Both water skiing and wakeboarding are sports that involve being pulled behind a speedboat while balancing on a device that skims over the water. Water skiers use two long ski-like boards strapped to their feet, while wakeboarders use short, surfboard-like objects that the wakeboarder stands and balances on for an enjoyable thrill ride. Both sports are very popular in the U.S. – about 1.2 million people participate in these sports every year. There are, of course, inherent risks with these sports, primarily from falling onto the water at high speeds. The most common water skiing injuries are ankle strains and sprains because the ankles are bound to the skis and the impact of a fall places high pressure on these parts of the body.
The next most common injury are lacerations of the head and neck due to falling and hitting the water, tow handle, water buoys, etc. Because both sports involve high speeds and the risk of drowning, these sports are considered hazardous and should be exercised with caution. One of the best ways to protect yourself, if you’re planning on participating in these high-risk activities, is to purchase adventure sports coverage. This can provide you with benefits like emergency medical evacuation, repatriation and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
