Health

HEALTHCARE

Shred It This Ski Season

If you’re planning a holiday in the mountains this winter, preparing your body is key to enjoying it, improving your overall fitness, and minimising your risk of getting injured.

A lot of muscle groups that aren’t usually developed during our everyday lives are involved in activities such as skiing and snowboarding. An average ski day may involve around six or seven hours of sustained physical activity, and whilst it’s possible to rest on the lifts, the high altitude slows your rate of recovery. For those of us that ski once a year, it’s no surprise that a mountain holiday can be very intense and physically draining!

We spoke to Tiziana Lunardi, Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist at St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, who shared her top tips for getting the most out of a winter sports holiday.

Be In Peak Physical Fitness

Before hitting the slopes, make sure you’re in good physical shape. Depending on your baseline, a 6 to 12 week programme aimed at improving your endurance, strength and flexibility, is a good idea.

To get you started, here are some useful strength-building exercises, which you can practice as a circuit in the comfort of your own home. • Squats - these are great for building strength in your quads and glutes • Lunges - great for strengthening hips and thighs, as well as improving balance • Side planks and leg lifts - these target the obliques, which are vital for antirotation and help protect the back and spine in more dynamic movements • Calf raises - to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, or even just walking in heavy boots through deep snow, you need to ensure you have good stability and leg strength. Three sets of thirty calf raises on each leg is a good level to aim for. In order to improve your fitness level, you should be doing an aerobic session that lasts between 20 minutes to an hour, two to three times a week. Aerobic exercise raises your heart rate, and to get the most benefit you should work at 50-60% of your maximum heart rate. If you don’t have a fancy watch, work at a level where you feel you can just about talk.

Most skiers take on cycling as an effective way to train their fitness. Cycling works your thigh muscles a lot, so that doubles the benefit!

You may also want to consider running, though for some, the high impact may be too hard on the knees. Another option is to take up swimming, which can hugely improve your stamina without the impact stress on your body.

Use The Right Kit

Did you know you’re eight times more likely to injure yourself if you borrow your equipment? This is related to common mistakes, such as the equipment not matching your level of ability, not working properly, or not being correctly set up.

Your equipment and clothing are one of the most important things to get right. Make sure your gear fits properly and is right for your skill level and where you intend to ski.

To reduce the risk of injury, ski bindings are designed to release your boot in the event of a crash. The DIN setting is the indication of how easily the boot will release from the binding. The higher the DIN setting, the greater the amount of force needed for the skis to release from the feet.

If you catch an edge with your skis and your bindings don’t release, the force can cause your knees to twist, causing damage to your bones and ligaments.

Therefore, it’s incredibly important to make sure the DIN settings are set low enough on the bindings that the skis come off when you crash. If they’re too high and don’t pop off, the risk of severe knee injuries is very high.

If you’re hiring your kit, only use shops that correctly measure you for boots, skis and poles. If you have your own, make sure it’s in excellent condition – it should be relatively new, regularly serviced and set up correctly.

Make sure you also invest in the right clothes. The last thing you need is to get cold and wet when you’re up in the mountains. Wear layers of clothing designed to be water and windproof, and don’t forget to invest in some goggles, ski gloves and liners, a neck warmer and warm socks. Most importantly, don’t forget your helmet – it could save your life.

Ski To Your Ability

Skiing within your ability and comfort level is important, especially if you’re new to the sport. Only attempt runs you know you can handle, and be sure to practice before moving to more challenging slopes. Observe signs and warnings, stick to safe areas and don’t ski alone.

Skiing injuries are more likely if you’re tired or dehydrated. So make sure to get enough rest and drink plenty of fluids - avoid alcohol, which dehydrates you and impairs your judgement.

Situations in the mountain environment can change in a heartbeat - from deteriorating weather, to changing snow conditions or even drunk skiers. These factors are outside your control, but if you stay aware of your surroundings, you can prevent most accidents.

Did you know that most injuries happen after 3pm?

Previous Injuries

If you recently had surgery, consider if you feel fit enough to go on a ski trip this year. If you’ve had keyhole surgery on your knee, it can take six weeks to get back to normal function. However, it’ll be much longer before your knee is strong enough to ski on!

If you have a niggling pain, get it looked at now. Don’t wait until the last minute! Most of the time, some simple advice from a physiotherapist and a tailored exercise plan can make a world of difference.

No one wants their ski trip cut short by an injury, but following this advice can help you enjoy a fantastic holiday on the slopes. By being careful and prepared, you can make sure your skiing holiday is memorable for all the right reasons.

If you’d like some pre-ski advice, or if you’ve been injured on holiday, we can help. Most skiing injuries affect the knees and hips, and many can be treated conservatively with physiotherapy and pain management. However, the first step is to get a confirmed diagnosis. Call the physiotherapy clinic on: 020 7806 4010. Or book online: hje.org.uk/physiotherapy-clinic.

They can help you then and there or refer you to the best specialist for your needs.

A Hospital With A Heart

Founded in 1865, St John & St Elizabeth Hospital is one of the UK’s largest independent charitable hospitals. All treatments in the hospital help fund the onsite St John’s Hospice, which provides free care to over 4,500 people and their families each year, across seven boroughs.

GET IN TOUCH St John & St Elizabeth Hospital 60 Grove End Road, London, NW8 9NH