With the arrival of ski holidays, winter sports resume and with them the possibility of getting hurt. And it also applies to the less experienced, during fun-filled mountain trips. Adults and children, athletes and non-athletes alike, find themselves dealing with more or less intense physical activity that puts muscles, bones and joints to the test.
Ski holidays: how to avoid getting hurt
To avoid getting hurt, you can follow the advice of Doctor Massimiliano Febbi, and note what to do to recover quickly, with a mix of traditional practices and advanced technologies that also exploit artificial intelligence.
Watch out for bad falls
From skiing to snowboarding, from cross-country skiing to skating, from bobsleigh rides to walking. It’s winter and the snow offers endless opportunities to have fun, at all ages. However, every practice, in the event of bad falls on the ice or intense efforts without the necessary training, can prove treacherous and make our holidays and the months that follow a real nuisance.
Better to arrive prepared for your first ski trips
“The lower limbs are certainly those subjected to the most stress at both a muscle, tendon and joint level. – explains Doctor Massimiliano Febbi, Physiotherapist, Osteopath, Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Physiotherapy degree course at the University of Ostrava, Rome – However, the arms also have a key role from a performance point of view, as they allow us to maintain the equilibrium. Also not to be overlooked is the importance of the back which, through the muscles of the lumbo-pelvic “Core” belt, allow both excellent performance and the avoidance of trauma to the spine, especially with the high-speed rotation movements to which we come exposed with these types of sports.”
The most frequent traumas
The most frequent traumas are countless: “Common injuries in winter sports – continues Doctor Febbi – are strains, tears, dislocations and even fractures. Many of these injuries occur at the end of the day, when fatigue takes over but enthusiasts overexert themselves to finish the “last run”. Most injuries in winter sports could therefore be easily prevented or avoided with adequate prior preparation, maintaining good general physical condition throughout the year, remaining alert and alert during holidays and stopping sporting activity when the body throws us. the first signs of tiredness or pain”.
And the most serious injuries
However, the trauma itself is not the only annoyance suffered, as these episodes often leave a legacy that will keep us company for weeks. “Injuries of direct traumatic origin, resulting from falls or unnatural movements such as twisting the knee inside the boot, can lead to significant damage requiring surgery and long periods of rehabilitation and recovery.
Scientific evidence also shows us that the greatest risk of incurring certain injuries is the fact of having already suffered injuries of the same type in the past; it therefore becomes extremely important, when the traumas are not caused by accidental causes, to investigate the correct technique for executing the athletic gesture so as not to insist on a point already weakened by previous problems”.
Differences between adults and children
“The prevalence of shoulder injuries – continues Febbi – is much higher in adults than in children, both in alpine skiers and snowboarders. In contrast, the prevalence of lower limb fractures tends to be much higher in children than in adults who practice downhill skiing, as does the incidence of wrist injuries. Overall we can say that children tend to get injured more than adults, probably due to their lower technical and motor control ability in more complex situations, as well as a lower perception of the risk of any behavior on the track”. For adults, however, the aftermath may be more relevant over time.
The importance of pre-skiing
Constant or preparatory physical activity can therefore avoid or contain the consequences of trauma. “Studies confirm that a combination of dynamic stretching, warm-up exercises, strengthening of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles, and plyometric exercises play a fundamental role in preparing for the winter season. Furthermore, training using overloads, focused on increasing strength, proves to be an excellent combination between performance and prevention. A workout that can be done both in the gym and at home also includes highly coordinative and functional exercises such as lunges, squats and work with dumbbells for the upper body.”
READ ALSO: 10 easy preski exercises to do at home
Therapies to heal
In the event of an injury, what treatments or rehabilitation programs are useful? “There are many rehabilitation strategies, but in general, a treatment that combines manual therapy with mobilization and manipulation techniques, including osteopathic, instrumental therapy and therapeutic exercise with specialized therapists will be useful.” The expert concludes.
READ ALSO: Sports in the cold: how to prevent injuries
And the correct diagnoses
At the basis of a complete recovery, however, there is first of all a correct diagnosis. A correct postural biomechanical evaluation will allow the specialist to carry out a functional analysis also on the risk indices of the individual person.
Thanks to the use of new generation non-invasive instruments, such as the Spine 3D Sensor Medica which uses LIDAR technology and artificial intelligence, as well as the use of consolidated and better-known technologies such as computerized baropodometry to evaluate plantar support and the distribution of loads on the lower limbs, fundamental parameters will be obtained on which to build an injury prevention or rehabilitation program tailored for each patient.
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2023-12-15 14:09:28
#Ski #holidays #avoid #hurt
