We have all experienced some of the skiing pains. Whether mild or intense, every now and then a skier just has to push through. Often we accept pain in exchange for excillerating decents, jumps and powder; however, this is completely unnecessary. Most of the time, we can avoid pain whilst skiing. We show you the 5 most common forms of pain that can plague skiers and how to remedy them:
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Skiing Pain: Shins
Beginners usually experience shin pain due to pressure points from the ski boot. However, the boot is rarely the problem. Beginners tend to have too much inside their ski boot. Ski socks, and only ski socks, should be in the boot. Thermals, sweatpants and snow guards are not designed to go inside boots. These extra layers are often the source of discomfort.
Experienced skiers put a lot of pressure on their shins and due to rubbing and friction caused by the forward pressure, skiing pain can arise. If you have a long Aprés Ski session ahead of you, take your boots off first. This also renders hair removal unnecessary in winter.
Tip: Ski socks with special padding can aid in reducting skiing pain. Sport creams and lotions can also provide relief from pain.
Skiing Pain: Pressure Points in the Ski Boots
Almost 90% of skiers complain of pressure points in their ski boots, which can be easily avoided. Customization along with expert advice can help you find the right boot for your ability and foot type. Specially fitted footbeds and proper adjustments enable anyone to find a comfortable boot.
Almost half of all skiers and snowboarders wear boots that are too big, which allows the foot to slide and rub causing skiing pain. Who would have thought…
For those of you who have “special feet” with bone spurs and the like, you can get your boots blown out by a specialised technician. Foam-fitting and heat adjustments can improve the fit a lot. For very problematic feet, its often necessary to have multipe adjustments over a few ski days.
Tip: Feet change a lot over time; therefore, ski boots should not be used longer than 7 years or 150 ski days.
Skiing Pain: Cold Fingers
If your fingers get cold, skiing will not be fun for long. Ill fitting gloves are normally the culprit. If you find yourself always getting cold hands, you should consider buying new gloves. Mittens would be a better option for said people or those who do not want to ever experience cold hands as they are much warmer than gloves.
It is also important to dry your gloves properly after every ski day. People who have put on wet gloves in the morning will be able to testify as to how cold their hands got.
Heated gloves as well as inner gloves and hand warmers can help to keep your hands nice and warm during those exciting ski days.
Tip: If you get really cold, head somewhere warm. Have a nice soup or (special) tea to warm up.
Skiing Pain: Sunburn
There is nothing worse than heading into a nice restaurant or Aprés Ski bar after a long day on the mountain looking burnt to a crisp. You can find in depth information on sun protection and remedies for sun burn in this article.
Hint: No matter how much sun there is, in the mountains you should always use sunscreen and apply it on your exposed skin multiple times.
Skiing Pain: Sore Muscles
Regardless of whether you are an active person or a couch potatoe, after the first day of skiing you will definitely feel muscles you didn’t even know you had. Try not to increase the intensity too quickly and be sure to warm up before you go skiing. If you experience intense muscle pain, don’t be afraid to have a more relaxed day. You could incorporate some slower runs into this to work on your technique. It is important that you keep moving, even if your muscles are sore.
Use your sore muscles as motivation. You can actively train these muscles whilst skiing and having fun.
Tipp: Sport gels, magnesium, warm baths and massages will relieve tension and pain in the muscles
