Skiing: Keep Catching an Edge
Skiing has become a popular sport in the last several years. Unfortunately, injuries have become much more prevalent in professional and recreational skiers. The lower extremities are the most common areas of injury for skiers, but head and upper extremity injuries are also common. These injuries often require proper medical management including initial assessments and treatments performed by physical therapists and other rehabilitation professionals.
Many skiing injuries occur due to poor biomechanical movement patterns. This is possibly due to muscular imbalances, poor form, and pre-existing weaknesses. These often become problematic at high velocities, varying terrain, and with improper equipment. Recent research has found that “phantom foot”, or the inner edge of a ski catching the snow when falling, typically leads to knee injuries. Ski boots can also become possible mechanisms of injury if a skier lands on either the front and/or back tips of the ski during a fall. Not to mention, the common “dynamic snowplow” or “pizza” maneuver taught to inexperienced/beginning skiers to stop, results in high amounts of stress on a skier’s knees, which may result in future injury.
Knee sprains are one of the most common injuries seen in skiers. In more severe cases, this can even lead to ACL, MCL, and meniscus tears that can even occur without the patient falling! Depending on the extent of the injury, individuals may need conservative or more invasive treatments. Invasive treatment may include surgical reconstruction of the knee including ACL, MCL, and meniscus repairs, which require physical therapy post-operatively (and ideally pre-operatively), depending on the severity of injury. Physical therapy is a viable and research supported treatment option for minor injuries and potentially troublesome biomechanical impairments that may lead to significant future injuries. The ultimate goal is to address biomechanical issues through corrective exercise/treatment to decrease risk of injury, improve function and performance, and potentially help the patient avoid surgery altogether.
Physical therapy after skiing injuries can help with pain management and strengthening preemptively and/or post-operatively. Gradual therapy progressions can help skiers get back on the slopes sooner and doing what they love! Improving lower extremity strength and motor control following injury is vital for both nonoperative and operative injuries. Physical therapy is also a conservative approach that can help decrease the risk of further injury by preventing muscle imbalances that may occur following significant trauma.
Shea K., Archibald-Seiffer N., Murdock E., et al. Knee injuries in downhill skiers: A 6-year survey study. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. January 2014.
Weinstein, S., Khodaee, M., VanBaak, K., Common skiing and snowboarding injuries. Current Sports Medicine Reports. November 2019
Stay tuned for preventative exercises to prevent injury!!
Keep Shredding!!!
-Kyle Allison, PT, DPT, ATC