Snow Skiers Urged to Get in Shape

Torn Ligaments. Dislocated shoulders. Ah, skiing.

With the approach of ski season, a national organization for physical therapists released the results of a survey of 500 skiers taken over the last few years in Colorado.

The group also recommended that those who intend to hit the slopes in six weeks or so start getting ready now.

Injuries occur most often in the lower extremities, according to the American Physical Therapy Assn. Forty percent of all ski injuries involve knee injury, the group said. “Especially common” are injuries to the bones of the lower leg.

Next are the injuries caused by falls on outstretched arms.

Gamekeeper’s thumb, officially a dislocated thumb, happens as a result of falling on an outstretched hand while holding on to a ski pole. A similar fall can result in partial to complete dislocation of the shoulder.

The survey also found that a quarter of all ski injuries come during the first or second run of the day or immediately after lunch. Bob Doctor, a private physical therapist in Denver, said such injuries may result from proper warm-up, especially stretching the muscles as one does before running.

The organization recommended conditioning exercises that increase flexibility, endurance, strength, agility and balance to get ready for the slopes.