Skiing & Snowboarding
Due to the demanding physical requirements and high-speed nature of these activities, skiers and snowboarders are susceptible to a variety of injuries.
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What We Treat
The movement pattern itself can cause abnormal stress on tissue structures but also the falls and tumbles are often at fault for some nasty, painful injuries.
Here are some typical injuries that skiers and snowboarders could get and how physical therapy can be beneficial for them:
Knee Injuries:
Unfortunately falls, accidents and awkward movements can lead to an array of ligament and soft tissue injuries. Whether it be a full tear or grade 1 strain, physiotherapy is key to recovery. If its pre or post-surgery, if the injury has been that bad, rest assured, we have huge amounts of experience helping pain, healing and rehabilitation. Hands on treatment can be used for pain and inflammation reduced, followed by proprioceptive exercises, balance training, strengthening drills, and gradual return to sports-specific activities. We can even tailor exercise to be specific to skiing/snowboarding!
Examples:
- MCL Tear
- ACL Tear
Wrist Injuries
Due to the risk of falls, wrist sprains and fractures aren’t uncommon on the slopes! With soft tissue damage – hands on treatment is key to speed up recovery and reduce pain and inflammation. With fractures, once the cast is off, there is likely soft tissue damage to work with and of course strengthening at this stage becomes vital. Mobilisations and mobility exercises as well as advice on gradually resuming tasks that require gripping and weight bearing on the wrists will be given.
Examples:
- Radius Fracture
- Scaphoid Fracture
Shoulder Injuries
While skiing or snowboarding, falls or repetitive action can lead to tears, dislocations and fractures. Working with physiotherapy would allow a quicker healing time in many scenarios, reduced pain and the start of an exercise programme. Hands on manual therapy, such as mobilisations and deep soft tissue massage, would be undertaken, followed by specific strengthening and mobility exercises.
Examples:
- AC Joint Injuries/Separation
- Clavicle Fracture
- Rotator Cuff Tear
Ankle Injuries
Some falls and accidents can lead to higher level trauma in the ankle strucures, despite wearing a boot. Especially when your body weight goes one way and your skiis or board go another. Impact from others on the slopes/equipment can also lead to nasty ankle tears. Positively, physiotherapy can help with recovery, healing and rehabilitation.
Examples:
- Ankle Ligament Strain
- Achilles Rupture
Back Pain:
Skiing or snowboarding falls or high-impact accidents can cause spinal injuries such strains, sprains, or disc herniations. Physiotherapy can help through treatment and giving specific exercises to enhance posture, flexibility, and core stability as well as by using manual therapy techniques to ease discomfort. Such modalities are soft tissue massage, joint manipulation and needling.
How We Can Help!
Skiers and snowboarders who have sustained injuries benefit greatly from the rehabilitation and recovery services provided by physiotherapy. Individualised treatment plans with exercises, manual therapy methods, modalities, and protocols for rehabilitation specific to an injury can be offered by physiotherapists.Â
They can also provide guidance on how to avoid injuries, appropriate warm-up and cool-down methods, equipment fitting, and technique improvement. Physiotherapy helps skiers and snowboarders regain function, avoid re-injury, and safely return to their favourite winter sports by addressing specific injuries and assisting the recovery process.
