It’s mid-March, but plenty of ski days are left on the calendar. That means plenty of opportunities for injury, too. It’s not hard to see why: high speeds, hard snow, an inability to be honest with ourselves about our true skill levels. But many of our springtime pains are preventable, notes the Vail Daily. Skiing puts a lot of strain on the knees, because the ski itself forces pressure up the leg and into the knee. Avoid the exertion by getting off the mountain when you’re fatigued or late in the day, when the light is low and the snow turns hard.

For boarders, wrists sustain the most common injuries: It’s instinctual to put out our hands when we catch an edge, but doctors recommend falling on our butts or our knees. Also, strap on a wrist guard. “I’ve never seen a big fracture with someone who was wearing a wrist guard,” says emergency physician Chip Woodland.