5 Tips to Avoid Winter Sports Inuries

Following a six-week training plan to build strength can reduce the risk of injury on a winter sports break. According to a past US study, falls account for 75-85% of all ski injuries, mostly causing sprains, fractures, tears and dislocations. Of these, 30-40% affect the knee area, with women most likely to suffer this type of injury, the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis reports.

An unexpected accident on the slopes can happen at any time and a training regime combined with winter sports travel insurance can avoid an enormous medical bill!

Get a fitness plan

Although some injuries are unavoidable, improving strength and fitness is the best way to decrease the chances of getting hurt. I recommend following a structured six-week training programme before going away, addressing any areas of weakness.

My 5 tips to avoid winter sports injuries

1) Vary your training

I advise people to mix up their training ahead of their holiday. It should include 30 minutes of aerobic or cardio three to five times a week, strength training three times a week, and flexibility and balance training to improve key areas such as quads, glutes and hamstrings.

2) Build up slowly

Once out on the slopes, skiers and snowboarders should take a sensible approach to how much they do, building up gradually. That gives the body time to adapt to the strains of winter sports and will reduce the risks associated with exercising while tired.

3) Rest if needed

Winter sports vacationers shouldn't be afraid to have a lie-in or take a day off to give their muscles a well-earned break if their body is telling them they need time to recover.

4) Check your equipment

I cannot stress enough the importance of making sure everything is in good working order, whether it be ski boots or bindings. Check everything fits well (not too tight or loose) and does not to place unnecessary stress on the body.

5) Stay hydrated

A day on the slopes is tough, and keeping the brain and body well hydrated will maintain both energy levels and mental alertness, which is particularly important for those skiers and snowboarders fond of après-ski.

Skiing & Snow Boarding – Tips for training

If you are heading away skiing this year, some training for your holiday will go a long way, by that we mean some physical conditioning in preparation for the demands of the slopes. Several hours daily skiing takes a substantial effort and this drains your body physically, leaving you feeling fatigued. To prepare your body for optimum performance and minimise your chances of picking up an injury, here are a few tips for ski and snowboard fitness:

Get your heart pumping – work on some cardio

Fatigue is a big risk factor in skiing injuries, as most people will report getting injured later in to their day, when tiredness sets in. By working on your cardiovascular fitness before you go, you will not only increase your threshold for fatigue, you will also lower your injury risk. Dedicate 35-45 minutes, 3 times per week to jogging, cycling, swimming or playing football, tennis, other racquet sports etc. This will significantly help your cardiovascular fitness.

Strengthen up those legs

By working on some strength training you will give your legs a better chance at handling the demands of skiing or snowboarding all day. Performing exercises like squats, lunges, side lunges, dead lifts, single leg calf raises and step-ups are all helpful. As you build on this strength you can add in some additional activities including more explosive movements, Plyometric exercises such as hopping, bounding, squat thrusts, box jumps, side to side lunges are useful.

Build a strong core

Having a strong, stable centre of core muscles will help you to get the most out of your skiing. Plan to do some core strength exercises such as the plank, gluteal bridge, birddog, side plank, abdominal and oblique crunches. Swiss balls are another very versatile bit of kit to help you work on this.

How is your balance?

Standing on one leg for a minute is a good guide to how well you are able to balance, now apply that to balancing on a thin ski or snowboard whilst charging down a mountain and you can see how important balance is! Working on this before you go can really make a big difference, try and balance on each leg and when that gets too easy try balancing on one leg on top of a pillow. Not challenging enough? Try that with your eyes closed or by having someone throw a ball for you to catch or bouncing a ball against a wall yourself (with your eyes open of course!). There are other tools out there for those who are more advanced and want to really test their balance, bosu balls, wobble boards or wobble cushions make balancing very tricky indeed.