In case you didn’t know this month is the Winter Olympics in South Korea. All these athletes have dedicated their life to mastering their sport and being among the best in the world. All of that training and work takes a toll on their whole body especially the feet, but it's essential to prevent sports injuries. The Olympians spend hours on their feet training which would include running, biking, skiing and recently added to the winter Olympics; snowboarding.
Prevent Skiing Injuries
When you are out enjoying the winter sports there are a few tips to remember. Many injuries on the slopes happen because of overuse, to avoid those you can apply the rule of 3’s; stop before 3pm, don’t ski more than 3000 meters in a day, and take the 3rd day off.
Another injury to look out for that happens specifically to snowboarders is called the “snowboarder’s fracture”. This happens because of the angle of the foot in the snowboard boots when they land. The foot is turned in and the toes are moving toward the head, this position makes the outside of a bone called the Talus susceptible to fracture. This fracture can be problematic since it is hard to diagnose and affects the ankle.
Prevent Common Skiing Injuries
The way to avoid this fracture is to have more rigid boots. Some have hypothesized that softer, more flexible, snowboard boots allow for the motion in the ankle that causes the fracture. After the fracture happens immobilization and ice are best along with evaluation to determine if surgery is necessary. After the bone has been given time to heel, early and focused physical therapy will improve the outcome and get you back on the slopes.
Don’t Live Life in Pain! Call us today for an appointment at 505.880.1000. We take care of your feet…so that they’ll take care of you!
