Preventing Knee Injuries in Skiers
Knee injuries are rather common in skiers. While skiing is a fun sport that can be enjoyed at a wide variety of skill levels, it has its associated risks due to the speed and set up of the skis. Some level of risk cannot be removed from a sport, but there are some tips that can help you reduce injury risk and more safely enjoy the sport that you love. Some of these tips will discuss your physical preparedness for skiing and others will be targeted at some facets of the sport where we see patients get injured more frequently.
Build Quad Strength with Squats and Side Planks
Skiing is just one long squat! If you ski frequently, make sure that you squat and work on your lateral chain (muscles that move you side to side) in the off season so that your first few ski sessions are better off.
For less frequent skiers, it is challenging to expect yourself to be good at an activity that you only do a few times per year. One of your only options to prepare yourself for skiing without actually skiing is to strength train by squatting. Becoming fatigued from skiing over the course of a day or over a week-long trip is a big cause of injury. Preparing yourself for these trips will treat you well!
While a general fitness and strength program will help reduce your injury risk, specifically working on squatting, side to side movements, and quadricep strength will better prepare you for the demands of skiing. Here are a few exercises targeted at skiers!
Know Your Fitness Level
Very few of us have the time to stay fit year-round, or have the genetics to hop into any sport and perform at a high level. Many of us have jobs, families, and responsibilities that limit the time needed to be variable athletes. Make sure you have an understanding of where your fitness level is prior to pushing yourself.
Some simple tips
Know when to call it quits for the day. When you get tired, injuries happen more easily due to muscle fatigue and decreased decision making ability
Know how long that you are used to exercising for. If you are not accustomed to exercising or being active for 3+ hours, skiing for that duration may be difficult
Be careful working out back to back days If you’re not used to working out back to back days, make sure not to push to your limit each day. If you are on a three day trip, don’t burn yourself out on day one
Know Your Skill Level and the Terrain
My number 1 rule is to ski so you can ski another run. Be safe and smart, especially if you do not know the terrain. While many injuries are due to fitness ability in skiing, many more are due to mistakes made based on skill level, not knowing the mountain, or ignoring the conditions.
Be Careful Around the Lifts and Slow Spots
Keep your guard up around highly trafficked slow areas. Skiers with less skill and experience may have difficulty with some of the movements you need to make to navigate the lift areas or slow spots where you still have skis on. Keep your head up to watch for collisions and situations where your ski can get trapped causing your knee to rotate in ways it is not designed to.
Be Careful of that Last Run of the Day!
This is a smart and simple tip. We have already discussed that you will become fatigued across the day. This gets compounded with the desire to have a great and fun last run! Make sure you keep this in mind as you take on the last run of the day. Consider making it a leisurely run, not your speediest and most challenging.
I Injured Myself Skiing. Now What?
If you suffered an injury skiing, request an appointment so we can best determine your situation and create your personalized rehabilitation plan. You may need x-rays or take other orthopedic measures in order to recover properly, but we can guide you to the right medical professionals to ensure seamless care. No referral is needed to visit with us so call our office if you have more questions.