How to Avoid Skiing Knee Injuries

Skiing Knee Injuries

Skiing is one of the most fun, exhilarating, and active sports there is. The constant twisting and turning, stopping, starting, and cruising downhill can be a thrill, but it can also lead to some nasty injuries on the lower joints. In particular, you’ll have to make sure that you’re ready and prepared so that you can avoid knee injuries, which can set you back months and take you off the slopes for an entire season.

The knees are particularly vulnerable because your feet are attached to the skis, meaning that if there are sudden wrong turns, it will be your knees taking the impact. Here are some tips for avoiding knee injuries.

Remember that while you should push your boundaries to learn about skiing, you shouldn’t push past your limits. There’s a fine line here, but you want to challenge yourself, not take on insurmountable obstacles that won’t help you learn anything. Trying to “keep up” with someone far more advanced than you can be one of the quickest ways to invite an injury, so don’t do it.
Warm up. Some runners don’t think that stretching is necessary, but running is a much more natural movement than skiing. You’ll have to make sure that your muscles and ligaments are ready for the work ahead, so a leg stretching session before a ski trip is a must. Be sure to cool down, as well – don’t go from 60 miles an hour to 0, just at the drop of a hat. Do a little walking around and a little more stretching after skiing so that you don’t cramp up.

Follow your instructions. Though some movements that professional instructors teach you might feel funny or awkward at first, you might find they end up as the best and most natural way to ski once you actually hit the slopes. Don’t “invent” new ways to ski on the fly.

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If you follow these steps, you should be able to avoid injury and enjoy your ski trip generally undamaged. If you have more questions about skiing injuries, consult a doctor about the type of injuries you might expect and the best ways to avoid them.

Photo Credit: bradleypjohnson

Originally posted 2009-02-10 06:00:57.

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