ARE YOU READY TO SKI?

So you are in great shape. Your have been playing tennis and jogging since last year’s snow melt. This year you are ready. Skiing involves skills used in many other sports. The most important are aerobic capacity, flexibility, strength and balance. So, are you really ready this year?

Ski injuries occur more often at the end of the day. Muscle fatigue has overcome the body, but we have to make one last run before the lifts close. Poor judgment and lack of training combine in another knee ligament tear. This can be prevented with proper training.

Aerobic capacity is the ability of the heart and lungs to provide adequate oxygen to the muscles. To improve aerobic fitness regular cardiovascular exercise is necessary. Stair-climber, biking, jogging, swimming, treadmill, rowing, and cross-country workouts will improve cardiovascular fitness. Regular exercise, three to four times a week is recommended. The target heart rate, 60-90 percent of the adult’s maximum, should be reached for at least twenty minutes per workout.

Flexibility is required to prevent injury in all sports. Muscle strains and overuse injuries are very common in skiing. These can be reduced by an adequate stretching program. Skiers should spend more time on the groin, hamstring, quadriceps, Achilles, and lower back muscle groups.

Muscle strengthening programs should be performed three to four days a week. For skiing the most important muscles to strengthen are in the lower extremity.

Lower extremity muscle groups to be concentrated on strengthening are the glutei, hip abductors and adductor, hamstrings, quadriceps, anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius. Additionally, the spinal, abdominal, and lower abdominal oblique muscle groups need to be strengthened.

Balance is a key to skiing. Better balance is developed by platform or box stepping. Train running on uneven terrain and skating may improve balance. If time is limited, aerobic endurance and flexibility are the more important factors in injury prevention. What better motivation is needed to hit the gym? The snow is falling.

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