Andrew Hooge, CSCS

Have you ever endured an all day ski outing that left you stiff as a board the following morning? Speaking from experience, it’s no picnic. Over the years I have discovered a specific series of exercises and therapeutic modalities to be very helpful in alleviating these “morning after” aches and pains. Try this “30-minute fix” routine and let us know how it works for you.

1. Ice, ice and more ice. Anyone who’s been involved in competitive sports has been plastered with ice at one time or another. The reason: It decreases inflammation helping to reduce pain and soreness. Place the ice in a protective bag or sheath (do not place directly on the skin) and compress it on to the areas of your body that are typically sore (knee, joints, thighs and lower back for most people). Check out our interview with Physcial Therapist, Mike McMorris for more on icing.
Time: 20 minutes

2. Post Ski Meal: After a long day of hard skiing the body has depleted its glycogen stores (stored energy inside the muscle) and “broken down” the muscle tissue. To help repair your body, Dr. Martin Gibala a physiology professor at McMaster University, recommends consuming at least .5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of bodyweight and approximately 10 grams of protein (more or less depending on your bodyweight) for every hour of “intense” exercise. Try a Gatorade Nutrition Shake after a long day of skiing to help repair your body.
Time: 1-2 minutes to gulp it down

3. Myofacial Release with Foam Roller: Injuries, stress, inflammation, trauma, and poor posture can cause restriction to fascia. Since fascia is an interconnected web, the restriction or tightness to fascia at a place, with time can spread to other places in the body like a pull in a sweater. The goal of myofascial release is to release fascia restriction and restore its tissue health. In other words, tight fascia equals a tight and restricted body. Try the foam roller exercises at FitSkiing.com to help “break-up” the tissue and restore the body’s proper movement patterns.
Time: 8-10 minutes

Stay Fit Skiing!