Pre-Season Conditioning for Skiing with Pilates
By Susan Czyzo (Bachelor of Physical Education and Health, Master of Science in Physical Therapy)
Australia may not be known for its Snowy Alps but Australians’ passion for winter sports is undeniable. Downhill skiing is especially popular with over 200,000 Australians descending on the slopes in New South Wales and Victoria every year.
We accept a certain amount of risk when we participate in a sport that involves high speeds and a fair degree of unpredictability. On any given run, we are at the mercy of our equipment, other skiers and snowboarders, snow conditions and weather changes. The ski season often sneaks up on us as snow appears on the slopes without much notice, enticing us to make spur of the moment plans to spend a weekend in the snow. When we combine the inherent danger of the sport with a lack of preparation for its athletic demands, we put ourselves at risk of injury.
The majority of ski injuries result from falls, followed distantly by collisions. The lower extremity is more often injured than the upper extremity with one-third of lower extremity injuries being to the knee (ACL and MCL tears) and lower leg. The most common injuries to the upper extremity are sprains/tears of ulnocollateral ligament of the thumb, shoulder dislocations/subluxations, rotator cuff strains, AC joint seperations and clavicular fractures. Not only are injuries common, they also tend to be of a serious nature, requiring weeks to months of rehabilitation to achieve a full recovery.
Preparation and planning may be our best options when it comes to having a successful ski season. After all, we generally know when to expect snow and we are also aware that sustaining an injury while skiing is likely to keep us off the slopes for most, if not all of the season. But what is the best way to get ourselves physically fit for the season? Unfortunately, research is currently lacking on ski-specific training and its impact on injury prevention. We can only look to research from other sports where links between, for example, core strength and injury risk have been found. Evidence or not, many researchers and fitness professionals recommend a pre-season conditioning program, hypothesizing plausible links between strength and flexibility and reduced injury incidence and severity.
Skiing, the great activity that it is, involves many components of fitness; aerobic and anaerobic capacity, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, speed, agility and coordination. Pilates is a great way to train many of these components in preparation for the season and here’s why.
Alignment
Pilates exercises, regardless of the position that they’re performed in, involve a great deal of emphasis on proper body alignment before and during each exercise. This focus builds postural and movement awareness, an invaluable skill for injury prevention in everyday life, and even more important during activities that place additional stress on our joints, such as skiing.
Spinal mobility
With the degree of spinal rotation that takes place during skiing, a pre-season conditioning program should address any limitations in spinal mobility. Pilates equipment such as the reformer, arc barrel and tower, can be very useful in regaining range of motion in the spine in a controlled manner.
Lumbopelvic stability
A main objective of Pilates is building optimal functioning of the lumbopelvic region. Effective and efficient functioning of this region is crucial to our overall mobility, our breathing efficiency and hence to the prevention of pain and injury. A well-functioning core can help us manage the demands of skiing, with its unpredictability, its bumps, twists and falls.
Hip control
An emphasis on attaining strong and mobile hips will go a long way in protecting our knees and lower back from undue stress. In addition to balancing strength and mobility, Pilates teaches us to disassociate our hips from our pelvis and spine, thereby further building the integrity of our core and improving the efficiency of our movement.
Specificity: Closed-chain and sport-specific
If we consider the benefits of specificity in training, sufficient preparation for skiing requires closed-chain exercises with a sport-specific approach. A widely held belief in the competitive sporting world is the idea that the optimal way to train for a sport is in a setting that is as close to that sport’s environment as possible. Outside the professional world of sports, where this type of access isn’t typically available, recreational skiers can adhere to this advice by performing sport-specific exercises. With equipment such as the reformer, cadillac and chair, there’s no shortage of options for Pilates exercises that mimic the positions and strength demands of skiing.
Flexibility
Skiing requires full range of motion, and therefore muscle flexibility at all joints in the lower extremity, perhaps most importantly, at the ankle. Maintaining flexibility in all major muscle groups is also believed to balance the forces impacting our joints. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that we don’t stretch enough, if at all. Thankfully, the nature of Pilates as a constantly flowing exercise program allows flexibility to be addressed, albeit in a more discrete manner than is typical. In other words, we’re getting tricked into stretching, allowing us to hit the slopes with the necessary mobility.
Adductor strength
Many of us are guilty of overlooking the importance of this muscle group when it comes to balancing strength at the knee and hip joints. Strength in this muscle group is essential for optimal hip and knee alignment while skiing. Pilates exercises place a great deal of attention on adductor muscle awareness, activation and strengthening, both in isolation and during full-body, complex movements.
