Skiing is one of the most exhilarating winter sports, offering a combination of adrenaline, speed, and beautiful mountain landscapes. But for all its thrills, skiing can also put a significant strain on your body—particularly your knees. Whether you're carving down groomed trails, tackling moguls, or hitting the backcountry, knee pain is a common issue for skiers of all levels.
In this post, we’ll dive into why skiing is hard on the knees, the most common knee injuries skiers experience, how to prevent knee pain, and steps to take if you're dealing with discomfort on the slopes.
Why Are Your Knees Vulnerable When Skiing?
Skiing involves dynamic, high-impact movements that put a lot of force on your joints—especially your knees. When you’re skiing, your knees are required to absorb shock, control rotational movements, and maintain stability during aggressive turns, jumps, or sudden stops. The combination of these actions, plus the forces from the snow and terrain, can lead to knee pain or injury over time.
Several factors contribute to the vulnerability of your knees during skiing:
Repetitive Stress: Skiing often requires repetitive movements, such as flexing, extending, and rotating your knees. Over time, if the muscles fatigue this can lead to overloading the joint, or surrounding tissues causing discomfort or even injuries.
Impact from Falls: The inevitable falls that come with skiing (whether from loss of control, terrain features, or other skiers) can result in direct trauma to the knee, increasing the risk of sprains, strains, or fractures.
Incorrect Technique: Poor technique, especially in beginners, can place excessive stress on the knees. For instance, if you’re skiing with your knees too far apart or in a locked position, you might inadvertently create extra strain on the joint.
Lack of Conditioning: Skiing requires strength, flexibility, and stability in the legs—particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and hip muscles. If these muscles are weak or imbalanced, they can’t support the knees effectively, making them more prone to injury.
Common Skiing-Related Knee Injuries
Skiers can experience a variety of knee injuries, ranging from mild discomfort to more serious conditions that require medical attention. Some of the most common knee issues include:
1. Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper's Knee)
This condition is caused by inflammation of the tendon connecting the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia). It often develops due to repetitive stress, such as the force exerted on the knees during skiing, especially when skiing aggressively or landing jumps. Skiers with weak quadriceps are particularly at risk.
Symptoms: Pain just below the kneecap, swelling, and difficulty fully extending the knee.
2. ACL Injuries (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)
The ACL is a major stabilizing ligament inside the knee. Skiers are especially prone to ACL injuries, particularly when they twist their knee while maintaining a fixed position in their skis (for example, if the skis are stuck or caught in a mogul). ACL tears or sprains are common among skiers and are often caused by a fall or sudden shift in direction.
Symptoms: A popping sensation, instability, swelling, and acute inability to bear weight on the affected leg.
3. MCL Injuries (Medial Collateral Ligament)
The MCL runs along the inside of the knee and helps stabilize the joint. Skiers who experience a sudden impact or awkward twist can injure this ligament. MCL injuries are common when a skier’s knee is forced inward, which can happen in a fall or while skiing through rough terrain.
Symptoms: Pain along the inside of the knee, swelling, and difficulty bending the knee fully.
4. Meniscus Tears
The meniscus is cartilage that provides cushioning and stability to the knee. Twisting or sudden changes in direction while skiing can cause the meniscus to tear. Skiers are particularly vulnerable to meniscus tears during falls or when turning sharply.
Symptoms: Pain, swelling, stiffness, and limited knee range of motion.
Preventing Knee Pain and Injury While Skiing
While skiing comes with a certain level of risk, there are several strategies you can adopt to minimize knee pain and injury.
1. Strengthen Your Leg Muscles
The key to supporting your knees and preventing injury is building strength in the muscles around the joint. Focus on exercises that target the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and hips. Stronger muscles will better absorb shock and help stabilize the knee.
Leg presses and squats strengthen the quadriceps.
Lunges and step-ups target the quads and glutes.
Hip thrusts and side leg raises improve lateral and posterior hip strength.
2. Improve Flexibility
Decreased mobility in the patellofemoral joint, tibiofemoral joint and even the femoroacetabular joint can cause compensatory stress and overload in the knee while skiing. Regular stretching, and joint mobility exercises can reduce the risk of injury. Focus on stretches that target the quads, hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors, and self mobilizations for knee flexion and extension, as well as hip flexion, extension, rotation and abduction.
3. Work on Your Skiing Technique
Proper technique is essential for reducing stress on the knees. Work with a ski instructor to improve your form. Here are a few tips:
Maintain a neutral stance with a slight bend in your knees to absorb shocks more effectively.
Avoid locking your knees or skiing with your legs straight, as this increases stress on the joint.
Use your whole body to absorb bumps and control turns, instead of relying solely on your knees.
4. Use Proper Equipment
Ensure your ski boots, bindings, and skis are properly fitted and adjusted. Ill-fitting boots or improperly set bindings can cause excess strain on your knees and increase your risk of injury. If you have specific knee concerns, consider using custom orthotics to improve alignment.
5. Warm Up Before You Hit the Slopes
A proper warm-up and activation of the muscles used to support the knee before skiing can help prepare your body for the physical demands of the sport. Incorporate dynamic stretches and muscle activation movements, such as leg swings, lunges, and pause squats, to increase blood flow to the muscles and improve joint mobility.
What to Do If You Experience Knee Pain
If you start to feel knee pain while skiing, it’s important to listen to your body and take immediate action to avoid worsening the injury. Here are some steps you can take:
Stop skiing: Continuing to ski on an injured knee can lead to further damage. Take a break and assess your symptoms.
Acutely Apply ice: Use an ice pack to reduce swelling and inflammation, especially if you’ve experienced a fall or twisting injury.
Acutely Rest and elevate: Elevating your leg and resting the knee will help alleviate pain and reduce swelling.
Gentle Active Mobility: If symptoms allow, hop on a stationary bike or go for a casual paced walk.
Muscle Activation: Again if symptoms allow, squeeze and then relax the muscles that cross the knee. This includes the quads, hamstrings, and calf. This will increase blood flow and can decrease acute knee symptoms.
Seek medical attention: If the pain persists or if you suspect a serious injury (such as an ACL tear or meniscus injury), it’s essential to consult your Physical Therapist for a full assessment and treatment plan.
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Once you’ve recovered from knee pain or an injury, rehabilitation is crucial to restoring strength, mobility, and stability. A physical therapist can help guide you through exercises that target the muscles surrounding the knee and improve range of motion. They can also help you with sport-specific exercises to safely return to skiing.
Conclusion: Ski Smart, Ski Safe
Skiing is an incredible sport that offers both fun and fitness, but it’s important to recognize the strain it can place on your knees. By strengthening your muscles, improving flexibility, maintaining proper technique, and listening to your body, you can reduce the risk of knee pain and enjoy the slopes without worry.
If you’re struggling with knee pain or recovering from an injury, consulting a physical therapist can help you regain full function and prevent future issues. Don’t let knee pain stop you from enjoying the sport you love—take the necessary steps to keep your knees healthy and ski with confidence!
Need Help with Knee Pain? If you’re experiencing knee pain from skiing or any other activity, our team of physical therapists is here to help. We’ll work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan to manage pain, improve mobility, and get you back on the slopes. Contact us today to learn more!