It seems as the winter months pass us by and the snow continues to pile up, there has been a rise in snow related knee injuries. There are several ligaments that support the knee and can lay someone up for a long time and if severe enough can lead to surgery for repair. The easiest solution is to be prepared. If you not in shape, start slow – like bunny hill slow, or if cross country or snow shoeing, on the easy paths. Ideally you should start to train 4-6 weeks prior, building up your cardio and core strength. Building your leg strength is crucial as they support you on the twists and turns going down the hills (this is for both skiing and snowboarding). There are several machines in the gyms to help target the correct muscle groups in your legs, ask the physical trainers in your gym to show you the correct way to use them (so not to injure on those). Any cardio machine can help build up your cardio strength, a nordic track being the most obvious in terms of closeness to actual skiing.
If you do get injured during a snow outing, go see a doctor to evaluate the extent of the injury, and if it is not severe, you can seek out acupuncture, physical therapy, chiropractic, or massage to help you heal faster.
I had severe back and hip pain from a work related injury and the pain completely resolved within a couple of months. Whenever you are having a bad day, come see Stephanie and she will definately brightn it!
- Zandrea, Portland, OR