Winter sports are some of the most unique and dangerous activities that one can partake in; even professionals have a hard time maintaining the proper degree of “fitness” to allow for these sporting ventures. What am I talking about? Going down a ski slope at 60mph, on two strips of metal, balancing your self with two bamboo-thick poles…with no protection! So how does one prepare themselves for the possible jumps in the middle of a slope, the moguls you could hit at any moment, or even the side-bump of a nearby snowboarder or skier? By being more aware of their bodies, and being ready to use muscles that they may not have known they had. The most common injuries occur from skiers losing control, traveling too fast, too close to obstacles such as trees, other people, ski lifts, or even overestimating their skill and skiing in an area unsuitable for their ability level. With a trained body, and the proper precautions, it is easy to prevent these most common injuries, among which are: knee sprains, ligament tears of the knees and ankles, thumb sprains, and shoulder injuries. It is a good idea to improve your muscle strength, especially in the core and in the legs, to stretch, so as to improve your flexibility and mobility, and to train your body for maximum endurance.
Words of Advice:
Use proper equipment, and maintain it:
Bindings are the most important pieces of equipment for the prevention of possible knee injury, seeing as how if a collision or fall occurs, the binding releases and allows the body to stabilize freely (ski-less). If your bindings are not maintained, soot and rust may cause this release to delay. If your bindings are outdated, upgrading to a newer model of higher quality can lessen the chances of these injuries.
Newer boot technology can also prevent harmful injuries, mostly to the ankle and foot. If feet aren’t completely comfortable inside the boot, it is almost impossible to feel your way down a slope. The skis are controlled by the feet and if the feet aren’t fitting snug in the boot, then how can we control them?
When choosing the right ski, ski length and weight, skier level, and flexibility of the ski should all be taken into consideration. The proper ski will help in maneuvering your way down the slope and maintaining your balance for prevention of unnecessary falls and injuries.
The poles are also important, contrary to what many first time skiers believe. Injury to the ligaments of the thumb occur due to the pole straining the thumb during a fall. Proper sizing and use of the pole betters the chance of disengaging the pole when necessary, to prevent any injuries.
Helmets! Helmets greatly reduce the possibility of head trauma should a fall actually occur. Both, proper padding within the helmet and the fit of the helmet, are necessary for maximizing the effects of this piece of safety equipment.
Remember: You’re in the mountains!
Skiing, as opposed to other sports, has many other important health aspects relating to it. Since the skier experiences higher altitudes, there may be a possibility of facing fatigue, dizziness, headaches, shortness of breath, etc. It is extremely dangerous and an important issue to prevent. Make sure to rest, not to overexert yourself, and to nourish your body with fluids or even proper medications.
It is a long way down from the top of the mountain. Being cautious is highly recommended. Following the procedures of proper exercise, attaining proper equipment, and precautionary actions will all help in preventing the worst of injuries, many of which do occur on the slopes. All that’s left is to enjoy your new safe sport, making a day out of beautifully snow covered mountains everywhere.
Daniel J. Kohane, MD
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