Preparing for the Ski Season

Skiing and snowboarding are very physically demanding activities. Many of us don't adequately prepare our bodies for long days of shredding on the slopes. This week we bring you 5 great exercises to prepare your body, not only to reduce the risk of injuries, but also improve performance.

Squats: Help strengthen your glutes and quads for when you get on the slopes

Side planks: Strengthen your obliques and glut med ensuring faster turns

Sustained squats: Holding for as long as you can to increase endurance

Calf raises: Transferring weight is very important with skiing and snowboarding and having strong calves help.

Hopping then landing and holding: A stable and smooth transfer of weight between feet is important for turning in skiing or boarding.

Before you leave, ensure your gear is in good service and fits well. Skiers ensure your DIN settings are correct to minimise knee injuries.

Most Common Injuries

Most snow sport injuries result from falls and awkward positioning, often resulting from a loss of control when traveling at speed. This week we bring you the 6 most common areas injured while skiing and snowboarding.

• Knee injuries - Ligament sprains (ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL) and meniscus damage
• Shoulder dislocations or fractures
• AC Joint injuries
• Lower Leg fractures
• Wrist, hand, or thumb injuries.
• Closed head injuries and concussions

Preventing Injury in Snow Sports

There are many reasons people get injured on the slopes. Every winter we see a large amount of people injured skiing, snowboarding and spending time at the snow. This week we bring you 6 tips to reduce your risk of injury.

#1: Injuries are common when snowsporters attempt runs above their level of competency - ski at your level and be safe.

#2: Warm up prior to hitting the slopes - particularly if you’ve just done a long drive to get there!

#3: Most injuries occur after a few days when you are fatigued - take a rest day to reduce your risk of an overuse injury or making a mistake.

#4: Dehydration and inadequate energy intake hinders your ability to perform - Drink lots of water and take rests to eat.

#5: Warm down and stretch after a day on the slopes. Stretch your quads, glutes, calves, hip flexors and back.

#6: Take care when walking around in the snow. Many injuries occur from falls on icy slopes!