THEThe return to the snow, especially during the Christmas holidays, is an unmissable event for many Italians. According to Istat data, every year over 2.4 million people practice winter sports. A pleasure which, however, can easily turn into a source of pain and injuries if you put on skis without the right preparation. To remember it is Assosalutethe National Association of self-medication drugs, part of Federchimica, which together with Professor Michelangelo Giampietro, professor at the School of Specialization in Sports and exercise medicine at the Sapienza University of Rometook stock of the risks associated with returning to skiing after months of inactivity.
The “weekend warriors”
The numbers speak for themselves: over 53% of Italians say they have suffered from muscle or joint pain in the last year. A fact that explains why the ski slopes, especially in the first days of the holiday, become a high-risk place for cfractures, sprains and minor traumas. Among those most exposed to injuries are the so-called “weekend warriors”, i.e. those who concentrate all their physical activity on weekends or only during holidays. «From the point of view of experts it is a method which, if practiced with common sense, can still bring benefits: better little movement than noneeven if concentrated in a few days. However, this habit exposes you to specific risks, especially if preparation and gradualness are underestimated” explains Professor Giampietro. The problem arises when we try to recover in a few days what hasn’t been done all year.
Alpine skiing, snowboarding and more: who risks the most?
«The most common errors are the lack of preparation, technical gestures performed incorrectly, the underestimation of the fragility of the tendons, especially with advancing age» adds the expert. Not all winter sports, however, involve the same risks. More intense activities, such as downhill skiing and snowboarding, involve sudden movements and sudden efforts that put stress on muscles and joints. “The aerobic activities like cross-country skiing or trekking offer cardiovascular benefits and are less traumatic from a muscular point of view, while anaerobic ones increase the risk of acute trauma”, clarifies Giampietro. The most affected parts of the body are knees and shoulders, while the most vulnerable age groupsthere are the young people, often too sure of their abilities, and the over 60s, who sometimes tackle the slopes with technical gestures no longer suited to their physical condition.
Preparation is not optional
Injury prevention starts first and foremost with physical preparation. «Warm-up and stretching are fundamental, as is progressive preparation already in the weeks preceding the holiday”, underlines the professor. Even in the morning before hitting the slopes, instead of gorging on the breakfast buffer, it could be useful to go for a jog or do some stretches, just to warm up the muscles. Same thing in the evening when you’ve finished skiing: sauna and Turkish bath can help relax your muscles, even a nice massage, but…
Every year thousands of skiers suffer avoidable injuries. The Italian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology explains what to do (Getty Images)
Also pay attention to what you eat and… drink
Nutrition also plays a key role. «Dehydration and sugar deficiency increase the risk of cramps and muscle-tendon injuries. Before and during physical activity, simple sugars, dried fruit, water and lightly sweetened drinks, such as hot tea or herbal tea, are useful”, explains Professor Giampietro. When you’ve finished skiing, hot chocolate is ok, but alcohol or spirits are less ok, because they don’t quench your thirst and burden the body.
If you are tired, it is better to stop
It is also essential to know recognize tiredness which, being untrained, arrives much earlier than usual. Stopping when the body sends signs of fatigue, or small cramps is one of the main safety rules to avoid falls and uncoordinated movements. Even with all the precautions, however, it can happen that you fall from your skis and take a blow. In these cases, if nothing is broken and you can move the limb without too much pain, self-medication can help manage pain and swelling.
How to treat minor ski injuries
«After an acute trauma, such as a sprain or a contusion, it is essential to immediately apply the “PRICE” protocol: protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation»says the expert. Ice should be applied for short periods, while over-the-counter medications can be used to relieve pain and inflammation, recognizable by the red sticker on the package. To understand if an ointment or gel is enough, or if you also need to take something by mouth, you can ask your pharmacist for advice. If the pain persists, however, or if the leg or arm swells, it is a good idea to go to the emergency room.