Preventing knee injuries while skiing
From The Providence Journal
The International Society for Skiing Safety
says in recent years there has been a "significant increase" in
severe knee ligament sprains, particularly to the anterior
cruciate ligament (ACL), a major connector in the knee joint.
Various estimates say knee injuries account for between 25
percent and 40 percent of all skiing injuries.
As technology improved skis and boots, people
stopped breaking their legs, according to Dr. Robert Shalvoy, an
orthopedic surgeon at Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I. But
the force of a fall has to go somewhere, he says.
"Some people who just get caught up in a turn
can have a knee tear as opposed to having a Wide World of Sports
injury," he says.
Dr. Bruce Becker, an emergency room doctor at
Rhode Island Hospital, suggests strengthening and stretching
legs with something like yoga for a month before skiing to
prevent knee injuries.
"If you're not an experienced athlete and you
ski once a year, you're putting yourself at high risk for
injury, especially knee injury," he says.
Dr. Robert Johnson, an orthopedic surgeon who
teaches at the University of Vermont medical center, says
exercising won't help as much as learning to fall correctly. His
- Don't fully straighten your legs when you
- Keep your knees flexed.
- Don't try to get up until you've stopped
- Keep your arms up and forward.
- Don't jump unless you know where and how to