Get Ready for the Slopes!
Snowboarding season is around the corner, which means it is also time to start taking mobility, strength, and balance training into consideration to prepare for the slopes. Snowboarding incorporates multiple components of the body, requiring strength and mobility in the core for turning, strength and mobility in the quads and ankles for steering, and balance throughout the body to manage uneven terrain or bumps during a run. All of these elements work together in series, whether it be during freeriding, freestyle, racing, or big air snowboarding. Wearing protective gear such as a helmet during snowboarding is always recommended when participating in these types of runs, but implementing a training regimen tailored to snowboarding greatly diminishes the risk of season-ending injuries. Choosing the right protective gear in addition to adding specific exercises to workout regimens that target the core, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles are essential not only to aid in injury prevention, but also to maximize performance.
The most common injuries that impact snowboarders are to the head, shoulders, wrists, knees, and ankles; wrists being the most popular. This is largely due to the lack of leg mobility associated with the snowboard being attached to the feet, creating higher risk for falls with attempts to break these falls with an outstretched arm (“Skiing and Snowboarding,” n.d.). Falling on an outstretched arm while going at high speeds leads to sprains and possibly fractures to the wrist, elbow, or shoulder, with the distal radius fracture as the most prevalent followed by glenohumeral dislocation, clavicle fracture, or AC joint injury to the shoulder. (Weinstein et al., 2019). Injuries to the knee often include the MCL, ACL, and meniscus. That’s why it’s so important to practice your balance and strengthening drills before the season. We’ve provided some examples below.
Some prevention strategies that are highly recommended before participating in the snowboarding season are acquiring protective gear like a helmet, wrist guards, and impact shorts to aid in unavoidable falls, as well as receiving educational tools on how to fall the correct way (Moody, 2020). Wearing protective gear is essential, but incorporating a conditioning program strengthens the locations of the body that are susceptible to injury. Doing exercises that strengthen the core, hips, knees, and shoulders such as side planks, side to side skaters, single/double leg squats, and tricep dips all help prepare the body to endure falls and reduce possible injuries (“Skiing and Snowboarding,” n.d.). Educating oneself on the proper injury prevention techniques and incorporating an exercise training program into workouts helps keep snowboarders safe on the slopes, and helps athletes to continue performing at their peak levels.
Here are a few of our favorite exercises to start practicing NOW to get your legs and core ready for your riding season. As always, don’t push through pain, and if you have a pre-existing injury, consult with your physical therapist first prior to trying.
Wall Sits: Work up to 4 sets of 45 second holds.
BOSU Single Leg RDLS: perform 3 sets of 6-8 each leg with good solid balance. Try barefoot first, advance with shoes.
Lateral Lunge + Single Leg Hop: sit back into lunging leg, then power off into a single leg hop. Try 3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Can perform on elbow or hands (extended arm); perform 2-3 sets of 30 second rounds; maintaining control of your hips, being careful not to roll back.
sit low enough to feel glutes engage, make sure lunging knee is not caving in. Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps each side.
Moody, J. (2020, July 21). Snowboarding vs Skiing injuries - Who gets hurt more? Physio
Inq . Retrieved from https://www.glenmoreparkphysio.com.au/blog/snowboarding-vs-skiing-injuries.
Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries and How to Prevent Them. Countryside Orthopaedics.
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.countrysideortho.com/skiing-and-snowboarding
-injuries-and-how-to-prevent-them/.
Weinstein, S., Khodaee, M., & VanBaak, K. (2019, November). Common skiing and
snowboarding injuries : Current Sports Medicine Reports. American College of Sports Medicine. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/fulltext/2019
/11000/common_skiing_and_snowboarding_injuries.8.aspx.