How to avoid ski sprains!

It always amazes me how healthy fit persons will take at least 30 minutes to "warm-up" in studios before doing a workout,,,yet when going skiing they will rush to "expert" runs!For some they have the attitude,,I paid a lot for this ski trip let us get the most runs out of it! Rush rush rush to the accident!

You body needs to be "warmed up" even more when skiing! If you are on ski holiday it is the famous Tuesday injuries that appear if you do not take the time to stretch!

I practice the "first on and last off" skiing ritual so I am at lift 30 minutes before lift opens. Those 30 minutes are spent "warming up" and often I am the only one doing these strange movements while 30 other skiers watch!

Another wise practice is NOT to tighten ski boots on first two runs! Ski down beginner run with an nice easy style with those loose boots! It serves two goals. It allows body to warm up and it allows my brain to "feel" the snow conditions!
You see with loose ski boots, you have to be in "perfect" ski position to "carve" even in the beginner runs! My brain wakes up and takes in all the sensory inputs; hardness of slope, "flow" of base, strength of "tired" muscles, etc....

Once my heart has pumped some oxygen to muscles, I have seen the conditions of the runs and I have done my "warm up " runs,,,then I tighten boots and go to other slopes!

Give your body a chance! Always do some warm-up runs! It will make your holiday more enjoyable and you will learn to "feel" the ski work for you!

pavelski wrote:

Another wise practice is NOT to tighten ski boots on first two runs! Ski down beginner run with an nice easy style with those loose boots! It serves two goals. It allows body to warm up and it allows my brain to "feel" the snow conditions!
You see with loose ski boots, you have to be in "perfect" ski position to "carve" even in the beginner runs! My brain wakes up and takes in all the sensory inputs; hardness of slope, "flow" of base, strength of "tired" muscles, etc....

Once my heart has pumped some oxygen to muscles, I have seen the conditions of the runs and I have done my "warm up " runs,,,then I tighten boots and go to other slopes!

I'm definately with you on the warm up thing but I'm not so sure about the loose boots. It happened to me this year, being the cocky little git that I can be sometimes after disembarking from the gondola I proceeded to chuck the skis on and steam down a easy red to get the juices flowing. Imagine my shock when I had to perform a sharp turn to avoid a snow boarder intent on going as fast / faster than me only to find that I'd neglected to tighten the top 2 buckles and strap :shock:

Obviously Pavel you are a far more advanced skier than me and I don't mind telling you it was quite possibly the scariest moment of the trip. Needless to say the arm waving that ensued as I tried to avoid carnage was apparently quite hysterical to those behind me and I still get ribbed about it now! It goes without saying then that I shall NEVER be skiing anywhere, not even the garden path without my boots very firmly done up. Horrible feeling :P

im pretty sure if i didnt tighten my boots it wouldnt make much difference to my bone-crushing race boots lol

Now you are discovering why I am one of the first skiers on the slope! In many cases I can do 2-3 runs on beginner slope and no one has gone down! I just see my tracks!

You are correct however in noting that while you ski with loose boots you must be very alert!

Just another side comment. One of the "certification" evaluation procedures for ski instructors at the level 3 is to ski with all the ski buckles off in "varied" slope conditions!

You very quickly see the skiers that "muscle" their skis and those that guide their skis!

Thanks for that comment about security!