BY DR. SENDER DEUTSCH ... July 2006
Special to Michel Pratte International www.pratteski.com

{Dr. Sender Deutsch is a doctor of chiropractic medicine, an acupuncture practitioner, certified strength and conditioning specialist and ART® provider who has developed a revolutionary approach to chiropractic care, physical therapy and personal training known as Integrated Therapy and Training (ITT). Dr. Deutsch is co-founder and clinic director at SHAPE Health & Wellness in Toronto and he specializes in rehabilitation and conditioning for elite athletes.}

Skiing, and ski racing in particular, requires a great deal of lower body strength, agility, balance, power and flexibility.  To achieve optimal performance athletes train hard on-hill and in the gym.

Unfortunately, many neglect to focus on proper recovery strategies for their mind and body.  Failing to allow adequate healing of muscles will not only prevent you from winning races, but will increase your risk of developing injury.

Injuries can occur acutely, such as a fall, or repetitively, which involves constantly over-using or over-training the same muscles. The severity of acute injuries can be reduced by maintaining adequate flexibility, stability and balance, allowing your body to respond quickly to external forces. Incidence of repetitive strain injuries can be reduced or eliminated by maintaining proper muscle balance and length.

Trigger points, or problem areas, for skiers are hyperirritable bands of muscle that can hinder performance.The most common muscles to develop trigger points and tightness are the back extensors, hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, iliotibial bands, or “IT Band”, (a long band of muscle-tendon that runs from the buttocks along the outside of the thigh and attaches to the outside of the knee), external hip rotators and calves.

Two ways to achieve proper muscle balance and length are to incorporate stretching and self-myofascial massage techniques (myofascial massage is a technique which provides sustained pressure and stretch, combined with movement to “melt” and unravel your myofascial restrictions which will eliminate pain, restore motion, and enhance your ability to perform.) into your program.Incorporating both into your training regimen will help prevent injuries and enhance your performance. Proper muscle length and balance in combination with decreased tissue tension will allow you to achieve greater force production, and enhanced speed and power.

In conjunction with the following stretches it is important to stay well hydrated, sleep 7-9 hours per night and eat a well balanced diet while taking a good multivitamin with antioxidants.

Self-myofascial massage can be done using a foam roller – a simple piece of equipment you can take with you anywhere. When using the foam roller to treat tight muscles or trigger points the key is to first warm the area up by dynamically moving back and forth on the foam roller. Next, maintain sustained pressure on the sensitive area for approximately 30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times if needed.Following the release of the taught area static stretching should be employed to enhance the effects.

CLICK BELOW FOR MORE EXAMPLES:

• Foam Roller Techniques - Loosen Outer Thigh Muscles
• Foam Roller Techniques - Stretching For Lower Body

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The information on www.shapehealthandwellness.com is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health-care professionals. Please consult your physician or book a consultation with SHAPE before changing your diet or exercise program, for diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and/or injuries, for advice regarding medications, and prior to making use of any of the information within our website, articles or newsletters.