Skiers engage in a dangerous and challenging sport, and this thrill is what makes many do it. While there is significantly less that you can do for pain that comes from a fall, you can do something about the problem at the front of the knee.

Many people experience anterior knee pain because of patella-femoral joint dysfunction. However, you can do a dozen things to help in avoiding knee pain as you ski and to reduce this condition.

Correct how you position your knees

Stand in front of a mirror in the position you use to ski- hip-width apart and with your feet parallel to each other. Bend your knees and imagine a dot in the middle and draw an imaginary line down to the floor.

The imaginary line you have drawn should land between your third and second toe. On most occasions, even the most professional skiers will find themselves dropping in one or both of their knees and you might not realize you drop them until you try drawing the imaginary line.

Knees that are poorly aligned during skating are bound to cause pain and inflammation around the quadriceps tendons and the kneecap. To achieve the right alignment and avoid knee pain while skiing, practice straightening and bending your knees in front of a mirror when starting, and later you can do without it.

Repeat the process at least four times a day to train your body on the movement patterns to become routine for you.

Stop bending your knees too much.

Most skiers are generally in a ‘sitting down’ position when skiing. Such a posture makes it hard for the quadriceps to work effectively, and the posture also exerts a lot of strain on the tendons and patella tendons.

To avoid knee pain while skiing, start training your glutes. You can teach them by doing squats. You can also practice the movement by standing on the side of a mirror and bend your knees for weight to move informs of your feet- not backward or forward.

As you do this, ensure you don’t look like you’re about to sit down. To make it a routine and avoid knee pain while skiing, practice knee bends daily and do at least 30 of them using the right hip movement.

Ensure you strengthen your quadriceps

Besides knowing that strong quads are essential for skiing, many skiers ignore carrying out exercises to strengthen them. Quads should be strong enough so that they can make the knee stay in a bent and flexed position for an extended period.

To eccentrically work your quads and avoid knee pain while skiing, carry out bends with ins knee. As you so ensure your hips are at a stagnant position and your knees are at the center of your feet, they should not bend inwards.

If performed in the right manner, vertical split squats can also help to avoid knee pain and will strengthen the quads. You can vary the exercises’ speed but do not try to increase the resistance and speed until you can perfectly align them without struggling.

You can also strengthen your quads in other ways, like doing lunges, squats, spinning, and cycling. To ensure you are working on the right part of your muscles, provide the knees and hips remain in a good position.

After mastering how to align your knees and hips correctly, you can start practicing down steps and jumping up. To avoid injury, it is advisable to carry out such exercises with an osteopath, physiotherapist in Singapore, or personal trainer.

Ski conditioning

It is almost evident that being in good shape is among the best ways of avoiding knee pain. If you keep on pressuring your knees every time you turn, you have to be in good shape to maintain your knees’ health.

To keep your knees healthy and strong, you can practice some exercises as wall sits, lunges, box jumbos, and squats. You can even go a step ahead and use a medicine ball or balance board to practice some light squats. Such small exercises help in activating the muscles in your knees and ankles as they help in avoiding knee pain hence adding more strength.

The commitment levels and exercise you choose to participate in depending on the style you use when skiing. For fairly aggressive skiers, you can choose to ride a bicycle to the condition. Cycling aims for all the groups of muscles located in the legs. Squats, lunges, and wall seats would also help such a skier to ensure the portions remain in shape before the next session.

If you do not know which exercises are right for you, you can consult a professional trainer, physiotherapists in Singapore or do some online research. Also, inquire about how to do the exercises the right way.

Ski the right way

Most pain in the knee occurs because skiers ski in the wrong forum. Many skiers ski in the back seat, which can strain the quadriceps hence cashing a lot of pain in the knees. The knees, ankles, and hips should all be in one line as you ski.

If you do not know how to ski well, you can book skiing lessons. They might be expensive, but having a professional guide you and walk you through will leave you with outstanding skills as you improve your performance.

It would also be better to spend money on lessons and classes than to spend money on hospital bills and physiotherapy.

Warm-up

Just like all other workouts, and warming up is recommendable before you ski. You should dedicate at least 20 minutes to aerobics and stretching before embarking on it. If you do not have enough space to try or do other aerobic activities, you can engage in other activities like the chairlift and slow ski.

These two activities will warm up your muscles, pump blood to your heart, and get your body in the mood for skiing. Also, stretching will reignite the forces that might have cooled down all along before you get to the top of the mountain.

Remember, as you ski, always use the right equipment and wear them securely. They should be of the right size, length, and height. If you are a beginner, you will not reconsider wearing a helmet during your early sessions.