How to Prepare for Snowboard and Ski Season Without Getting Hurt

Introduction

As winter approaches, skiers and snowboarders everywhere are eager to hit the slopes. But before you strap into your bindings or clip into your skis, it’s essential to prepare your body for the demands of the season. Every year, thousands of athletes - both recreational and advanced - experience injuries that could have been prevented with the right conditioning, mobility, and strength training.

Whether you’re carving black diamonds or gliding down green runs, a solid pre-season plan can help you avoid injury and perform your best. Here’s how physical therapy and sport-specific training can keep you strong, balanced, and ready for peak performance on the mountain.

Common Ski and Snowboard Injuries

Understanding the risks is the first step in preventing them.
Some of the most common winter sports injuries include:

• Knee injuries: ACL and MCL tears are especially common in skiers due to twisting falls or poor landing mechanics.
• Shoulder injuries: Snowboarders often injure their shoulders or collarbones during forward falls.
• Wrist fractures: Common among snowboarders trying to break a fall with their hands.
• Low back pain: Caused by poor core control and repetitive twisting.
• Ankle and hip sprains: Often related to weak stabilizers and loss of balance.

With the right preseason preparation, most of these can be prevented.

Step 1: Build Strength and Stability

Focus Areas:

1. Leg strength - Squats, lunges, and step-ups build power for turns and landings.
2. Core stability - Planks, dead bugs, and rotational exercises protect your spine and improve balance.
3. Glute activation - Bridges, band walks, and single-leg exercises enhance control and endurance.

A physical therapist or strength coach can design a snow-sport-specific program to target these key muscle groups while addressing any asymmetries or weaknesses that could increase your risk of injury.

Step 2: Improve Mobility and Flexibility

Mobility is crucial for dynamic movements on the slopes. Limited range of motion in the hips, ankles, or thoracic spine can cause compensation patterns that lead to injury.

Include:

• Dynamic stretches before workouts (leg swings, lunges with rotation)
• Foam rolling for quads, IT bands, and calves
• Static stretches post-workout or post-ride

Physical therapists often include joint mobilizations and manual therapy to restore proper alignment and movement, making your turns more fluid and less taxing.

Step 3: Train Balance and Proprioception

Balance separates beginners from seasoned riders. Training your neuromuscular system improves your ability to react quickly when terrain changes or a landing goes off-center.

Try incorporating:

• Single-leg balance drills on unstable surfaces
• Bosu or balance board exercises
• Agility ladders and jump training for coordination and control

These exercises build stability in your ankles, knees, and hips - the areas most vulnerable on the mountain.

Step 4: Simulate the Slopes

A great preseason program doesn’t just strengthen your body - it replicates the demands of snowboarding and skiing.

• Plyometrics: Box jumps, lateral bounds, and skater hops mimic carving and jumping mechanics.
• Endurance training: Interval cardio or cycling improves stamina for long runs.
• Eccentric training: Controlled lowering during squats or step-downs builds the braking strength you need for downhill stability.

This type of functional conditioning helps your body transition seamlessly from gym to mountain.

Step 5: Don’t Skip Recovery

Your recovery habits determine how well your body adapts to training. Include:

• Foam rolling and stretching daily
• Compression therapy (like Normatec) for muscle recovery
• LightForce laser or ARPneuro sessions for pain and inflammation
• Adequate sleep and hydration to support tissue repair

Physical therapy clinics often offer these recovery tools to help athletes maintain peak performance throughout the season.

Step 6: Get a Preseason Movement Assessment

A preseason screening with a physical therapist or sports performance specialist can identify:

• Muscle imbalances
• Mobility restrictions
• Faulty movement mechanics

This personalized evaluation allows you to correct issues before they become injuries. Many clinics, especially those with TPI-certified or sports-specialized therapists, offer winter sports assessments specifically designed for skiers and snowboarders.

Conclusion

Skiing and snowboarding demand more than adrenaline - they require balance, control, and strength from head to toe. Preparing your body now can help you avoid painful injuries later.

By combining strength training, mobility work, balance drills, and recovery routines, you’ll not only reduce your injury risk but also carve with more precision, confidence, and power this season.

If you want expert guidance, schedule a preseason physical therapy evaluation to ensure you’re mountain-ready. Your body (and your season pass) will thank you.