FitnessLab: ACL Injuries

N E W S L E T T E R

PREVENTING ACL INJURIES

• Strengthening Exercises. There are many specific exercises that can help reduce injury to a skiers legs. Lunges and hamstring curls on a physioball with proper form are great for strengthening areas of the leg that can prevent ski related ACL injuries. • Proper Nutrition. A good diet can increase your strength and reduce fatigue. Vitamin C improves ligaments and tendons while healthy fats can reduce inflammation. It’s also important to stay hydrated. Altitude and alcohol are key factors in dehydration. Dehydrated tissues in the body are more susceptible to injury. Why Develop an Individualized Training Plan General workouts found online are just that, GENERAL. They may start you down a good pathway, but they often fall short on addressing your individual strengths and weaknesses. It’s imperative that you know where your strength and weakness lie so you can properly focus all of your energy training to improve your weaknesses which will in turn help prevent injury allowing you to have a safe and healthy ski season. Since skiing requires a high level of coordination between core and leg strength, dynamic balance, and overall flexibility which is most effectively achieved by an individualized functional strength and conditioning program that focuses on skiing. Our Trainers at the Fitness Lab specialize in performing ski related functional movement assessments that identify exactly where your strength and weakness are. We work with you to help you understand exactly how your body works and what you need to do to perform better while skiing. Don’t leave your health to chance! Schedule a Functional ski assessment at the Fitness Lab today at 303-800-2829.

An ACL injury is a knee injury that can quickly end your ski season in a blink of an eye. ACL injuries happen when the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee is torn. These injuries normally occur when you move suddenly or change directions quickly such as when you catch an edge and twist your knee while skiing. You might feel or even hear a pop in the knee when this occurs. Most of the time an ACL tears are accompanied by swelling, pain, decreased ability to bend and extend the knee, and instability, looseness, or buckling of the knee. It is also important to note that females are at a higher risk of suffering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament due to hormonal differences and body structure. Studies have also shown that women often land from jumps in ways that may increase the likelihood of sustaining injuries in their knees. Because of these differences, each person may need to embark on a slightly different program to provide the best preventative strategies possible. All of this talk of knee and ACL injuries may sound horrible, but the good news is that there are steps that you can take to help prevent an ACL tear. How to Prevent Ski Related ACL Injuries Whether you’re an elite skier getting ready to drop in on Rambo at Crested Butte or just a weekend warrior up for the day at Breck with the family, training and preparing correctly for the days ski activities may reduce your risk of injury. • Warm-Up Correctly. Warm-ups and cool downs are critical before and after almost any type of physical activity. Unfortunately, most skiers are eager to hit the slopes don’t take the time to warm-up after hopping out of the car or before they leave their hotel room. Make sure the right warm-up exercises such as quad, hamstring, and hip flexor stretches followed by some basic body weight squats are part of your regular routine before catching the first chair of the day. Before hitting the hot tub or jumping in the car to sit in traffic, try going through the routine one more time to reduce tomorrows soreness. There are several basic steps you can take to prevent a ski related ACL injury.

If you have been diagnosed with an ACL tear or sprain or if you want to learn more about how you can prevent ACL related knee injuries this ski season, give the Fitness Lab a call today at 303.800.2829

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