Experts have warned consumers of the dangers of extreme sports, which often result in the need for
knee surgery.
Sports such as downhill ski racing and snowboarding often involve potentially dangerous stunts which can pose a high risk of injury.
Skiing is known to be the leading cause of winter sports injuries, with many people wrongly believing they are capable of the kind of speeds they see being achieved on television.
Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Michael Archdeacon commented: "Kids watch extreme sporting events on television and they think flying through the air on a snowboard looks easy.
"They don't see all the practice it takes to do that - and they don't see how often extreme athletes get injured while learning their stunts."
Enthusiasts are advised to perform some light exercises prior to indulging in winter sports as this can help to warm up the muscles, tendons and ligaments and reduce their risk of injury.
