How to avoid ski injuries
Here’s some excellent advice from our medical advisor, Dr Sarah Brook, on how to prepare for your ski holiday and how best to avoid muscular injuries once on piste.
Ski holiday fitness really needs to start a couple of months before hitting the slopes… But anything is better than nothing!
Ski fitness consists of two parts – the cardiovascular side (after all skiing is a sport) and also the conditioning side: ie muscle strengthening.
The legs beat the brunt of the work- squats are key,so incorporate them into your daily routine eg whilst waiting for the bath to run or cleaning your teeth. Stand with your back against the wall and slide down til your thighs are parallel to the floor and hold for ten. No pain, no gain!
Once in resort remember to keep hydrated – headaches are common at altitude due to dehydration and remember to keep the children drinking. Take a water bottle or camel, pack on the slopes and keep topping up, especially after a gluwein or two.
Warm up with a few hamstring and gluteal stretches before hitting the slopes each morning(copy the ski instructors!).
So what if that knee gets twisted or a muscle pulled?
Remember the basics of RICED:
R – rest – take the rest of the day off
I – ice – pack snow around it or a packet of frozen peas
C – compression – a tubigrip or elastic bandage helps
E – elevate the limb
D – drugs – remember to take paracetamol and ibuprofen with you always- much cheaper than buying in resort.
Remember…. RICED!
Get checked out in a medical centre if you are injured
And if the injury is a bit more serious,use your medical insurance get checked out at the local medical centre – they will be experts in sports injuries.
Hopefully you will enjoy an injury free time on the slopes!
Other related posts:
Top family fitness tips
How to avoid knee injury while skiing
Helmet safety
Get fit for skiing
All information or advice given on this site is meant for guidance only and readers must be responsible for determing whether such information or advice applies to their particular circumstances. Your use of any information, products, services or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not in any way be liable. No warranty is given as to the accuracy of any information and FamilySkiNews accepts absolutely no liability for its content or advice.
