5 Common Ski Injuries & Prevention

The thought of skiing brings pictures of beautiful white mountains that glisten in the sunlight, hot chocolate, ski resorts, and fireplaces to cozy up to after a chilly day on the slopes. Even with this ideal picture in our heads, it is important to remember that skiing is not a walk in the park. Inevitable injuries occur, even for the most experienced athletes. Here are a few of the top ski injuries and preventative measures you can take.

5 Common Snow Skiing Injuries

Wrist and Ankle Injuries

Ski boots can offer a good amount of support and protection, but if the muscles in our ankles aren’t conditioned for skiing, then any awkward or quick pivot to stop can throw us to the ground. From there, it is automatic that we use our hands to break our fall. Gloves do not provide any protection for our wrists, resulting in injuries. Impact on our wrist or knees can leave tendons, ligaments, muscles, and other soft tissues bruised and inflamed, causing pain when moved or touched.

Knee Injuries

 Tears in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or tears in the medial collateral ligament (MCL) bring knees near the top of the list for injury during skiing.

With an ACL tear, the skier may hear a pop in the knee followed by inflammation and pain that can debilitate and lead to decreased range of motion.

When an MCL tear happens, the impact causes it to the outside of the knee, resulting in the joint being pushed inward. This could lead to pain, swelling, weakness, and inflammation inside of the knee. 

Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries often come with excruciating pain and a higher chance of reinjury because the joint has been weakened. A shoulder injury can lead to other injuries, such as shoulder tendonitis. When a shoulder injury occurs, the head of the humerus bone pops out of the shoulder socket because of impact from a collision or fall.

Skier’s Thumb

Skier’s thumb occurs when the ligament that runs from the hand to the inside of the elbow is strained or ruptured. This often happens when the skier tries to stop their fall with the ski pole still in hand, bending their thumb sideways or backward.

Head Injuries

No doubt that head injuries are the most serious type of injury that a skier can endure. Head injury results range from bumps and cuts to severe concussions and even death. Beginners and experienced skiers have the same chance of an unexpected head injury.

Prevention of Injuries

Here are some ways to help avoid injuries-or at least severity and recovery time if one occurs.

Gear

It is important to have the proper fitting gear to avoid injury. Every piece of gear matters from the size of the skis and poles to the proper fit of a helmet.

Warming Up

Not to be confused with warming up next to a cozy fire, you need to warm your muscles up by stretching and easing into the different conditions on each slope.

Staying in Shape

This applies to beginners and experts! Staying healthy in the offseason with strength training and cardio is key to avoiding most injuries.

If you injured yourself during a recent ski trip, come see us and let us evaluate your injuries and help you with a plan to recovery.

Sourced from: 5 Common Skiing Injuries, Prevention and Treatment – Medical Wave (medicalwaveus.com)

Content Contributor: Andrea McMahon