Get Fit To Ski
By Michelle King, Exercise Physiologist of TSIC.

Well it's nearly that time of year again when we can look forward to wrapping ourselves up and hitting the slopes. Skiing and boarding can be counted as contact sports (usually with the ground) and they both require a great amount of physical effort. Unfortunately, most of us get excited about the upcoming season without doing the right preparation.

How many times have you thought 'wouldn't it be great to be fit and ready for the season' prior to July coming along? And how many times have you hit the slopes without giving your fitness a second thought and wound up tired (and potentially injured) after lunch?

Here is your opportunity to improve your fitness and reduce the likelihood of injury due to fatigue. It is common knowledge that most snow injuries occur as a result of fatigue and a lack of strength. Now is the time to get ‘snow ready’ and make sure that this season is a long and fun one.

Get Fit To Ski classes are specifically designed to mimic those actions that are needed during skiing and boarding. This will mean that your muscles will be trained to respond in the way that they need to whilst on the slopes. Doing 6 to 8 weeks of pre-snow season training can help you get the edge on your fellow skiers/boarders and give you a head start to regaining last seasons snow fitness.

The classes will help you get the following:

• Strong abdominals and core
• Strong leg muscles especially the thighs
• Strong arm muscles
• Good balance
• Good fitness

So if you're ready to take Cloud 9, Mogul Munch or get boarders burn then Get Fit To Ski is a good place to start.

What does the class involve?

Circuit based exercise that will improve leg and trunk strength; arm strength for poling; balance both side to side and forwards backwards and cardiovascular fitness.

Each class runs for 60 minutes, once a week for eight weeks and involves a warm-up, circuit and a cool-down. You will also receive a handout of exercises designed for at home use.

Snow injuries:

Knee injuries are the most common joint injured in snow sports. Skiers often receive injuries to their knees due to twisting and falling actions. The anterior cruciate ligament and medial ligament of the knee are mostly injured and these nasty injuries take extensive rehabilitation to help repair.

Knee injuries can be prevented by having strong fit legs that are flexible and powerful. A great way to help increase their function is to use rollerblading, stair climbing, walking or running op (and down) hills as well as using resistance based exercise to help build muscle strength and power.

Other injuries include the back and neck and shoulder, whilst these are mostly due to awkward falls or collisions strengthening these areas can help with injury rehabilitation and as we know prevention is better than cure!

To find out more about our upcoming Get Fit To Ski class please contact Michelle King on (03) 9783 9990 or michellek@tsic.com.au

Please note that before commencing vigorous physical exercise it is recommended that people over 35 years get a medical clearance from their doctor. If at any time whilst exercising you feel pain, stop and apply the RICE treatment. Seek help from your physiotherapist or doctor if pain persists.

This article was written by Michelle King, Exercise Physiologist of the Sports Injury Clinic.

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MONDAY NIGHT INJURY CLINIC

The Sports Injury Clinic holds a regular Monday night injury clinic. Between 6pm and 8pm clients can receive injury management from the weekend’s activities at a reduced rate, phone 9783 9990 anytime on Monday to secure your time.

Our Physiotherapist will assess, treat and direct a rehabilitation program for your players’ immediately as well as an active management plan to avoid spending more time than is necessary the on sidelines. On the day of assessment our physiotherapist will contact and report to the injured players coach or manager by phone or email to report findings and outcomes. You will also have immediate access to Sports Medicine Doctors for assessment and investigations if required. A Monday night injury clinic session is fully covered by your private health fund with no gap to you, or in the event you don’t have private health insurance the cost is $20.

A PRO-ACTIVE 2008 FOR YOUR CLUB

The Sports Injury Clinic gives you tips and offers services that can help your club be pro-active in preparation on the training track and ultimately lead to improved performance on the field.

Ground conditions affected by the drought are just one of the challenges we face during 2008 in getting your players up to peak condition.

However, with The Sports Injury Clinic’s AFL approved programs and player management systems, we can implement effective strategies for your club in a structured and pro-active way, 7 days a week.

Some of the concerns coaches consistently raise with us include injury reoccurrence, non structured training nights and rehabilitation programs.

The Sports Injury Clinic can address all these issues positively, working within your current club infrastructure.

What can we do for your club?

Assistance 24 hours a day

Your club will have access to an on-call physiotherapist who will give immediate assistance for players, coaches and trainers 24 hours a day. Just call 1800 351 421 for on-the-spot advice.

Exercise Physiology

The Sports Injury Clinic’s qualified Exercise Physiologists can come to your club and conduct specialist training sessions. They can also assist with structuring your training year based on prior knowledge of football injury and best outcomes. Exercise physiology sessions are also available on-line for your club during training and specialist injury sessions. (i.e. Hamstrings, groins, quads, knee/ankle injury.)

Injury Updates

You will receive 20 Injury Updates per year which will give you facts and information regarding certain injuries for use by coaches and players.

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  FRANKSTON VIC 3199
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