| Ice skating is not all glamor and grace. There are also | | | | controlled should hinder skaters from trying to skate on |
| inherent dangers, and all ice skaters, especially the | | | | frozen bodies of water. Once they fall, it will be very |
| beginners, should be aware of these. In the year 2007 | | | | hard, if not impossible, to get back onto the ice or out |
| alone, 4,500 skaters were injured in Austria, requiring | | | | of the water, as the ice tend to break in a continuous |
| hospital care. Wrist and head injuries topped the list. | | | | manner. This becomes even more hazardous when |
| The Fall | | | | the skater has no company while skating on |
| Falling on ice is the first danger to be considered, | | | | naturally-occurring rinks. In the depths of the freezing |
| whether skating indoors or outdoors. It not only | | | | water, it will be very difficult to swim because of the |
| depends on the skills of the ice skater, but also on the | | | | skates and heavy winter clothing, so there is a big |
| quality of the ice surface, as well the ice skates used. | | | | chance for the skater to drown or suffer from shock |
| Serious and fatal injuries are very rare, though, but | | | | and hypothermia. |
| there are isolated cases of paralysis after falling on ice. | | | | When skating outdoors, one has to remember that the |
| The skate blades also present one potential cause of | | | | ice is thinner, and therefore weaker, in areas near river |
| danger, as it is very sharp it can slice skin and cause | | | | or pond edges because of vegetation and higher |
| injuries. This emphasizes the need to wear protective | | | | temperature. Ice is also weak under bridges and areas |
| gear, especially helmets, for avoidance of head trauma | | | | with most sunlight exposure, also because of warmer |
| or other similar injuries caused by falling on a skates | | | | temperature. |
| metal blades. | | | | Because of these ice skating dangers, people need to |
| Skating Outdoors | | | | be educated about wearing appropriate protective |
| Moving and gliding on frozen waterways is still an | | | | gear and, if possible, staying out of frozen waterways |
| observable fact. As natural ice is unpredictable in | | | | when skating, or, if they really want to, they need to |
| terms of strength and structure, there is a potential | | | | know the thickness of the ice first before putting their |
| danger of falling into freezing water whenever the ice | | | | skates on and starting to move on ice. |
| breaks. The fact that the ice conditions cannot be | | | | |