Athletes
Skiing season prep: protect your back
Central Oregon winters are hard on spines. A few weeks of preparation changes how the season goes.
6 min
The demands of a ski day
Skiing and riding load your spine in flexion and rotation, repeatedly, for hours, often after a cold start and a long drive. Add boots that lock your ankles and the shock absorption gets pushed up into your knees, hips, and low back.
Four weeks out
- Build hip hinge and squat strength — your low back pays for whatever your hips can't do
- Single-leg balance work, 2–3 minutes per side, most days
- Thoracic rotation drills so your mid-back does the turning instead of your lumbar spine
- Get any nagging issue looked at before the first storm, not after it
On the mountain
- Warm up before the first run; five minutes of movement beats a slow first lap
- Stop on your terms rather than when you're exhausted — most injuries happen on the last run
- Loosen boots and walk during lunch to restore hip and ankle mobility
After a crash
If you take a hard fall, get examined even when you feel fine the next day. Whiplash-type injuries and disc irritation frequently show up 48–72 hours later, and early care shortens the recovery considerably.
This article is general education, not medical advice for your specific case. If you want an honest answer about your spine, book a new patient exam and we'll measure first.