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As one of the most extreme wintertime sports, exhilarating enjoyment goes hand-in-hand with a higher risk of injury. Since skiing puts an excessive amount of strain on the knees, hips, wrists, shoulders, and spine, an awareness of the most common injuries, why they happen, and how to prevent them will prepare you to cruise with confidence and (hopefully) spend less time recovering in the lodge.
Unlike other sports like running or swimming that primarily involve forward force generation, skiing involves more lateral (side-to-side) force generation. Our joints are not designed to withstand significant lateral forces, and when catching an edge or twisting during a fall, the result is a strain, sprain, or tear.
Knee & Hip Injuries
Among our least laterally-stable structures, knee injuries top the list of most common skiing injuries. Accounting for ~1 in 4 skiing injuries, skiing with knee safety in mind is a top priority. Hip injuries are not far behind, and since any serious impacts that affect the knee often extend up into the hip, proactive lower extremity flexibility and strength training are vital. To fortify the muscles and ligaments around the knees and hips, you can:
- Stretch Before Skiing: Stretching every muscle that supports your hips and knees is one of the best ways to prepare your legs for the intense S-turns ahead. Stretching the hamstrings, quads, hips, lower back, and calves improve blood flow to the area while opening up your range of mobility. As your flexibility increases, the supporting structures are less likely to sprain or tear when they encounter unnatural directional forces.
- Strengthen Your Legs: Routine, year-round strength training is a must if you plan on skiing regularly. With stronger leg muscles, you stabilize every lower-extremity joint more effectively. The added strength and endurance will also help you maintain an injury-preventative skiing stance more consistently.
- Warm Up Every Time: Even if you only plan on casual skiing, a 10-15 minute warmup before heading out with your Burton boot bag is always a great idea. Do some squats, leg rotations, calf raises, and marches to enhance joint lubrication and activate your muscles.
Shoulder, Elbow, & Wrist Injuries
While your upper extremities may not deal with the constant barrage of bumpy ground contact, every fall or poorly-timed pole placement can lead to an unexpected injury. To avoid upper body injuries, learning how to fall correctly is the most important strategy. For example, instead of instinctively reaching out and catching yourself while falling, balling your fists and tucking your arms into your core is the safer strategy.
Choose Gear That Promotes Safer Habits
Just like strength training and proper falling techniques can prevent injury, better gear also encourages injury prevention. For example, with a set of mittens that encourage balling your fists, you begin to develop safer falling habits. While you’re here, check out our Transpack boot bags or ask us about our other safety-first gear upgrades and prepare to hit the slopes with renewed confidence this season!
