Without the proper preparation, your season could be cut short by injury

Posted November 29, 2016By Tania Haas, Staff Writer

“The three most common ski injuries we see here at Medcan are low back pain, patella pain and ACL strains,” says Zack Kelly, a personal fitness trainer and skier, rugby and hockey player. “While skiing, the body has to withstand a tremendous amount of rotational force. Unfortunately for those who sit behind a desk for long periods of time, the core and glute muscles that support the back can shut down, leaving the smaller muscles to take the brunt of the work.”

Making these simple exercises part of your gym routine can improve performance as well as prevent strains, pains and aching joints.

Alternating shoulder taps

This exercise helps fire up the core and gets the body ready to withstand force, says Kelly.

• Start in push-up position with the feet slightly wider than your hips and your hands directly under your shoulders
• Squeeze glutes and core tight
• Slowly take one hand off the ground and tap the alternate shoulder
• Repeat with the opposite hand
• In order to make sure your hips and shoulders are level, imagine you have a bowl of water on your back that you cannot spill.

Single leg ½ squat (with knee hike)

Kelly says this exercise prevents knee injury and pain through glute activation and single leg stability.

When the leg muscles are working in synchronization, forces are more evenly distributed and the muscles take the load instead of the joints.

• Stand tall with one foot firmly planted on floor
• Squeeze glutes and core tight
• Hinge your hips back slightly and sink towards the floor
• While sinking be sure to send the planted leg knee over the middle toe and then drive the foot into floor as you stand back up
• Finish standing tall with opposite knee and toe hiked to sky

Kelly says if you are too wobbly in this exercise, start with one hand supported on a wall.

“It is better to get through the movement smoothly with slight assistance from the wall than to let the knee crash inward or bend excessively through the back,” says Kelly. “Do not sacrifice good form to get lower in the squat.”

Swiss ball hamstring curls

This exercise is important for ACL support and knee stability.

“The hamstring muscles act as a similar support structure to the knee as the ACL,” says Kelly. “Strong hamstrings prevent shearing forces from building up, which can significantly damage the knee.”

• Lie with your back flat on a mat and your heels on a swiss ball
• Drive your heels into the ball and push your hips up to the sky
• Keeping your hips up, slowly pull your heels to your butt and then slowly return them back out