Ride long enough, and eventually there's a decent chance of hurting or even breaking your ribs while snowmobiling in the mountains.

How to Deal with Broken Ribs in the Backcountry

Broken ribs and other chest injuries can be caused by a hard impact with the handlebars, trees or rocks; a high-speed crash; or an awkward sled rollover.

Here’s some advice on how to deal with a broken ribs while snowmobiling in the backcountry!

The priorities are:

Quick, gentle transport Keep the patient warm and conformable Monitor vitals—airway, breathing and circulation.

With first-aid, there’s not a lot that responders can do in this situation, as the injuries are internal. However, recognizing the signs of an emergency situation and quickly getting the patient to help are key!