If you’ve ever settled down over the Christmas holidays in front of a James Bond movie, you’ll know that the man loves to ski. He’s never happier than when he’s whizzing down a mountain at dizzying speeds, dodging bad guys left and right, and performing some preposterous stunts along the way. Have you ever wondered – how does he look after himself as he deals with all that extreme exertion?
Well, we have no idea if he has ever visited a Jersey Chiropractor, but with our handy hints, you’ll get through your skiing adventures in just as fine a form (although they will surely be far less eventful than his!).
How Should I Prepare for a Skiing Trip?
First things first – come and see your chiropractor before you go. Underlying conditions like sciatica, lower back pain, neck pain and old sports injuries can be intensified by the extreme workout you get from skiing. We can help you identify any potential problems you could face, advise on how to prepare, and treat any underlying conditions.
Ideally, at least eight weeks in advance of your trip, start gently improving your fitness levels. Even the smallest of changes to your daily routine – such as taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking or cycling to work, or practising ‘wall sits’ (squatting against a wall with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle) – can help prepare you for the intense physical exertion of skiing. If you can factor in more concerted exercise sessions, like squats and lunges, skipping, and Yoga or Pilates, then the benefits will be even greater.
How Should I Keep Healthy while I Ski?
Start every day with a 5 minute walk or jog, and stretch all the key muscle groups as well as any specific stretches that you have been prescribed. Make sure your boots fit correctly and whilst you are actually skiing, keep your knees from dropping inward – this puts unnecessary pressure on the joints.
In general, the most important thing is to be kind to your body: take breaks when you need to, and don’t tote your skis around when you don’t have to. Staying hydrated is more important than ever at higher altitudes, so make sure you are drinking water frequently throughout the day. If you do take a tumble, soothe any injuries with ice instead of heat – it’s more effective on a recent injury.
What is ‘The Danger Time’?
For James Bond, it’s all the time! For you, it’s a little more specific.
By three pm, after hours out on the slopes using muscles that aren’t used to being used, your body and brain will be tired. Mistakes you wouldn’t have made when you first leapt off the chairlift that morning are now much more of a possibility – and joint misalignment or muscle tightness whilst travelling at speeds of up to 40 mph will make you vulnerable to injury.
While you can never completely eliminate the risk of injury, as long as you’ve ruled out any underlying issues with your chiropractor, warmed up properly, and taken rests when you needed to, the likelihood is you will significantly minimise the chances.
What relaxes you at the end of a day’s skiing?
Then you can move on to what we consider one of the best aspects of any skiing holiday – the Après-ski! And since you probably aren’t either pursuing or running for your life from any bad guys, your time in the hot tub, or in the cocktail bar, or with a great big steaming mug of hot chocolate, will be an awful lot more relaxing than James Bond’s!
If you want some more ski advice, give us a call, drop us an email or come and see us!
Charles Robottom & Felicity MacDougall
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