It's Snow Fun! Tips for Winter Sports

Going on a ski trip? Don’t forget to prepare yourself for it. The preparations start well before your trip begins. Last week, Dr. Jing Niu, BJU’s orthopedic doctor, sat down with us and talked about the health tips to help sports enthusiasts better enjoy winter sports. 

Department of Orthopedics

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How do I prepare myself

physically for skiing?

If you do not work out regularly, it is best to start preparing your body for skiing at least one month before the trip. The longer, the better.

Muscles play an essential role in maintaining stability during skiing or snowboarding. Thus, strengthening these muscle groups can help prevent injuries. Regular workout routines can build your muscle strength and train your coordination, better preparing you for your winter ski trip.

These simple, do-at-home exercises can serve the purpose:

• Coordination: one-leg balancing, jump with twists, balloon kicks, etc.

• Endurance: running or cycling

• Strengths: lunges, bridges, calf raises (raise your heels and stand on your toes), tricepsdips, rowing, biceps curls.

Form your own exercise routines and work them out several days a week to prepare you for skiing. However, don’t overdo these exercises. Overdoing it may make your muscles tense. Tense muscles may cause tendon injuries during skiing.

More preparations on the way

Before heading out to the ski resort, check out the road and the weather conditions. Knowing your way in and around the ski resort is essential, too.

The right ski gear is important. Some people purchase their own equipment, and others rent them at the ski shop. No matter where you get your equipment, always make sure they suit your physical condition and ability.

(Picture source: pixabay)

If you are a beginner or do not know how to choose your ski equipment, ask an experienced skier to go with you in picking out your gear, or ask the staff in the ski shop for some suggestions.

Protective gear is also important. Don’t forget to pack a proper helmet, goggles, and boots. It’s almost always very cold out on the slopes, so bring appropriate clothes to keep you warm at all times.

Proper warm-up helps

Always warm up your body before skiing or other sports, even if you work out regularly.

Proper warm-up helps prevent injuries, improve circulation, and make your body more flexible in the cold weather.

Light running, jumping jacks, and squats are the perfect exercise that can warm up your body. Do them for 10 to 20 minutes, and you’ll be ready when you feel a little sweaty and your heartbeats have increased.

Arm circles, leg swings, and rotations to loosen up your shoulder and hip joints can also help you fully prepare your joints for skiing. Try doing at least ten full circles in each direction.

(Picture source: bigstock)

The first run of the day should always be an easy one to allow you to get used to the slopes and the type of snow. For example, a soggy kind of snow on warmer days acts entirely differently from a dry powder kind of snow on colder days. Once you feel comfortable, you can increase the difficulty level of the slopes you are skiing.

How to prevent injuries?

Common injuries related to skiing that orthopedics doctors usually see include knee ligament injury, such as cruciate ligament injury, and fractures in the leg and wrist. These injuries happen mostly when skiers fall or collide with each other.

If you are a beginner, you can improve your techniques by taking some beginners lessons, which almost always start with a lesson on maintaining your balance and falling properly to avoid injuries. Often, injuries associated with falls usually involve ligaments.

Ski slopes can be crowded sometimes. Avoid skiing in places where there are many people, even if you are an experienced skier. Doctors have seen many cases of bone fracture caused by skiers colliding with each other. Collision with other skiers is the last thing you want to have on the slopes – the forces are too strong, which make injuries seem unavoidable, especially when collisions happen at high speed.

(Picture source: pexels)

If you do fall, collide with other people, or suffer any other injuries during skiing, signals such as pain, swelling, and joints/limbs deformity can tell you how bad it is. If you can’t move, don’t force yourself to move. Get first aid immediately.

Know when to rest

and when to stop

Most people ski safely without injuries. However, as a sport, ski is just like any other sport requiring breaks and rests between activities. Take a 10 to 15-minute break after 30 minutes to recover your body strength. Do not immediately sit down during your break. A slow walk and some stretches are necessary to maintain your energy and strength.

Also, remember to stay hydrated – you may not feel thirsty in the cold weather, so make sure you drink some water during your break. Proper hydration is essential to helping your muscles recover.

It is recommended that you ski for no more than 4 hours a day, with breaks in between. It’s a fun sport, but you should know your limits and know when to stop. Fatigue is one of the leading causes of injuries. If you feel tired and it starts to feel difficult going down the slopes, stop and call it a day.

Thinking of ice-skating?

Besides skiing and snowboarding, ice skating is also a popular winter sport that doesn’t require as much gear as skiing. In Beijing, frozen lakes are converted into natural ice skating rinks for people to enjoy ice skating.

Many parents like to take their children to ice skating to experience their first taste of winter sports. Follow the below steps to prevent possible injuries:

• Make sure your and your kids’ ice skates fit properly and snugly.

• Just like skiing, proper warm-up is essential. Some lunges, arm swings, leg curls, and ankle rotations would do.

• Falling is a part of ice skating, especially for beginners. Bend your knees and squat into a dip position to fall in a controlled fashion. Land on your butt and keep your arms and legs as close to your body as possible.

• Learn to march on ice before you skate. If possible, take some beginners lessons.

Some parents like to hold their children’s hands when ice skating. The two forces from parents and children working against each other may cause injury (mostly radial capitulum dislocation) in children. If your child can stand and march on ice, let them skate on themselves and stay close to them to offer help whenever they need it.

Winter sports are fun. Knowing tips to prevent injuries is essential. Mark this article and follow the steps before and while enjoying your favorite winter sports!

Dr. Niu is an Orthopedic Surgeon at Beijing United Family Hospital. She is skilled in treating sports injuries, hip and knee diseases, and spinal diseases. To schedule an appointment with her or another Orthopedic Surgeon in the Department of Orthopedics, call the BJU Service Center at 4008-919191 or book through our Patient Portal.