Snowboarding is the combination of skateboarding, sledding, surfing, and skiing. Riders glide down the mountain with their feet mounded to their board perpendicularly. Snowboarding is extremely popular because it allows for the opportunity for self-expression. There is no single way to snowboard.
While snowboarding is thrilling and is a great way of exercising and staying in shape, it can also be very dangerous. There is always the unfortunate possibility of getting injured. Here are some tips to stay safe this winter!
- 4-6 weeks before going skiing, you should begin to condition your body.
- Strengthen your core muscles in order to provide a more stable platform for balance.
- Strengthen your hips and knees with basic squats -strengthening the quadriceps muscle on the front of the thigh can help stabilize the hips and knees so that as you get tired, your joints do not take all the strain
- Be sure of your equipment - many injuries occur because of faulty or poorly fitting equipment
- Do not test your limits, stay within your ability
- Stretch and warm up your body before you head out to the mountain
Figure Skating is a sport which ice skaters, singly or in pairs, perform freestyle movements of jumps, spins, lifts, and footwork in a graceful manner. Ice skating creates demand on your body and you can easily overstretch muscles beyond their normal capacity.
To avoid injury:
- Warm up for 5-10 minutes prior to getting your skates on and stepping on the ice
- Properly fit and break in boots; adjust skate blades and sharpen as needed
- Inspect ice looking for chips or gouges that might cause injury
- Do off-ice conditioning to improve core strength and fitness
Freestyle Skiing is an artistic competition performing aerial acrobatics while freely gliding down a slope with backflips and twists.
At the Winter Olympics Games freestyle skiing events include:
- Moguls
- Aerials
- Ski Halfpipe
- Ski Cross
- Ski Slopestyle
Freestyle Skiing is a great way of exercising, but...
- You should be a pretty good skier before you try to do any of these freestyle tricks
- Make sure you are under the supervision of a certified teacher when new to skiing
Experienced freestyle skiers must follow very specific training routines so they can practice safely. Skiers try their new tricks by skiing down an artificial ski hill, landing in water. Skiers then must be able to pass a rigid skills test before they are then able to move onto the snow to try their new tricks.
Remember it is important to visit the chiropractor - when in pain and/or to prevent future injury. Even the slightest misalignment can have an enormous impact on your ability to ski or ride your best.
- If you're an avid skier or snowboarder who visits the slopes multiple times a week, you should stay on top of your spinal health
- If you only take a few ski trips per year, it is important to get checked out a few weeks prior to your big trip, this will ensure you are as healthy as possible while on the slopes
Go Team USA!