Skier's Thumb - A painful risk on the slopes
Hitting the ski slopes this winter?
Dr. Charles Leinberry of the Rothman Institute at Jefferson University Hospital says to beware of Skier's thumb - a painful ligament injury of the hand.
"Dr. Leinberry describes it. "It's when they fall and the pole serves as a fulcrum to stretch the thumb away from the hand. Some people will noticeably feel a pop when it occurs, and will feel immediate pain and swelling in the joint."
Dr. Leinberry, a long time skiier, says complete ligament tears may need surgery, but lesser tears will usually get better by immobolizing the thumb in a cast or brace for 4 to 6 weeks.
He says if you fall on the slopes, let go of your pole - it could save your thumb.
And if you are one of the many who prefers snowboarding, broken bones are the big risk, especially for two accident-prone groups.
"One is the new snowboarders, that are just trying it, that don't realize that as soon as you're going to catch that edge, you'll fall. The second group are the high-risk boarders, who go for the half-pipes, the jumps, the rails," Dr. Leinberry says.
He admits to more than a few falls on the snowboarding slopes.
Dr. Leinberry says warming up before taking to the snow reduces injuries.
New Scholarship For Women in Science & Medicine
We have an update on our story on Karen Morris-Priester, the first grandmother to graduate from Yale Medical School.
Ambi, the cosmetics maker who helped pay Karen's medical school bills, has now created an ongoing scholarship inspired by her.
The $10,000 scholarships will be given to 5 Hispanic and African American women studying science or medicine.
The scholarship is open to African-American and Hispanic women who are legal residents of the United States, applicants must be 21 years of age or older and will also be asked to demonstrate financial need. Submissions will be accepted online through March 21, 2008.
"This scholarship is wonderful because it offers invaluable financial support towards making the dream a reality," says Dr. Morris-Priester
By the way, Karen's story could become a prime-time movie! Stay tuned.
