Ski Safety

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Info for Alpine & Telemark Skiers

The three main injury areas are knee sprains, minor head injuries and damage to the shoulder joint. The commonest knee injuries involve the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). MCL injuries usually occur when a skier falls, twists their lower leg and there is delay in or failure of the ski binding to release. Get into the habit of checking your binding settings every day by performing the 'self test'. This simple procedure basically involves you trying to release each boot from its binding at both the heel and the toe. If you can't manage this, then quite simply your binding is set too tight and should be adjusted!

To test the heel release
With your ski flat on the ground, slide your foot back until your leg is out straight. Now try and lift the heel of your boot out of the binding. Don't use too much force or you'll strain a muscle!

To test the toe release
With your ski angled so that the front inside edge is on the ground, try and twist your boot inwards so that the toe should twist out of the front of the binding. Once again, don't try too hard and end up injuring yourself!

If you can't release either the heel or the toe from the binding, then using a screwdriver (if you don't have one, then try any hire facility or ask at a ski patrol station) reduce the binding setting by 0.5 and try the release procedure again. Keep reducing the binding setting like this until you can release your boot yourself. Don't worry, doing this won't make the binding too loose but will reduce the risk of a knee injury from the binding not releasing when it should!

Racer Crash

Racer Crash

Regarding ACL injuries, we know that certain situations increase the risk of this injury -

  • Attempting to get up whilst still moving after a fall
  • Leaning right back on your skis or attempting to sit down after losing control
  • Attempting to recover from an inevitable fall
  • Landing after a jump off balance to the rear with the legs straight.

To avoid ACL injuries remember the four golden rules* -

  • WHEN YOU'RE DOWN, STAY DOWN - Don't try to get up if you've fallen until you stop sliding
  • KEEP YOUR KNEES FLEXED - Don't fully straighten your legs when you fall - try and keep them bent
  • DON'T LAND ON YOUR HAND - Keep your arms facing upwards and forwards
  • LAND WITH YOUR KNEES BENT - Don't jump unless you know where and how to land. Always land on both skis with your knees bent
Other tips for skiers

Try and avoid skiing with your hands inside the ski pole straps. This locks your hand to the pole in a fall, the pole then acts as a lever across the thumb increasing the risk of injury. Straps should be used in deep powder snow though to minimise the risk of losing your pole!

Contrary to popular belief, it has been proven in several studies that skiers cause far more accidents on the slopes than snowboarders. Keep a close eye on everyone else on the piste!

Telemark skiers have a much lower risk of injury than alpine skiers but should consider using release bindings as these have been shown to reduce the incidence of lower leg injuries. Leather boots are associated with more ankle injuries, plastic boots with more knee injuries.

(*adapted from "Training Tips for Knee Friendly Skiing", Vermont Safety Research 1997)