Skier's Thumb Causes

Skiing accidents are the most common causes of damage to the ligament that cause the injury known as skier's thumb. Injuries of this ligament make up 8-10% of all skiing accidents.

• More specifically, a fall on an outstretched hand with a ski pole in the palm of your hand creates the force necessary to stress the thumb and stretch or tear the ligament.
  
  
• A simple fall on an outstretched hand with an empty palm usually does not create this same force. However, your thumb can also be injured if it jams into packed snow at high velocity.
  
  
• Another less common cause of this injury is an automobile crash when the driver has the thumb alone draped over the steering wheel.
  
  
• Any injury in which the thumb is abnormally bent backward or to the side can cause skier's thumb.