Prevent Knee Injury’s!
Protect Your Knees This Winter
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With ski season just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start prepping your body for the slopes. This month, we’re focusing on the importance of building strength in your glutes and hamstrings, improving muscular endurance, and incorporating balance exercises—all key to protecting your knees.
Knee Injuries on the Slopes: A Real Risk
Knee injuries are among the most common skiing traumas, with the knee taking on much of the body’s weight. Unexpected twists from snow changes, binding release failures, or awkward falls can lead to ligament strains or tears. Two of the most common knee injuries are:
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Tears – Often from overstraining in a snowplough position, which is common for beginners.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears – Typically occur when skiers twist awkwardly trying to prevent a fall or land poorly after a jump.
Are knee injuries preventable?
Good news! Knee injuries can be prevented with off-snow training and improved ski technique. In fact, a physiotherapist for the New Zealand Freestyle Team could predict, with almost 80% accuracy, which athletes would suffer knee ligament tears within two years. How? Through a series of exercises that assessed ligament and muscle strength. This showed how building stronger ligaments and muscles through targeted training can significantly reduce the risk of knee injuries.
Top Tips for Skiers to Avoid Knee Injuries
Train & Strengthen Now
Think of your ski trip as an endurance event. Leading up to it, focus on squats, lunges, and wall sits to build leg strength, with an emphasis on glutes and hamstrings. Our workout plans will guide you through exercises that boost endurance, balance, and muscular strength, preparing your knees for the physical demands of skiing.
Learn Proper Technique & Posture
Good form is essential to preventing injuries. Beginners should prioritize lessons, while seasoned skiers may benefit from technique coaching to refine skills and reduce injury risk.Learn How to Fall Correctly
In a fall, aim to relax, tuck your chin, and draw your limbs in. This reduces the chance of stiffening up and injuring yourself.Ski Within Your Limits
Fatigue increases injury risk. Listen to your body, rest when needed, and avoid pushing past your comfort zone. Warm up before skiing, and stay on marked trails to avoid unexpected obstacles.Check Your Bindings
Properly fitted bindings help reduce risk. Overly tight bindings can prevent a ski from detaching, twisting the knee in a fall. Always ensure bindings are set by a professional.Après Ski, Not During
Enjoy the slopes safely—save the drinks for après ski time!
Ready to Train for the Slopes?
Become a member and access our strength and conditioning programs and knee injury prevention workouts. Click Here!
What exercises should I do?
See video below!
