From its emergence in ancient times to a series
of recent accidents, this is what happens when ice skating goes wrong Today’s video was requested by Ray Evan Henley. If you have any other topics you’d like to
learn about, subscribe and let us know in the comment section below. Ice skating is gliding across the surface
of the ice by means of self-propulsion with the use of metal-bladed skates. Movement is enabled by a combination of friction
and velocity. The fact that surface ice is made up of molecules
less tightly bound than the ice mass below is what allows skates to glide over it. Some evidence suggests ice skating originated
in the south of Finland more than 4,000 years ago. During that time it was most likely a means
of conserving energy during winter journeys. Ice skates were further developed in the Middle
Age and their basic design has largely stayed the same since then. Ice skating spread and, while many still enjoyed
it as a pastime, it also slowly grew into various sports. Today, it’s practiced all-over the world
and there are a number of risks associated with it. Although rare, severe injuries and even deaths
have occurred. Number 5 Olga Prokuronova
In 2006, Olga Prokuronova and partner Karel Stefl were skating at the European Championships,
in Lyon. At some point Stefl lost his balance during
a lasso lift. This type of lift meant that Stefl had to
raise his partner overhead in a hand to hand press where both skaters were facing the same
direction. As Stefl lost his balance, the momentum generated
by the lift launched Prokuronova head-first into the ice. She landed hard on the side of her face and
her neck snapped sharply as her body tumbled forward. The 16-year-old remained on the ice for several
seconds before her partner helped her to her feet. She recovered from the injury but it was subsequently
reported that Prokuronova declined to resume her partnership with Stefl. Before we move on, it’s time for our quiz
question. Where did the bladed ice skate design emerge? Was it:
a. Norway
b. Sweden
c. Netherlands d. Denmark
Let us know what you think in the comments section below and stay tuned to find out the
right answer! Ice skating can be done for recreation, exercise
or travel and it’s also practiced in the form of various sports such as ice hockey,
figure skating, speed skating, ice cross downhill and others. It can be practiced both outdoors and indoors
in specialized arenas, parks or tracks but also on naturally-frozen bodies of water such
as lakes, rivers or ponds. Ice skating-related activities are generally
most common in countries with prolonged winter periods such as Canada, Russia, the northern
US and the Scandinavian countries. Number 4 Jessica Dube
In February 2007, Jessica Dube and partner Bryce Davison were participating in the free
skate segment of the Four Continents Championship, in Colorado. They were both rotating in a side-by-side
camel spin, a move in which one leg is extended horizontally. On the third spin, they drifted too close
together and Davison skate connected to Dube’s face. She fell to the ice instantly and clutched
her face as blood pooled on the ice. She was rushed to the hospital where she had
surgery to fix the deep laceration on her nose and cheek. Dube required 83 stitches but there was no
permanent damage. The pair were treated for post-traumatic stress
disorder and returned to compete together several months later. Injuries are common in ice skating, regardless
of the activity associated with it. Figure skaters execute flips and turns at
high speeds, which may result in sprained or broken joints as well as serious head trauma. There have been instances of short track speed
skaters becoming paralyzed after they collided with the boarding. The combination of speed and the hard surface
can produce fatal head or neck injuries. The skates themselves are sharp and may cause
serious cuts to the face and neck, particularly in pair skating or ice-hockey. Skating on a frozen body of water runs the
risk of falling through the surface of the ice where death can come from shock, drowning
or hypothermia. Number 3 Elaine Warwick
In 2009, Elaine Warwick was skating at a public rink in the town of Lockerbie, in south-western
Scotland. In what was described as a “freak accident”
the 23-year-old fell and hit her head on the ice. Trained first aid staff attempted to resuscitate
her as police and emergency services were called to the rink. Tragically, Elaine was pronounced dead at
the scene. There were over 60 people at the ice rink
and none of them reported anything suspicious about what happened. It seems that head trauma from the fall was
the root cause of Warwick’s death. Number 2 Clint Malarchuk
Former goaltender Clint Malarchuk had one of the most graphic injuries in the history
of ice hockey. In 1989, Malarchuk’s Buffalo Sabres played
at home against the St. Louis Blues. At one point during the game, Steve Tuttle,
of the Blues, and Uwe Krupp, Malarchuk’s teammate, crashed into the goal. In the collision, Tuttle’s skate blade hit
the front of Malarchuk’s neck, severing his carotid artery. Blood started gushing out of the goaltender’s
neck. The injury was so brutal that, upon seeing
it, eleven attending supporters fainted, two had heart attacks and three players vomited
on the ice. Malarchuk believed he was going to die and
only wanted to get off the ice so that his mother, who was watching the game on TV, wouldn’t
see him. His life was saved by the Sabres’ athletic
trainer, who was a former Army combat medic. He pinched off the blood vessels and didn’t
let go until doctors stabilized the wound. Malarchuk survived after losing more than
3 pints of blood. The six-inch wound on the goaltender’s neck
required about 300 stitches. Amazingly, he was back on the ice only ten
days later. The risks of ice skating on a professional
level are well-understood by those involved. Staying safe is thus a combination of physical
fitness, proper technique and equipment as well as extensive training. For those that practice skating on naturally-frozen
bodies of water the most dangerous aspect is falling through the ice. Survival at that point depends on your ability
to stay calm and follow a few key steps. Do this quickly as you have roughly 15 minutes
before your muscles lose function. Even though the cold water will knock your
air out, don’t thrash around and try to stabilize your breathing. Stay above the water. Lose any heavy gear but keep your clothes
on as they will create air pockets and help you stay afloat. The direction you came in is the easiest way
out, as the ice is most likely stronger there. Get your arms onto the solid surface and use
anything sharp as an anchoring point. Kick your legs parallel to the ice and roll
or shimmy onto the solid surface. Keep your body flat and don’t stand up,
as it will concentrate your weight and crack the ice. Once you’re out, your next priorities are
getting warm and, if needed, getting medical attention. So, where did the modern ice skate emerge? The right answer was c, the Netherlands. Up until the 13th or 14th century, skates
didn’t have blades which cut into the ice and simply went on top of it. Then the Dutch added steel blades with sharpened
edges, which aided movement. By doing so they offered the world a design
that has fundamentally remained unchanged throughout the years. Number 1 Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin
Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin are pair skating royalty, having earned a number of
gold medals together, including one at the 2006 Olympic Games. The darkest moment for the pair came two years
prior, at the 2004 Skate America, in Pittsburgh. Marinin was executing a move called an axel
lasso lift, in which he lifted Totmianina above his head. He suddenly lost his balance and his partner
was slammed head-first into the ice. The accident looked horrifying but Totmianina
eventually recovered and returned to the ice within days. She didn’t remember the accident nor did
she blame her partner and was unafraid to perform. Marinin, on the other hand, had to consult
a sport psychologist before he could lift her again. Thanks for watching! Would you rather fall through the ice with
nothing but a knife in your hand or ice-skate down a tall frozen slope without any protective
gear?