There can be few experiences on earth as thrilling as skiing. Yet, for too many people, the thrills end in spills and the dream holiday is marred by a sports injury. It is vital for skiers to have at least a basic understanding of sports injury prevention and sports first aid, should the worst happen.

Knee injuries are common in skiers because the knee is highly vulnerable due to the very nature of the ski experience. The foot and ankle is locked in the ski. So if there is a fall and the ski bindings do not release as they should, it is the knee joint that suffers as a result. Little wonder then that knee injuries account for about a quarter of all ski sports injuries. Although most will heal with time, knee support and physiotherapy, an unlucky few suffer a lasting injury and may not be able to ski ever again. The very worst scenario is a complete knee dislocation. However, the two most common ski injuries are meniscus tears and tears to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

For beginners and intermediate skiers, there is another risk of sports injury, which is tearing the medial collateral ligament (MCL), as the snowplough that beginners use to stop and turn puts undue pressure on the inside of the knee. If this should happen, a knee brace can be of great benefit to help alleviate further sports injury.

In more advanced skiers, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are more likely to occur. This is mainly down to bad falls and nasty twists whilst falling. To help avoid the risk of these, it is always wise to aim to keep your knees flexed, even if you feel you are about to fall and always aim to fall forwards, not backwards, as this is more dangerous for your knees. Also, be especially careful if you make a jump that you do not fall backwards on landing. ACL injuries are a real hazard for professional skiers and can threaten their careers.

For some reason, women seem to be at even greater risk of ACL injuries, although it is not really understood why. It is hypothesised that it may be related to female hormone levels and their impact on ligament strength, so women may find especial benefit from knee supports to provide extra stability. Sometimes the phenomenon that can cause damage to the ACL is called ‘the phantom foot’. This refers to the tail of the downward ski combining with the immobile ski boot to act as a lever that then applies a twisting force to the knee joint.

It goes without saying that you must pay great attention to your ski bindings to make sure that they will release in the event of a fall, minimising the risk of knee injuries. Also, a very simple but effective common sense tip is to always avoid ski-ing when you are tired as evidence shows accidents are much more common at the end of the day.

So wise up and keep your knees safe on the slopes this year! Gemma Davison is Co-Owner of Firstaid4port, an online supplier of first aid, rehabilitation products and physiotherapy products. Firstaid4sport stock a range of knee supports in particular skiing knee supports. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gemma_Davison Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1798607

Filed under: Learning to Ski