Consult an osteopath during the winter sports season

Winter is here, and with it the enthusiasm for winter sports. Every year, more and more visitors explore the mountains during the winter season.

Mountain sports are many and varied, the most popular being downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, skating, snowshoeing and tobogganing.

Remember that these sports require intense physical effort. Imagine playing sports all day for a week (or more), when your daily routine is rather sedentary. A full day on the slopes, on the ice, in the snow, etc. puts intense demands on muscles, joints and the cardiorespiratory system. This is where physical preparation comes into its own, at least a month before your departure.

Winter sports require a special kind of physical exercise. Even for regular sportsmen and women, exercising for several hours a day, for several days in a row, is unusual! These sports demand a significant physical commitment.

The demands on the body during winter sports are specific and different from our normal lives. We make intense use of our muscles, particularly in the limbs, and our joints, which make sudden and unusual movements of frequent torsion, flexion and extension. The speed with which we change direction, particularly in downhill skiing and snowboarding, adds an important dimension of muscular and joint control. What's more, without realizing it, winter sports put a strain on our cardiorespiratory system. Altitude causes a reduction in atmospheric pressure, leading to a drop in oxygen concentration and increasing the demand on the cardiorespiratory system to compensate. Sustained physical effort, such as uphill cross-country skiing or fast downhill skiing, therefore requires good cardiorespiratory endurance.

In short, be aware of the impact of winter sport-specific movements and weather conditions on your body. So a balanced training program, focusing on strength, flexibility and endurance, is essential to maximize performance and prevent injury.

It's a good idea to consult an osteopath as a preventive measure. Osteopathy is an alternative health care approach that focuses on the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and body mobility problems using manual techniques. The osteopath will examine your posture, joint mobility and other aspects of your physical health to detect any imbalances or tensions. Before consulting an osteopath as a preventive measure, make sure you choose a qualified and accredited professional.

When it comes to winter sports, your practitioner can use his or her techniques to correct your ailments, preventing the onset of pain and injury that could lead to a temporary or even permanent break from sporting activities.

What's more, during your stay you'll be performing repetitive and unusual movements that your body doesn't experience on a daily basis. If you have pre-existing knee and/or hip limitations, you increase the risk of injury when practicing these sports, not to mention potential falls on the slopes, which can further upset your body's balance.

After just one day's skiing, a significant reduction in thigh muscle strength has been observed, which can lead to a decline in physical reactivity over time, increasing the risk of falls as your vacation progresses. Ice and snow conditions can also increase the risk of falls, exposing the body to sudden, rapid and unusual impacts. Injuries occur mainly in falls or collisions. The area most affected in skiers is the knee, where serious ligament sprains can occur. Snowboarders, without poles, have different fall mechanisms, resulting in more frequent injuries to the upper limbs (wrists, elbows, shoulders) and ankles. According to statistics, sprains, muscular injuries and joint trauma are among the most frequent reasons for consultation after a winter sports vacation. The aim of this escapade is certainly not to end up with a sprained knee or unbearable aches and pains, but to enjoy the moment to the full. The key to avoiding these inconveniences lies in physical preparation. Before putting on your skis, it's essential to strengthen the muscles of the lower limbs, with particular emphasis on the knees.

The osteopath can advise on the best approach to take before and after these intense sporting moments, suggesting exercises or postures to minimize the risk of injury.

1. Advice on physical preparation before your trip

In preparation for your stay in the mountains, it's advisable to start exercising 3 to 4 weeks before departure. Recommended exercises include the chair, which can be done while brushing your teeth, waiting for pasta to cook, etc. Climbing stairs and doing squats are also options that will help tone your quadriceps. It's also important not to neglect the rest of your body. Activities such as running or cycling are excellent for developing endurance, particularly beneficial from the age of 50 onwards to prevent heart risks. The use of an elliptical trainer will mobilize the upper body. We recommend a training rhythm of twice a week for 45 minutes, stressing the importance of developing balance through unilateral support exercises, such as jumping on one leg. A well-prepared body is better able to withstand prolonged efforts on snow-covered slopes.

2. Advice on pre-sport physical preparation

When you're on site, it's important not to neglect your warm-up. We stress the importance of warming up before putting on your skis or snowshoes. In the morning, remember to rotate your knees, ankles and pelvis, because a day on the slopes is a day of intense effort! The osteopath recommends 10 minutes of jogging with knee raises, heel-buttocks and flexions, followed by mobilization of the upper limbs and cervical spine to wake up the body, a step that is all the more crucial in cold weather. Indeed, when temperatures are low, the body is slower, with blood circulation, the heart pump and muscle groups asleep and fragile. Warm-up should always be gradual and painless.

3. Advice on post-sport physical preparation

After exercise, it's essential to focus on hydration and stretching, both of which are vital for optimal recovery. Stretching should be done warm, within an hour or two of exertion, and hydration is very important during and after physical activity to avoid soreness, which increases the risk of injury.

After your stay, a visit to an osteopath can help you recover more fully. Falls or sudden movements to avoid falling can cause tension, muscular injuries or even joint blockages, disrupting mobility and leading to postural imbalance. If no action is taken, these disorders can persist over time, either in the areas directly affected by a fall or injury, or in other parts of the body through compensation. The initial pain may even diminish in the short term, without the underlying mechanical problem being resolved. All it takes is a trigger, such as intense physical effort or major stress, for the compensations put in place by the body to become ineffective and the discomfort to reappear. So consulting your osteopath on your return from the slopes is essential to avoid these complications.

In conclusion, preventive osteopathic consultation offers many advantages for those preparing to take part in winter sports.

Here is a summary of the main benefits, as well as an emphasis on the importance of considering osteopathy as a necessary step before embarking on winter activities:

• An osteopathic consultation prior to winter sports allows us to assess your physical condition, correct postural imbalances, optimize joint mobility, provide targeted muscle strengthening, manage physical stress, prevent injuries, etc. This consultation is of crucial importance in maximizing physical potential, improving performance and reducing the risk of injury. It's a proactive approach that effectively complements a preparatory training program, providing a solid foundation for safely enjoying winter activities to the full.
• Osteopathic consultation after winter sports is beneficial for relieving muscular tension, preventing injuries related to specific physical activities such as skiing, improving joint mobility after intense exertion, and promoting the body's overall recovery. Osteopathy helps to restore musculoskeletal balance and treat any imbalances resulting from winter activities, thus helping to maintain good physical health.

So get ready, get strong, and let the ski season be as enjoyable for your body as it is for your mind!