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FEBRUARY 5, 2003
Escaping Skiing Injuries

Ski season is upon us, and while downhill skiing has a reputation for injuries, there are some simple things you can do to escape getting hurt.

The first thing is to stay in shape during the ski season. You don’t have to be in great shape to ski. You do need to develop your muscles and listen to your body. Once you’re tired at the end of the day, it’s time to stop.

“Cardiovascular fitness can help you develop a platform for explosive power, which you need in skiing,” says Emily Miller, trainer and contributor to Ski magazine as well as a consultant to The Stone Clinic, a sports medicine and orthopedic surgery clinic in San Francisco. She suggests doing four days of cardiovascular fitness, two to three days of strength training, and a day or two of flexibility through yoga or a Pilates-based method.

Get Muscles into Ski Shape
Miller also suggests that you do the following to get your muscles into ski shape:

  • Do exercises that mimic the ski motion, such as in-line skating or ice skating. Hiking is also good because it forces you to change foot positions and stabilize your muscles.
  • Strengthen your butt muscles with the Wall Push to maintain correct knee and hip alignment on your skis. Stand next to a wall with arms folded across your chest. Stand on your left leg, lift the right leg and push your right knee hard into the wall without leaning against the wall. Push for five seconds. Keep your leg raised and relax your muscles for three to five seconds. Repeat five times. Turn around and repeat with the left leg.
  • Balance on one foot with your eyes closed for 30 seconds.
  • Squat with or without weights to improve leg muscles.
  • Strengthen your abdominal muscles with crunches or ball exercises.

    Before hitting the slopes, make sure you are well-rested and well-hydrated. “Most people ski at altitude, which can cause dehydration. And dehydration can decrease your performance,” Miller says. Also do a quick warm-up before you get on your skis -- run around in your ski boots, do some torso twists, and shake out your legs.

    If you’re starting a ski fitness program and you feel pain, ask a personal trainer to create a pain-free workout. “Pain decreases your confidence, and your muscles become inhibited and don’t fire as well,” says Miller.

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