Sin the snow, Traumas or injuries risk ruining your skiing holiday. The only real rule to prevent them is arrive in the mountains with adequate physical preparation. But if that’s not enough, how to deal with problems at high altitude and get back on track? On the occasion of World Snow Day which is January 19th, we asked the Doctor Luca De MartinoPhysiotherapist and Osteopath.
Snow: tips for hitting the slopes safely
«The most popular sports activities on the snow are skiing and snowboarding. Anyone who hits the slopes out of practice or completely unprepared is the perfect candidate for a possible injury. It is fundamental, therefore, follow some small tips to avoid ruining your holiday early. First of all, it is necessary wear a safety helmet and back protector. Important also elastic braces, for example those in the ankles or knees, if the joints tend to be weak and “out of shape”. Before any type of sporting activity you must Warm up your joints and muscles well so as to be ready during descents, especially when changing direction. Maintain an adequate speed by obeying all signs present ed Absolutely avoid skiing after drinking alcohol. In the end, never underestimate pain and discomfort, even if smallcan destabilize psychologically and increase the risk of injury”, recommends Doctor De Martino.
Snow: which areas are most prone to accidents
«Statistically women get injured more than men at knee. This is it part of the body most prone to injuryas it is particularly stressed during skiing and is subjected to significant stress as soon as control is lost. A loss of control, even partial, can cause a distortion that overloads the ligaments, resulting in a partial or complete injury. In the worst case scenario, it is even possible to incur a fracture of the tibial plateau. In second position we find the shoulder injurywhich affects men more than women. In this case often we speak of dislocation of the shoulderthat is, when the head of the humerus and the cavity where it is housed (the glenoid cavity) separate due to a bad fall. In the worst case scenario, you can fracture your humerus or clavicle» continues the expert.
Other frequent injuries
«There is tennis elbow, swimmer’s shoulder and hips skier’s thumb, the typical injury of those who practice this sport. It consists of rupture of the thumb ligament due to the force exerted by the stick with the traumatic impact. This is a fairly common injury in other sporting activities as well. Injuries affecting the spine are, fortunately, less frequent. Often It happens that you have to deal with low back pain or severe muscle contracture at the end of the day. Let’s not forget the so-called whiplash, a loss of balance during movements, could lead to a distortion of the cervical spinesuffering excessive stress that causes very intense pain”, warns Doctor De Martino.
Snow: what to do immediately after an injury
«The last one updated protocol on the management of musculoskeletal soft tissue injuriespublished on British Journal of Sports Medicineit is the PEACE & LOVE In the three days immediately after the event, the tissues need PEACE: P for Protect: the injured area must be protected and reduce movement, without stopping completely, letting yourself be guided by the pain. And like Elevation: bring the injured area higher than the heart levelso as to promote the flow of liquids out of the tissues. A for Avoid Anti-Inflammatories: the use of anti-inflammatory practices such as the use of drugs and ice is not recommended. The various phases of inflammation are necessary for the recovery of injured tissues and should not be hindered. C is for Compress: compression through a bandage to reduce intra-articular effusion and tissue hemorrhage. And finally And how to Educate: educate the patient by promoting an active and personalized approach to recovery. The focus is on the advantages of an active rehabilitation approach and correct load management, compared to a passive approach based on rest”, explains the expert.
Snow accidents: what to do after the acute phase
«Once the acute phase has passed, we move on to the second part of the protocol, called LOVE. L is for Load: pain permitting, you need to start loading gradually tissues with active exercises. Or like Optimism: an optimistic outlook on recovery is associated with better outcomesjust as fear, catastrophism or incorrect beliefs appear to be barriers to recovery. V for Vascularisation: cardiovascular activity, which began a few days after the traumait is very effective. And finally And like Exercise: Exercise improves mobility, strength and proprioception after injuryand decreases the possibility of a new traumatic event”, underlines Doctor De Martino.
Once the acute phase is over, is it possible to do anything else?
«If the pain persists in the following days, the doctor and physiotherapist will together evaluate the use of instrumental therapies. Among the most used, in these cases, there is laser therapy, a treatment that uses the laser light beam with a specific wavelength to treat ailments that cause pain. The laser beam is aimed at damaged tissues to repair them, treating the inflammation that is at the root of the pain. Usually 10 treatment sessions are recommended, but the number depends on the degree of inflammation present. Another widely used type of therapy is tecartherapycapable of accelerate the natural and physiological reparative and anti-inflammatory reaction of the tissuesthus improving recovery”, concludes De Martino.
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