Snowboarding puts limbs at peril.

Snowboarding may be the hottest sport this winter, but increasing injury rates could make it one of the most dangerous, warns Mary A. Bos, chief resident, Department of Orthopaedics, New York University Medical Center. The injuries sustained by snowboarders are primarily to the wrist, forearm, and ankle.

Snowboarders' unusual stance - both feet facing sideways in nonreleasable bindings - is one of the factors contributing to the injuries. "In this position, the only way for the snowboarder to fall is directly forward or backward onto their outstretched hands. The rider can not reposition to break the fall, and the entire impact of the fall is absorbed by the outstretched hands," Bos point out.

The nonreleasable bindings also may be a leading cause of the ankle injuries. "The force that normally allows a ski boot to release from its binding is absorbed by the ankle in a...