When you train at relatively high intensities as an athlete, you are placing more demands on your body in order to attain a specific level of fitness or performance. As with any physical activity that challenges you to push your boundaries, you are subject to an elevated risk of injury.

‍

It’s no surprise an 8-hour day on the slopes requires a considerable amount of strength. Proper mechanics and muscle stability play a key role with the high velocity demands of downhill snow sports. Hip strength, in particular, can help control dynamic movement and decrease rotational forces that occur at the knee joint. By controlling the movement of your knees falling inward, you can reduce unwanted joint stress and prevent ligament injury. Hip and core strength are also crucial for maintaining balance and stability as you carve through the trees, weave through moguls, and (for some) get on and off the lift without wiping out.

‍

With all the attention we pay to the material goods of the sport, we tend to forget about our bodies' readiness to hit the slopes. Do your legs have the endurance for a full day of skiing or snowboarding? Is your balance good enough to keep you off the ground? These are essential questions you need to answer before heading to the mountain.

‍

The key to a successful and injury-free day are endurance, strength, agility, and balance. Proper training habits along with the ability to perform the desired movements in a strong, efficient, and safe manner are essential for optimal health and pain-free performance.

While these symptoms are common among athletes, they are not normal and should be addressed by a qualified professional. If this sounds like you, click here to get help now.

‍

‍

A population becoming increasingly more affected by injuries is adolescent females, who are 4-6 times more likely than their male counterparts to rupture their ACL. Reasons for this discrepancy can often include adolescent females’ decreased neuromuscular control of lower limb biomechanics at the knee during pivoting, landing, and lateral movements. While this injury is more common among adolescent populations, it can occur at any age among individuals who exhibit decreased lower extremity stability and strength while performing sports and other high-level activities.

‍

Various physical events (injury, illness, surgery, etc.) can disrupt your brain's capacity to switch on the right muscle, at the right time, and with the right amount of strength.  Without the proper stability system, known as neuromuscular deactivation, this loss of muscle control impairs your ability to properly stabilize joints through their range of motion. Specifically in the knee joint, the ACL becomes more susceptible to increased stress and forces may exceed its capacity, leading to strain or rupture.

‍

Proper training habits along with the ability of the athlete to perform the desired movements in a strong, efficient, and safe manner are essential for optimal health and pain-free performance.

‍

How can Activcore help?

‍

The physical demands of athletes are uniquely different from the general population who do not engage in similar activity. Likewise, physical therapy for this special population should not be given a conventional approach. Working with athletes is typically not a big part of a physical therapist’s education. It is a specialty area requiring much further study, training, and practice following graduation.

‍

At Activcore, you will be matched with a physical therapist who specializes in treating athletes. Unlike the "typical" PT who probably doesn't even play sports, you will have a specialist who knows exactly what you are going through.

‍

Activcore physical therapists assess how you move as it relates to your sport. They apply a holistic approach to identify not only the site of injury, but the true source of any pain, weakness and dysfunction. Addressing the underlying cause is absolutely essential for healing an injury, preventing recurrence, and keeping you healthy and at a peak level of performance. The progression of your physical therapy treatments should be a reflection of the type of activity you are trying to get back to doing.

‍

You will feel the Activcore difference from your first visit. This is a highly personalized experience delivered by a passionate movement expert fully dedicated to getting you back to the sport or training activity that you love. Once your pain has been addressed, you will have the opportunity to continue honing your movement through ongoing performance training at Activcore.

‍

Learn about our 3-step recovery process for optimal movement health.