Going on holiday is the perfect time to let loose and forget all your inhibitions. Nowadays, there are plenty of activities you can try, especially extreme sports. There’s bungee jumping, snowboarding, skiing, jet skiing, and many more. And it doesn’t matter where you go. It seems like almost every vacation destination today wants visitors to have fun and experience the high of an adrenaline rush. But the question here is – how safe are extreme sports? What risks and medical emergencies should you avoid when participating in them?The risks of performing Extreme Sports on Holiday and about the emergencies that might happen and you should avoid.
How risky are extreme sports?
When you’re traveling alone or with family members, the risk depends on a variety of factors. For example, seniors may need to err on the safe side and avoid dangerous activities. But, it doesn’t mean that because of your advanced age, you’re already excluded. What you can do to be prepared for emergencies is to have some type of alert system that notifies your loved ones. What’s great about having an alert system is that your family will never have to worry whenever you’re on holiday.
Regardless of if you feel you’re relatively strong or healthy to engage in extreme sports, accidents can still happen. That’s why it’s good to protect yourself, such as having travel insurance that includes incidents relating to these activities.
Medical emergencies associated with extreme sports
Now that we’ve established that there is a real risk in adrenaline-pumping extreme activities and sports, let’s take a closer look at the possible medical emergencies that can occur after an accident.
- Spinal injury and broken bones. You may consider yourself lucky if all you get is a sprain or one broken bone. There are many athletes who’ve been through much worse – imagine what can happen to an untrained professional who is engaging in the sport for the first time. A severe spinal injury could either leave you paralyzed or cause fatality.
- Cuts and bruises. Getting a few cuts and bruises won’t deter anyone from trying an extreme sport. But, you need to be careful, especially if you have any other underlying health conditions which may worsen the condition.
- Paralysis. Apart from fatality, one of the most severe medical emergencies associated with extreme activities is paralysis.
All these examples are directly related to accidents, but there are also indirect effects that may result in a medical emergency. A person suffering from a heart condition shouldn’t participate in them because too much excitement may lead to a heart attack. The same also applies to individuals who suffer from high blood pressure.
Final thoughts
Many reputable travel destinations do take pride in the safety protocols employed for extreme sports. However, your health and safety are still within your control. If you want to engage in exciting and fun activities while on holiday, think about the risks associated with each sport. Also, you need to consider your capacity to withstand the excitement and the adrenaline rush. As much as possible, work your way up the ladder of extreme sports to get a better feel of what you can and can’t handle.
