PT Can Help Prevent ACL Injuries This Upcoming Ski Season
Did you know that the knee joint is the most frequently injured joint by recreational skiers? Are you aware that there are proven methods for reducing the risk of injuring your ACL (anterior cruciate ligament in the knee) and enhancing performance simultaneously? Physical therapists are the experts at identifying what athletes may be susceptible to an injury and can provide you and your skiing friends and family with the tools to reduce these risks.
Skiing and snowboarding are great ways to get some serious winter exercise and enjoy the great outdoors – unfortunately, some injury risks come with the territory. ACL injuries account for the majority of knee damage on the slopes and about one-third of all skiing injuries.
Recreational skiing and snowboarding represent a few of the most popular winter sports enjoyed by hundreds of millions each year. At HealthQuest Physical Therapy, we know this is an exciting time for many of our patients who love outdoor sports, and we want to ensure you are safe while participating in snowy sports this season. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself from injury and get into skiing shape before the ski and snowboard season starts.
Get ready for the ski season while preventing ACL injuries
The skier’s ability to produce controlled movement through coordinated muscle activity is known as neuromuscular control. Research has shown that programs emphasizing neuromuscular control reduce the risk of tearing the anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL).
Our team will check your strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination to give a complete picture of your health and preparedness for ski season. Our programs include strength and flexibility training, balance training, and coordination drills to maximize your body’s neuromuscular control systems and prepare the knee to handle the forces of downhill sports.
Each personalized program will include not only exercises to improve strength and flexibility but also training specific to downhill sports and the unique balance and agility requirements of skiing and snowboarding.
Besides getting your body prepped to perform at its best, there are other ways to keep yourself safe on the slopes and help reduce your risk of injury.
Wear properly fitting ski/snowboarding shoes
Balance, alignment, and the ability to articulate the ankle in your boots profoundly affect your performance and endurance. How your ski/snowboard boots fit is directly responsible for fine-edge engagement and balance.
You should never wear ill-fitting equipment due to the risk of injury, especially the ACL. Even if the fit of your boot is only off by a tiny bit, it can change your performance and increase your risk of injury. If you are unsure about the correct fit of your ski or snowboard boots visit a ski/snowboard equipment professional for a fitting.
Improve your balance and technique
High-level skiing and snowboarding require intense, heavy use of the foot and ankle. When it comes to improving your performance with your edging and balancing movements, you must be acutely aware that your foot and ankle are responsible for transferring your weight from the inside to the outside edge of the ski/snowboard and back.
This also includes sensing and adjusting your balance over the skis’ or snowboard’s center. The efficiency of the foot and ankle as it tips from the big to little toe balance your “center of mass” (also known as your body weight) and decreases the stress put on your hip and thigh muscles, and subsequently the knee joint.
Start your season off slow
Whether you’re a dedicated athlete or just starting a new winter sport, it is always a good idea to start the season off slow and begin on gentler terrain than is necessary. This means even if you’ve been skiing for years, it is a good idea to take your first few runs on a slope smaller than you think you need and work your way up.
This will also help warm up the muscles and help avoid unnecessary muscle strains or other painful joint injuries.
If/when you’re tired, take a break
Feeling tired or achy? A lack of muscle strength and physical conditioning may limit your endurance and performance on the slopes. Listen to your body’s messages and take a break once you begin to feel fatigued – fighting through it can lead to unwanted injuries down the road.
Muscle fatigue in the thigh muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings) and buttocks muscles (gluteal) are common signs that it’s time to call it a day. If your leg and hip muscles become overly tired, it can also lead to some typical skiing and snowboarding injuries, specifically the ACL.
If you’re interested in maximizing your performance on the slopes all while minimizing the risk of an ACL injury, contact HealthQuest Physical Therapy today and schedule an assessment with one of our specialists!
What to expect at physical therapy
At HealthQuest Physical Therapy, our skilled team of physical therapists can assess your risk of injury and create a customized plan that will make sure you can produce controlled movement through coordinated muscle activity (i.e., neuromuscular control). We will build a program that gradually progresses in intensity using targeted hip and hamstring training, core stabilization, plyometrics, balance, agility, and neuromuscular training. The emphasis will shift to work on balance and coordination exercises to stimulate the nervous system and help ensure you can cut, turn and stop with proper form to avoid injury and perform at your peak potential.
If you’ve sustained an ACL injury from skiing or snowboarding, rest assured that this setback doesn’t have to keep you off the slopes. Our team is highly skilled at treating people after surgery and ensuring they maximize their results to handle the demands of skiing or snowboarding.
If you are looking for proven strategies to stay physically fit while minimizing your risks of ACL injury, contact our clinic today! We’ll keep you as safe as possible while you’re gliding down that mountain!
Call our clinic today to schedule your appointment with us!