sprint-car crash. Nicknamed “Smoke,” Stewart has never wavered in his resolve to get back on the track. Since the injury, he’s given his leg time to heal and supplemented the healing process with physical therapy.
In what is best described as a freak accident, a Russian ice worker was hit by a bobsled at the Sanki Sliding Center. Center officials sent an empty forerunning sled to make sure the run was in good condition for the athletes. Three workers were on the track at the time. Two of them noticed the oncoming bobsled and got out of harm’s way. The third suffered two broken legs because of the impact. He was using a motorized air blower and may not have heard the announcement of the oncoming bobsled. The worker had surgery on both legs and is currently in stable condition.
In an unexpected turn of events, Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko withdrew from the competition just moments before he was to perform. Earlier in a warm-up, he performed a triple axle jump and seemed to be in pain as he landed. In mid-2013, he underwent surgery to replace a disc in his back. The prolific skater has had 12 surgeries in all. He decided against risking further injury and bowed out of the Sochi Olympics. Earlier in the 2014 games, he brought home Russia’s first gold medal of the Olympic season.
Last week, during a training run, Olympic hopeful Heidi Kloser fractured her femur and tore ligaments in her knee. Although she’s out for the Sochi Games, she was with her team during opening ceremonies. In true Olympian style, she joined her team using a wheelchair, and later, crutches. She is expected to have surgery within the next few weeks and already has her sights set on the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.
