Preventing Knee Injuries During Ski Season
Ski season is coming! We are so lucky here in the Pacific Northwest to have many options when it comes to outdoor sports and activities. Skiing and snowboarding are some of the most popular winter sports in our region and a great way to stay active during the cold season. However, skiing is also the cause of many knee injuries. The good news is that there are ways to train for skiing that can help reduce your risk of knee injuries during the season.
How Knee Injuries Occur During Ski Season
Here at PhysioStrength Physical Therapy, we see a lot of knee injuries during the ski season. Skiing places a lot of stress on the knee joint. It requires the knees to dynamically move inward and outward in order to steer you down the mountain. When the knee moves inward, it is very susceptible to injury. If you’ve got strong quads and strong hips, your body can do a better job of controlling this movement and you are able to ski down the mountain all season without any injuries. However, if your quad and hip muscles are not able to handle these repeated forces, you may be susceptible to knee injuries.
Not all skiing injuries are preventable. There are times when you encounter an unfamiliar terrain and a ski gets stuck and causes the knee to bend uncontrollably inward. However, many of the skiing knee injuries that we see in the clinic are the result of a lack of muscular strength and endurance through the quads and hips. Improving your leg strength and control can certainly help reduce your risk of sustaining a knee injury while skiing.
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is just one of the many important ligaments that helps provide stability to the knee joint. It is a well-known ligament because ACL tears are a very common injury, especially among skiers. An ACL injury is a season-ending injury for skiiers. The typical return-to-sport time following an ACL injury is 6-12 months. Strengthening your hips and quads can help to improve stability through the knee and thus reduce the risk of an ACL injury during skiing.
How to Prevent Knee Injuries During Ski Season
The good news is that you can help prevent ski-related knee injuries through a proper prehab program. Developing strength and endurance through specific muscles in your legs can significantly help to reduce your risk of injury. Our Doctors of Physical Therapy and Strength and Conditioning Coaches at PhysioStrength can help you develop a solid training program to improve your quad and hip strength. We will perform an evaluation and assessment of your movement patterns and identify weak muscles that may be increasing your injury risk with skiing. Your Physical Therapist can help guide you through a program that will strengthen these muscles and improve your movement patterns in order to set you up for a safe and healthy ski season.
Come schedule an appointment with us today!