With the New Year bringing what looks to be a promising ski season, it is important that your muscles, joints, heart and lungs are ready for the strains and stresses of this fascinating form of snow travel. If you're not sure, read on and check if you have prepared yourself.

Pre-ski training can start and go on anytime of the year. It doesn't matter if you're at home and caught off guard by an early ski season, like this year, or away in a southern sun spot, you can always prepare with dry land training to strengthen and improve power, balance and cardio fitness. Simply enter a pool for water running or swimming and a gym for building strength, power, speed and balance. One-on-one sessions with a registered physiotherapist or personal trainer, such as our Rehabilitation Gym visits, can also be of great value.

Be certain, when you hit the slopes, to warm up. Too much, too soon can spell injury for cold muscles and joints. Do a series of warm up stretches for your neck, back, shoulders, hip flexors, gluts, hams, quads and calves. Finish with faster exercises like squats, lunges, and quick hops on both legs for your larger muscle groups.

After skiing, stretch again to help reduce muscle soreness the next day. You may also ice any sore areas.

A number of other things are also important to prevent injury. Since nutrition plays a big role in maintaining good health, eating a balanced diet is a must. Because fatigue increases the chance of injury, get sufficient rest before skiing. Hydration is also critical. Exercise consumes a lot of water. An extra two liters a day can help.

Have aches and pains looked at if they last more than a day or two. Wear glasses and goggles. Vision plays a big part in preventing injury. Use heat and cold packs to decrease lactic acid in your muscles during recovery.

Massage and self release can decrease tightness and fatigue. A tennis ball will help you relax if it is rolled along the tight muscles of the back.

If you are unfortunate enough to get an injury:

• Rest up to 72 hours to allow the acute injury phase to end
• Ice for a maximum of 15 minutes, once an hour
• Lightly wrap a tensor bandage or compressive sleeve around the injury
• Elevate the injury so it is even with or above the heart

If your injury persists for more than a day or two, give us a call.

More information on preparation for skiing may be found in the book "Fit to Ski" by local physiotherapist Carl Petersen. Copies are $34, available at any of our clinics. Give us a call at any of our clinics for information regarding this fine book.