Movement efficiency
Not only are efficient skiers more pleasing to the eye, they are also likely to experience fewer injuries and benefit from better overall endurance. With its focus on alignment, precision and coordination, Pilates develops more efficient movers. This feature, combined with the sport-specific training Pilates offers, can make you a better all-around skier.
Additional Important Injury Prevention Advice
The majority of ski injuries result from falls, followed distantly by collisions. The lower extremity is more often injured than the upper extremity with one-third of lower extremity injuries being to the knee (ACL and MCL tears) and lower leg. The most common injuries to the upper extremity are sprains/tears of ulnocollateral ligament of the thumb, shoulder dislocations/subluxations, rotator cuff strains, AC joint seperations and clavicular fractures. Not only are injuries common, they also tend to be of a serious nature, requiring weeks to months of rehabilitation to achieve a full recovery.
Preparation and planning may be our best options when it comes to having a successful ski season. After all, we generally know when to expect snow and we are also aware that sustaining an injury while skiing is likely to keep us off the slopes for most, if not all of the season. But what is the best way to get ourselves physically fit for the season? Unfortunately, research is currently lacking on ski-specific training and its impact on injury prevention. We can only look to research from other sports where links between, for example, core strength and injury risk have been found. Evidence or not, many researchers and fitness professionals recommend a pre-season conditioning program, hypothesizing plausible links between strength and flexibility and reduced injury incidence and severity.
Skiing, the great activity that it is, involves many components of fitness; aerobic and anaerobic capacity, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, speed, agility and coordination. Pilates is a great way to train many of these components in preparation for the season and here’s why.
Alignment
Pilates exercises, regardless of the position that they’re performed in, involve a great deal of emphasis on proper body alignment before and during each exercise. This focus builds postural and movement awareness, an invaluable skill for injury prevention in everyday life, and even more important during activities that place additional stress on our joints, such as skiing.
Spinal mobility
With the degree of spinal rotation that takes place during skiing, a pre-season conditioning program should address any limitations in spinal mobility. Pilates equipment such as the reformer, arc barrel and tower, can be very useful in regaining range of motion in the spine in a controlled manner.
Lumbopelvic stability
A main objective of Pilates is building optimal functioning of the lumbopelvic region. Effective and efficient functioning of this region is crucial to our overall mobility, our breathing efficiency and hence to the prevention of pain and injury. A well-functioning core can help us manage the demands of skiing, with its unpredictability, its bumps, twists and falls.
Hip control
An emphasis on attaining strong and mobile hips will go a long way in protecting our knees and lower back from undue stress. In addition to balancing strength and mobility, Pilates teaches us to disassociate our hips from our pelvis and spine, thereby further building the integrity of our core and improving the efficiency of our movement.
Specificity: Closed-chain and sport-specific
If we consider the benefits of specificity in training, sufficient preparation for skiing requires closed-chain exercises with a sport-specific approach. A widely held belief in the competitive sporting world is the idea that the optimal way to train for a sport is in a setting that is as close to that sport’s environment as possible. Outside the professional world of sports, where this type of access isn’t typically available, recreational skiers can adhere to this advice by performing sport-specific exercises. With equipment such as the reformer, cadillac and chair, there’s no shortage of options for Pilates exercises that mimic the positions and strength demands of skiing.
Flexibility
Skiing requires full range of motion, and therefore muscle flexibility at all joints in the lower extremity, perhaps most importantly, at the ankle. Maintaining flexibility in all major muscle groups is also believed to balance the forces impacting our joints. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that we don’t stretch enough, if at all. Thankfully, the nature of Pilates as a constantly flowing exercise program allows flexibility to be addressed, albeit in a more discrete manner than is typical. In other words, we’re getting tricked into stretching, allowing us to hit the slopes with the necessary mobility.
Adductor strength
Many of us are guilty of overlooking the importance of this muscle group when it comes to balancing strength at the knee and hip joints. Strength in this muscle group is essential for optimal hip and knee alignment while skiing. Pilates exercises place a great deal of attention on adductor muscle awareness, activation and strengthening, both in isolation and during full-body, complex movements.
Movement efficiency
Not only are efficient skiers more pleasing to the eye, they are also likely to experience fewer injuries and benefit from better overall endurance. With its focus on alignment, precision and coordination, Pilates develops more efficient movers. This feature, combined with the sport-specific training Pilates offers, can make you a better all-around skier.
Additional Important Injury Prevention Advice
- Use equipment that is matched to your size, ability and age.
- Maintain your equipment in good condition. When it needs adjustment, consult a professional.
- Wear a ski helmet.
- Use poles without wrist straps. Learn the correct poling technique including how to discard poles when falling.
- Ski under control and within your ability. Recognize when fatigue is setting in and call it a day.
- Be aware of the Alpine Responsibility Code.
- Have a safe and enjoyable skiing season!