Monday
Oct192009
Pre-season Ski Conditioning: Get Ready to Hit the Slopes!
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 2:40PM 
You have all new ski equipment -- shaped skis, bindings with riser plates, and the latest boots. You feel totally ready to hit the slopes. But are you? Make sure you aren’t forgetting about the most important piece in preventing ski injuries and increasing your skiing enjoyment: your physical condition. Being physically ready for the demands of skiing will decrease your risk of being injured and improve your skiing ability and enjoyment. By engaging in a pre-season ski conditioning program, you can take your skiing to new heights while avoiding the injury pitfalls.
Fortunately, alpine skiing injuries have decreased about fifty percent since the 1970’s thanks to advances in equipment and improvements in ski area management. If you are injured, you are two times more likely to injure a lower extremity than an upper extremity. In fact, one third of all ski injuries occur to the knee joint, and a sprain of the medial collateral ligament on the inside of the knee is the most common ski injury. Other areas commonly injured are the shoulders, thumbs and head.
What’s the best way to prepare your body for the rigors of skiing so that you don’t become an injury statistic? How do you know if the program outlined in your favorite ski magazine covers all the important aspects of ski conditioning to take your skiing to the next level? A comprehensive pre-season ski conditioning program should contain the following components: development of the cardiovascular system, strength training, flexibility work, balance and agility exercises, and explosive/coordination training.
Read more in the full article by Jason Amrich about each of these components, and get in shape for your best ski season ever!
About the author:
Jason Amrich is a physical therapist and the Administrative Director at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine (BCSM). BCSM is offering inexpensive ski conditioning classes and a 6-week Friday afternoon ski clinic series this winter at Eldora Mountain Resort for advanced to expert level alpine and telemark skiers wishing to improve their skills in powder, crud, steeps and bumps. Call 303-544-5700 for more information.
Reader Comments (3)
Good article. I am a chiropractor in Reno Nevada and I am in the process of getting some information together to provide to my skiing patients. Everyone thinks about tuning their equipment, getting their pass, getting that new jacket or helmet, but most skim right over the idea of getting in shape before they hit the slopes. That's where we come in. Have a good year on the slopes.
Great article Jason.
Flexibility in the muscles and tendons is important. Low temperatures can mean muscles are stiff, slow to react and lack range of movement. Developing flexibility through regular stretching before our holiday helps our ski performance.