(2.5 minute read)
We are now mid-ski season now, but I thought it might still be useful to share some advice on how to prevent and treat skiing injuries from my Bristol osteopathic clinic.
I'm a mountain sports enthusiast and head to the mountains in Winter whenever possible.
Many of my patients, friends and colleagues head off on their annual ski holidays to superb skiing resorts in Austria, France, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Italy and beyond, to enjoy some Winter sports.
I think it is important to consider how to prevent and treat skiing injuries before leaving Bristol.
As an experienced osteopath in Henleaze and an avid skiing holiday advocate, between November and April every year, I invariably treat patients who have sustained skiing injuries.
There are things to take into account, before and during the holiday, that can help to prevent skiing injuries, as well as making it easier to treat them if the worse happens.
Are there different types of skiing injuries?
1. Strains and muscular pain due to poor conditioning
2. Minor impacts and falls that cause bruising or minor joint injury
3. Major joint or bone injury following a severe impact or fall
Preparation before the holiday can reduce the risk of a skiing injury (particularly types 1 and 2) and there are simple steps I advise patients to take when they visit my Bristol osteopathic clinic.
Preparation for a skiing holiday should really start at least four weeks before departure and be built up slowly. The ‘fitter’ a person is, the less likely they are to sustain a skiing injury.
How do I prevent a skiing injury?
I advise my patients to build up basic fitness levels, including cardiovascular fitness and leg strength work.
If you're unsure how to get in shape for a skiing trip, book in with a personal trainer in Bristol; these guys are great!
A good PT will also help you to focus on flexibility and core work. These are two key areas to help prevent a skiing injuries. I recommend stretching, yoga, and pilates.
Work on your balance and stability (proprioception), as a skiing injury is much less likely to happen if these are solid.
When you are out there:
-Hydrate during and after skiing
-Stretch tight muscles
-Treat yourself to a massage
-Good nutrition for recovery
Take a warm bath and/or hot tub
How do I treat a minor injury when skiing?
R I C E (Rest Ice Compress & Elevate) to reduce the initial inflammation
Get it assessed if too sore to continue skiing
If it’s a more serious injury, then swift medical advice and management are essential
Here’s a tip: Make sure you have piste insurance (protection for skiing and snowboarding incidents, on and off piste) so that if you need assistance on the slopes you can get it promptly, professionally and cost-effectively.
A nine-year study of skiing injuries concluded that 35% of all skiing injuries were sustained to the knee.
Read this best-treatments-for-knee-injuries-bristol) to discover the best treatments for a knee injury.
Most of all, do enjoy your ski holiday, it is a real joy to be active in the mountains at this time of year.
If you're booking an osteopath in Bristol for the first time following a skiing injury, read this.
To make a booking at my Bristol osteopathy clinic, visit here.