4 Exercises to Prevent Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries

Before grabbing for your skis and snowboards this season, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re physically prepared for the unique demands these sports make on your body. Timothy Pugliese, PT, a University Hospitals physical therapist who specializes in sports physical therapy, shares a few of the best exercises to help keep you safe while you’re having fun on the slopes this winter.

Common Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries

Every year, over 600,000 people in the U.S. get injured while skiing and snowboarding. The most common skiing injuries are knee sprains of the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and MCL (medial collateral ligament) that occur when skiers lose control and fall while making turns.

“Shoulder injuries are also common because skiers usually fall with their hands outstretched to brace their fall,” says Pugliese. “Shoulder fractures, dislocations and sprains can occur.”

Bodyweight Exercises for Skiers

Bodyweight exercises are exercises that use your own weight to provide resistance. To avoid common skiing/snowboarding injuries, Pugliese recommends people perform bodyweight exercises that:

• Strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes.
• Improve balance.
• Increase trunk stability.
• Strengthen the rotational movement of the hips and trunk.

He recommends doing multi-directional lunges, single-leg squats, side planks and single-leg bridges.

Multi-Directional Lunges

Lunges work the leg muscles, especially the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. There are many types of lunges. To do a standard forward-walking lunge:

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart, step forward with your right foot, and slowly bend both knees until your back knee is just above the floor.
2. Stand up, take a step forward with your left foot and bend both knees until your back knee is just above the floor.
3. Repeat this forward movement for the entire duration of your set.

If you’re not comfortable with the walking lunge or have balance issues, you can always start by doing static lunges, in which you lower your body into a lunge position without taking a step.

Multi-directional lunges are variations on the standard forward lunge. They include the reverse lunge, where instead of stepping forward, you step backwards and lower your back knee toward the ground into the lunge position.

Also, instead of moving in a straight line, you can try lunging at a 45-degree angle. This variation can be done with both forward and backward lunges. Another variation, the side lunge, is performed by taking a wide step to the side with one leg while keeping the other leg straight with your foot planted on the ground.

Single-Leg Squats

The single-leg squat is a movement performed on one leg that mainly targets your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. To do a single-leg squat:

1. Stand with one hand resting on a sturdy surface, such as a countertop. Place a chair or box behind you for security.
2. Raise one leg off the floor so that your foot reaches slightly in front of your body.
3. Push your hips back as you lower into a squat position on the stance leg. Aim to drop as low as you can go with a goal of getting your thighs parallel to the ground. Keep your core engaged and your torso straight throughout the movement.
4. After holding the squat for a few seconds, push through your foot to straighten your knee and return to standing.

Side Planks

The side plank strengthens your abdominal muscles, shoulder muscles, triceps, hamstrings, glutes and lower-back muscles. To do a side plank:

1. While lying on your side, prop your upper body up on your elbow while holding your elbow under your shoulder.
2. Lift your hips off the floor so that you’re supported by your elbow and feet. If this pose is too difficult to do at first, you can also use your bottom knee for additional support.
3. Keep your body straight by tightening your belly and glutes.
4. Begin by holding the position for about 6 seconds. Over time, increase to about 30 seconds.

Single-Leg Bridges

The single leg bridge targets the glutes and hamstrings. To perform a single leg bridge:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Hold one leg out straight and lift your hips as high as you can. Keep your hips square while squeezing your glutes to help you lift.
3. Pull your abdominal muscles in to prevent your back from arching.
4. Slowly lower your hips to the floor while keeping the one leg raised then return to the starting position. Repeat on the same leg for the desired number of reps.

Other Ways to Stay Safe on the Slopes

Pugliese offers a few more tips to help people avoid injury while skiing and snowboarding:

• When warming up before heading out to the slopes, prepare your legs by doing some light cardio in addition to bodyweight exercises.
• Ski within your ability level: Don’t attempt a ski run without knowing the terrain (its steepness and grooming, etc.).
• Avoid skiing when fatigued: Injuries often occur on the last runs of the day. Ski runs are also typically more congested with skiers at this time, making runs more challenging to navigate.
• Stay hydrated, especially when at high-altitude locations. Avoid alcohol when taking breaks.
• Always wear a helmet when skiing or snowboarding.

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