Updated August 22, 2025
If you ride long enough, you’re going to get hurt. That’s the truth nobody likes to admit. I’ve torn through layers of clothing on icy landings, tweaked knees on bad falls and seen more than one friend leave the mountain in a sled.
The risk is baked into the sport. You’re strapping into a plank and pointing it down a mountain covered in ice, trees, jumps and other people (who may or may not have a clue what they’re doing).
The question isn’t “is it dangerous?” The question is “how do you stack the odds in your favor?”
What the Research Shows
A 2019 systematic review pulled together data from six countries — Austria, Canada, France, Norway, Spain and the US. Out of 66 studies, only 13 were solid enough to make the cut. The focus was simple: where are people getting injured most, and what factors make it more likely?
The big split came between two terrain types:
Terrain Parks (TP): jumps, rails, halfpipes, man-made features.
Regular Slopes: groomed runs, off-piste, natural terrain.
No shocker here — the park came out as the riskiest place to ride. The most common cause of severe injury? Falls during aerials or after jumps. I’ve seen this in real life over and over. Someone feels good after clearing the beginner line, then steps up to the big kicker with no idea how much more speed it takes. They come up short, case the landing and it’s a yard sale.
Who Gets Hurt (and Why)
Age
Park injuries skew younger. Teenagers and twenty-somethings are the ones lapping rails and trying spins until close. They heal faster, they take more risks, and they think they’re invincible.
Activity
Snowboarders are about four times more likely than skiers to be in the park. That means more upper body and head injuries for us. Skiers, on the other hand, rack up lower leg and knee injuries. Ever seen someone blow an ACL on a slow-speed twist? Brutal.
Skill Level
Here’s the funny thing — self-rated “experts” actually got hurt more often in the park. Two to three times more likely, in fact. Makes sense when you think about it. Beginners stick to the small stuff. Experts push for harder spins, bigger drops, trickier rails. When it goes wrong at that level, it goes really wrong. I once watched a rider stomp a clean 720, hike back up, try the 9, and get knocked out cold on the landing. It happens that fast.
Helmet Use
Plenty of injured park riders were wearing helmets. That’s not proof helmets don’t work, it’s just that many parks require them, so most people already have one on. Helmets help, but they don’t turn you into Superman.
Sex
Men were four to eight times more likely than women to get injured in the park. In my experience teaching, this isn’t because women aren’t sending it — it’s because guys are more likely to charge something blind. I’ve seen plenty of dudes ride into features they had no business touching. Women usually build skills more deliberately, and it shows.
Weird but Real Risk Factors
The research also flagged some odd patterns.
Snowboarders were more likely to get hurt in temps between 14 and 32°F. Probably because that’s when the snow isn’t soft enough to cushion a bad fall.
Riding at night showed up as higher risk. Darker, icier and more crowded — not exactly a winning combo.
Not listening to music was linked with higher risk. Go figure. Maybe the ones with headphones in are just more relaxed.
For skiers, self-rated novices were more likely to get injured in the park. Especially on jumps. Picture someone barely able to parallel turn, suddenly trying to clear a tabletop.
The Takeaway
Most of this lines up with what any seasoned rider already knows. Younger, risk-taking riders who push progression in sketchy conditions are more likely to get hurt. Experts eat it harder because they’re trying harder tricks. Skiers blow knees. Snowboarders crack wrists and shoulders.
But here’s the bigger lesson: injury prevention isn’t just about wrapping yourself in pads and hoping for the best. It’s about stacking small advantages.
Get stronger in the off-season.
Learn how to fall properly.
Sleep and eat like you actually care about recovery.
Pay attention to weather and snow conditions.
Choose the right moment to push yourself.
Progression is the soul of skiing and snowboarding. Landing something new feels better than just cruising the same line over and over. But the best riders I know are selective about when they push it. They wait for softer snow. They back off when the wind is howling across the park. They ride smart, because they want to ride for years, not just for one big clip on Instagram.
For me, the risks are worth it. Snowboarding has given me too much joy to ever quit. But the joy only lasts if you respect the mountain, respect your body, and know when to walk away. That’s the real skill.
And if all else fails, load up on knee pads, wrist guards and impact shorts!
