Why a skier needs a physical therapist

Performance Physical Therapy
Written By Griffin Kelly

During the 2016-2017 ski season in the United States, there were 481 operating ski areas and an estimated 6.8 million active skiers and moreover, there are an estimated 200 million active skiers worldwide. Most injuries occur to the lower extremity, with reports ranging from 43% to 77% of all alpine skiing–related injuries.

Risk factors for injury:

  • Skill level

  • Equipment

  • Sex - males (skiers & snowboarders) were 4-8x higher to be injured in a terrain park (TP) versus females.

  • Age

  • Activity level

Injuries are inevitable in a sport like skiing. “It is a sport that deals injuries to about 100 percent of its athletes,” said Breezy Johnson, the American speed specialist, who is all too familiar with operating rooms.

But if you have the right equipment, your skill level matches the difficulty of the terrain and your body moves well and is trained for the demands of the skiing, then you will most likely put yourself in a better position to decrease the risk of injury in terms of frequency and severity which is crucial for keeping you on the slopes and not wasting a season pass.

We know that the body needs to move well and handle forces appropriately to stay healthy through a skiing season.

  • How do you know if your body moves well?

  • What if you’re already dealing with pain or an injury heading into the skiing season?

  • How do you know if you have optimized your movement and function to handle the demands of skiing?

  • What else are you doing outside of skiing to stay healthy and recovery?

These are all important questions to consider just like wearing the best equipment and working in your skiing technique/skill.

We assess and help individuals optimize their movement to perform and stay healthy long-term.

Two options for you are:

Set up a discovery call to talk with a Doctor of Physical Therapy:

  • So we can learn about what you’re dealing with

  • Answer your questions

  • Figure out what the best option is for you!

Griffin Kelly https://perspectiveptny.com
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