| Every ski season it is the same story - thousands of | | | | statistic. However, at least have the peace of mind |
| skiers and boarders sustain injuries on the slopes. | | | | and benefit of ski insurance to avoid having to |
| Sadly, many skiers find themselves having to stretch | | | | stretch your wallet. |
| their holiday budget to pay for unexpected medical | | | | Following a ligament injury, a skier will normally |
| care and bitterly regret not having bothered to take | | | | experience pain at the site of the injury (which is |
| out ski insurance! No matter how good a skier you | | | | sometimes delayed) as well as swelling and bruising. If |
| are, or think you are, accidents can and do happen. | | | | the injury is very severe it may leave the skier |
| One important fact many skiers are not aware of is | | | | feeling that the knee is unstable or about to give |
| that claims on their ski insurance may be denied (by | | | | way any minute. Whatever the symptoms, or |
| any company) if intoxication is found to be a | | | | severity, it is likely to mean an end to skiing activities |
| contributing factor. Although it is important to be | | | | for the season. |
| relaxed and loose when skiing, it is not wise to try to | | | | The knees are very vulnerable during winter sports |
| achieve this by consuming alcohol or other | | | | activities, so strengthening and stretching the muscles |
| substances. Save the hot toddies for apres ski! | | | | that support them can only help. Having strong, |
| It is crazy to do a nine-to-five desk job and then | | | | toned muscles can also aid recovery after an injury - |
| expect your body to adjust to a week or two of | | | | as well as enhance the entire skiing experience. |
| hurling yourself down ski slopes without some | | | | It is especially important for beginners to prepare for |
| preparation. Just as with most things in life, it takes | | | | their first skiing or boarding experience by targeting |
| effort, preparation and lots of practice to become | | | | and working the ski muscles. Join a gym, take |
| proficient. Stretching, strengthening, and toning your | | | | exercise classes, or purchase a workout DVD and |
| ski muscles well before your ski holiday could mean | | | | follow along. One advantage to joining a gym is the |
| the difference between a week of pulse-racing fun | | | | advice and assistance of the trainers and |
| or a week of hobbling about in pain - from either | | | | professionals who can provide guidance on the best |
| stiffness or an injury. | | | | exercise machines to prepare and strengthen your |
| Any unfamiliar activity is likely to leave you stiff and | | | | muscles for the slopes. |
| sore for a few days afterwards unless you do some | | | | Skiing and boarding injuries are not just confined to |
| preparation. For example, think of times in the past | | | | the knees. The wrists, shoulders, thumbs and ankles |
| when you have done something unusual, such as an | | | | are often involved - and in more serious cases there |
| extended bicycle ride, or riding a horse. You may | | | | may be broken limbs, as well as head, neck or back |
| have been barely able to walk for the next few | | | | injuries. |
| days. We have all experienced that feeling of | | | | In their enthusiasm and haste to get on the ski lift |
| discomfort at some point in our lives. During skiing | | | | and be whisked uphill to where the fun starts, many |
| and snowboarding we use entirely different sets of | | | | skiers forget to warm-up and stretch first. |
| muscles to those we use in our normal daily lives. | | | | Professional skiers and athletes know the importance |
| Abuse those muscles and they will let you know | | | | of warming up the muscles before any physical |
| about it! | | | | exercise, and to stretch and cool down when |
| Statistics show that about one-third of ski injuries | | | | finished. |
| involve the knees. Many skiers may not be familiar | | | | Medical costs in North America can be truly |
| with the following terms until they have a problem, | | | | astronomical without ski insurance. The cost of a |
| but knee injuries usually involve a tear of the anterior | | | | broken leg could set you back many thousands, and |
| cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament | | | | if you need an air ambulance to bring you home the |
| (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) lateral collateral | | | | cost will run into tens of thousands! Be sure to take |
| ligament (LCL) and/or the meniscus (cartilage). | | | | out travel insurance with adequate ski insurance |
| Thousands of people go skiing without any problems, | | | | cover because no one else is going to stretch to pay |
| of course, and with any luck you will not become a | | | | those costs for you, including your Embassy! |