by Leah Forrestall, MSc PT, BSc Kin, Physiotherapist
Winter is here and that means winter sports are in full swing! One of the most popular, family friendly winter sports for Toronto folks is downhill skiing. It’s a great activity to get out of the city in the winter months and enjoy the beauty of Canadian winters!
Skiing is one of those activities that can be described as ‘riding a bike’ and our motor memory allows us to pick it up quickly year after year. However, this does not mean we are in the clear of injuries! One of the most common areas of the body we see as physiotherapists get injured in skiers of all levels are knees.
Anything from ligament tears/sprains, broken bones, muscle strains, and bad bruises can occur with downhill skiing. Although accidents in sport cannot be 100% avoided, having a good base is paramount in setting yourself up for the best outcome when accidents do occur. One way you can build a good winter sport base is through strength training the muscles in your core and lower half. This can limit your risk of injury on the hill and also provide you with a great starting point in the event you do need to rehab an injury within the ski season. Being strong and fit will also allow you to enjoy a longer ski day, limiting your fatigue!
The best thing is you don’t need much equipment to quickly run through a knee strengthening circuit. Give these exercises a try with your family and friends to build some core, quad, glute and hamstring strength for this ski season! Aim to run through these exercises 1-2 times per week, 2-3 rounds of each exercise for 8-15 repetitions (per side when applicable). If any of these exercises don’t feel good for you or you have any specific questions come visit us for an appointment on a more individualized strength routine for you! Happy skiing!
Exercise #1 Lateral Lunge: shift your weight sideways into one leg. Push through that leg to then stand back up. Repeat both ways.
Exercise #2 Quad Focused Lunge: push through the front leg, allow your knee to go over your toe slightly. Repeat both sides.
Exercise #3 Single Leg Squat: keep your planted leg stable as you push through it to stand up. Lower slow with control. Repeat both sides.
Exercise #4 Copenhagen Side Plank: Get in a side plank and raise your bottom leg up and down while keeping your core in control and trunk stable. Do both sides.
Exercise #4 Copenhagen Side Plank: Get in a side plank and raise your bottom leg up and down while keeping your core in control and trunk stable. Do both sides.
Leah Forrestall
Physiotherapist – B.A. Hons (Kin), MSc.PT
Leah Forrestall is a physiotherapist practicing at Synergy Sports Medicine, East End (2017 Danforth Avenue)
