When you observe an expert skier, the activity looks effortless. It seems like the skier is just gliding down the mountain, letting gravity carry them the whole way to the ski lodge. However, this is far from the truth. In actuality, skiing takes a tremendous amount of skill and athleticism.
Because of this, skiing also poses a significant risk for injury, no matter what your skill level may be. So, in this article, we’ll take a look at some of the top skiing tips from your Plano chiropractor to keep you healthy all throughout this ski season and beyond.
Tip #1: Keep Your Body Strong and Flexible
During both the ski season and the off-season, you need to actively work to keep yourself in good physical shape. Unfortunately, many skiers neglect to lift weights, stretch, and perform cardio. As a result, they are often subject to serious, career-ending injuries.
As unappealing as the activity may sound, exercise is one of the best ways to help you get better at skiing and it is also one of the best ways for you to avoid injury. Performing total body exercises, completing regular cardiovascular exercise, and stretching will help to stave away almost any orthopedic injury you could incur on the mountain.
Tip #2: Warm Up Before Your Runs
Your muscles respond better to exercise when they are warm. This is an especially important consideration when you are knifing your way down a steep mountain at break-neck speeds.
If you don’t warm up before you make your runs on the ski slope, you’re more likely to tear muscles and injure joints when you start skiing.
Remember: cold tissues tear and warm tissues bend. This is an important concept to keep in mind for all activities!
Tip #3: Learn Good Body Mechanics
If you’re fairly new to skiing, you may not have mastered your technique quite yet. If this sounds like you, you should be sure to take time to learn proper body mechanics in order to avoid skiing injuries and snowboarding injuries.
Even though you may balk at the price, skiing and snowboarding lessons are well worth the cost. These professionals can help you to master the nuances related to the sport so that you can get better at skiing and stay injury-free.
Tip #4: Dress Warmly
Hopefully, this goes without saying, but it is often extremely cold on the ski slope.
Because of this, many skiers will suffer from frostbite and other cold-related injuries. For this reason, it’s imperative that you wear plenty of layers and keep yourself warm during your ski trip.
Of all the ski injuries and snowboard injuries you could suffer on the slopes, cold injuries may be the most severe. So bundle up!
Tip #5: See Your Chiropractor Before Heading Out
Chiropractic care is one of the best ways for athletes to stay healthy and strong during their chosen pursuit. Chiropractic adjustments act to realign the spine through specific treatments performed on various areas of the neck, upper back, and lower back.
By keeping these areas in perfect alignment, your chiropractor can better allow your central nervous system to communicate with the rest of your body. This, in turn, enables you to perform athletic feats with better precision and strength. For skiing and snowboarding in particular, chiropractic care can lead to better performance on the slopes.
Are you gearing up for your next ski trip? Have you loaded the boots and the snowboard in the car? If so, don’t forget to schedule a visit to your Plano chiropractor at Keystone Chiropractic before you head out. We would be happy to help you today so that you can avoid ski and snowboarding injuries. Book your appointment now!
