The last thing you want is to plan your perfect ski holiday, then spend it inside your chalet because you’ve been injured.
Here are some basic tips which, if followed, will help prevent injuries and ensure that your ski holiday is everything you hoped for.
1 Don’t borrow skis or boots from a friend or buy online without trying them on. Your boots should be a nice snug fit, without your ankle moving around at all inside. If you are hiring skis, don’t exaggerate your level of expertise. If you are given skis that are too long, you will find them harder to turn. Also, bindings that are set too high for your ability level could easily lead to injury.
2 Warm up and cool down before skiing. Take a few minutes to stretch your thighs, hamstrings, calves and hip muscles before you hit the slopes in the morning and make sure you hold each stretch for 30 seconds.
3 Book some ski tuition for your holiday, whether you are a novice or an experienced skier – avoid picking up or continuing with bad habits that could lead to sports injury.
4 Keep to your own ability level and don’t be tempted to keep up with more experienced friends. A lot of sports injuries happen because someone is trying to ski faster or on more difficult pistes than is safe for their ability level.
5 Keep your knees flexed at all times (but not more than is comfortable), and if you are going to fall, always aim to fall forwards, not backwards. Use knee supports to provide extra stability and to keep your knees safe from injury.
6 Gain some basic knowledge about first aid and specifically sports first aid so that you can be a help and not a hindrance if an accident occurs.
7 Always quit while you are ahead! Although it can be tempting to fit in one last ski, this can be a mistake! Don’t ski when you are feeling tired as accidents are most frequent at the end of the day.
Finally, if you are in a luxury catered ski chalet take up the opportunity to soothe your aching muscles with a long soak in your hot tub or book a relaxing body massage in your chalet.
Follow these simple tips and they will help you avoid knee injury and other sports injuries. Have a great skiing holiday!
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