Skiing
Learning to fall may protect your knees on the slopes
Richard B. Jones, M.D.
Sports Medicine Orthopaedic Surgeon
As the weather gets colder more and more people will be taking to the slopes at local ski areas. Skiing is a relatively safe sport with about 2.5 injuries per 1000 skier days. Modern ski boots and bindings have dramatically reduced lower leg and ankle fractures in the last three decades. However, this has led to dramatic increases in severe knee injuries. There has been a greater than 100% increase in anterior cruciate ligament injuries throughout the 80’s and 90’s. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most important stabilizers of the knee, and injury to this structure usually requires surgical attention by a sports medicine orthopedist. Therefore, protecting his or her knees is on every skier’s mind.
Research from the University of Vermont has identified common situations which place the skier at most risk for an ACL tear during a fall: 1) the skier is off balance to the rear, 2) all weight is on the inside edge of the downhill ski tail, 3) the uphill ski is unweighted, 4) the hips are below the knees, 5) the upper body is facing downhill, and 6) the uphill arm is back. This basically describes a skier falling backward on their hand and placing their knees in a squatting position on the downhill ski.
Correcting any of the above situations may help prevent a serious knee injury. Some suggestions to achieve this include: 1) don’t straighten the legs when you fall, 2) don’t try to get up until you have stopped, 3) don’t land on your hand during a fall, 4) don’t jump unless you know where and how to land, which is on both feet with the knees flexed. Also during a fall try to keep the arms forward, the skis together, and the hands over the skis.
Often injuries occur quickly without time to think, but developing these techniques into every fall may protect your knees while skiing. Remember that injuries are much more common in inexperienced skiers. Arrange a lesson with your local ski instructors who can help prevent falls as well as teach these techniques I have mentioned.
Richard B. Jones, M.D.
Southeastern Sports Medicine
828-274-4555