Winter is a great time for skiing and snowboarding, but unfortunately along with winter sports come winter sports injuries. Twisted and sprained joints, usually the knees and wrists, can range from mild to severe. If you get hurt on the slopes, remember this acronym: RICE. R= Rest the injured area, I= Apply ice, C= Use compression, and E= Elevate the affected area. When the injury is still fresh you want to avoid inflammation, so stay out of the hot tub and take an anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofen.

How do you know if you need to see a doctor? If the injured joint swells and/or you don't have full motion you should seek professional help, or if it isn't getting better after a couple of days. But what's the best thing for winter injuries? Do what you can to minimize the damage, or even avoid getting hurt altogether by taking what precautions you can -- like doing certain exercises well before you head outdoors and scoping out the slopes so you know the terrain.