Why Skiers and Snowboarders Should Consider Chiropractic

Winter sports are fun and exhilarating for many skiers and snowboarders. However, injuries from snow sports can be traumatic due to falls, collisions, and lift accidents. In this post, we’ll detail the most common skiing and snowboarding injuries. We’ll also talk about preventive care and let you know how chiropractic care can help you recover from injury.

Common Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries

Both skiing and snowboarding require high levels of balance, strength, and flexibility. During or after skiing or snowboarding, you may experience one or more of these common injuries that can benefit from chiropractic care.

Neck injuries

If you experience a sudden twist or strain in your neck while skiing or snowboarding, you may feel pain and stiffness that persists.

Knee injuries

The twisting, turning, and side-to-side motion of these snow sports can take a heavy toll on knees. You may notice pain, swelling, and reduced range of motion if you have a knee injury.

Dislocations

Your joints are often moving in different ways from normal when skiing. You may notice pain, stiffness, and lack of ability to move normally in your hips or shoulders.

Rotator cuff injuries

If you have trouble raising your arm to the side or above your head and experience a dull or increasing ache in your shoulder, you may have a rotator cuff injury.

Sprains

It’s common to experience strains after skiing or snowboarding because ligaments can be moved in different directions than normal. Sprains can cause tenderness, swelling, and pain.

Spinal injuries

Skiing and snowboarding can misalign your spinal column and cause pain in your neck and back.

Inexperienced female snowboarders are the most likely group to experience injuries. Skiers are more likely to have ankle, shoulder, and wrist injuries. Snowboarders are more likely to have knee injuries.

Injury Prevention for Skiers and Snowboarders

Skiers and snowboarders have a higher risk of injury under the following conditions:

• Dehydration
• Lack of rest between active periods
• Faulty or improper equipment
• Pushing yourself too far beyond your ability
• Not taking enough time to adjust to higher altitudes

It pays to be prepared before you ski or snowboard. Here are several ways you can prevent injury and still enjoy skiing and snowboarding.

Regular conditioning through exercise and stretches will keep your muscles and ligaments in good shape. Balance is especially important for skiing and snowboarding. Our physical therapists can recommend strength and balance training exercises to help you.

We can show you exercises to strengthen your core, hips, and knees, which are essential for preventing muscle tears and overuse injuries.

It’s also important to stay hydrated and maintain good nutritional balance before engaging in snow sports. We can offer you customized nutritional advice and supplements to maximize your health.

How Chiropractic Care Helps You Heal from Skiing or Snowboarding Injuries

First, you should treat your injuries with rest, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, elevation, and bracing. Next, you should make a chiropractic appointment to resolve any ongoing problems and prevent scar tissue from forming.

Chiropractic care can help your skiing and snowboarding injuries in the following ways:

Adjustments

This chiropractic treatment will reduce muscle spasms, pain, and inflammation. Your chiropractor can gently adjust your slipped joints. This manipulation will shift your joints forward or backward as needed. Adjusting the neck and upper back can also help you recover from injury.

Electrostimulation therapy

If you have sore muscles, this chiropractic treatment can provide relief. Painless electric waves are sent to sore muscles to stimulate blood flow. The delivery of oxygen to sore muscles promotes healing and strength.

Physical therapy

Specific exercises can strengthen and rehabilitate sore muscles. Our physical therapists can show you special techniques to help rebuild muscle in key areas.

Massage

We offer both hand massages and hydromassage to loosen stiff muscles and restore your range of motion. Massage also promotes a sense of well-being that is soothing and relaxing.

Spinal manipulation

If your spine is out of alignment, your chiropractor will work to realign it. This will alleviate your neck and back pain and take the pressure off sore muscles.

Ultrasound treatments

We use ultrasound waves to soothe sore muscles through deep penetration. The sound waves get to the deepest part of the muscle to promote healing and improve circulation.

Do you need help recovering from a recent skiing or snowboarding injury? Our chiropractic care team can help you. As you can see, we offer a wide range of treatments and physical therapy that will allow you to recover quickly. Schedule a chiropractic consultation today. We’ll develop a custom healing plan for you.

About the Author: 

Dr. Singer has been a practicing chiropractor for more than 20 years, and USA Health & Therapy has been around since 2004. Over the course of his career, Singer has helped tens of thousands of people with all kinds of issues by using a wide variety of treatment strategies. He has extensive knowledge of chiropractic modalities, including Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson Drop Table, and Activator, and in 1997 he earned a special adjunctive Chiropractic Certification in Spinal Trauma (CCST) to better provide care for car crash victims. Dr. Singer is licensed to practice chiropractic medicine in both Florida and New York.