Latest posts for the topic "Safe Skiing"

Safe Skiing

Mon, 9 Jul 2012 22:41:33 GMT

Knee surgeon had an interesting comment last week. He was recommending a back to ski clinic and how they taught a very "safe style" of skiing.

Perhaps Warren can share with all.

Certainly since my injury I now cringe as people come to stop leaning into slope. Downhill ski unweighted and leaning back slightly.

Apart from speed, common sense etc what positions should we be avoiding. 999/1000 no injury but risk is there. Afraid am a very analytical skier and I was obviously in wrong position. Unlucky certainly feel it :-). Reality is I was coming to planned stop and greater awareness would have saved me 2 ops and 6 weeks skiing missed.

Re:Safe Skiing

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 01:01:10 GMT

Ranchero,

One of the leaders in studying ACl injuries is Carl Ettlinger. Some of you older skiers will recognize this name from many ski articles on bindings back in the 1970's and 1980's. He also is one of the founders of the new binding marketed as a "safe knee oriented binding"

He is President of the Vermont Ski Safety Research and actually does all his work in a renovated barn. He has teamed up with Dr. Robert Johnson and often does presentations in world conferences on ski safety.
Here is a few tips from their site: http://www.vermontskisafety.com/kneefriendly.php

You all will be interested in their analysis on the causes of ACL tears in skiing. Speed is not the major factor for ACL ruptures. The famous leaning back while falling ( often slowly) is the main cause. They have many videos with analysis which all skiers should view.

In North America, Carl Ettlinger is the ski binding guru who designed most of the technical clinics for reps and shop technicians.

As far as "safe skiing" style or technique.....all starts with the head.

Skiers should not wait till after ACL operations to learn safe skiing.

Safe style for me is;
1. learn effective ski technique
2. learn to read problem situations before they happen
3. learn to avoid others
4. learn to "listen " to your body
5. learn to enjoy skiing, thus be relaxed.

It can be done.

Re:Safe Skiing

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:04:39 GMT

Pavel, I would have written the same:
Safe style for me is;
1. learn effective ski technique
2. learn to read problem situations before they happen
3. learn to avoid others
4. learn to "listen " to your body
5. learn to enjoy skiing, thus be relaxed.

and added
6. Read the snow conditions, ice and heavy spring snow are an opportunity for injuries.
7. Don't be afraid to come off the hill in adverse weather, if you are in a white-out it can be dangerous.
8. Understand your bindings. Check them. Keep them serviced and in good condition.
9. Never induce others to ski beyond their capability.

Re:Safe Skiing

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:48:57 GMT

Dave Mac,

Right on !

Re:Safe Skiing

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 07:48:08 GMT

can I add my pet hate ...allowing yourself to use all 5 senses...no earphones so you can hear what is happening around you

Re:Safe Skiing

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 09:19:31 GMT

daved wrote:can I add my pet hate ...allowing yourself to use all 5 senses...no earphones so you can hear what is happening around you

Hear, Hear :thumbup:

Re:Safe Skiing

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 11:23:02 GMT

Daved,

You have brought up an issue which must be addressed by ski industry, that is the use of ear-phones.

In many countries , while driving a car, truck, etc,,,you can not use cell phone yet I still see persons "listening" to music . I assume it is music .

The term you use is correct, "all 5 senses" and so it is with skiing and skiing survival. All senses are needed and no amount of body protection is going to replace those 5 senses !

Again, ski safety begins in the head and the attitude, "I am in MY bubble and will do what I want " is not acceptable. If we accept that skiing requires spilt second adjustments, changes of direction with full attention, then yes those 5 senses are needed.
It is like having side blinders ( the horse type) while skiing. You never see the sides.

Until there will be too many accidents and deaths,,,nothing will be done. Yes I have seen some persons going down a slope and on cell phone AND video taping at same time.

I presume this is the conversation, "Frank,,,,,Frank,,,get your computer on. Go to You Tube dud,,,,I am going down this wicked beginner run, It is sick. Just hit two bodies and a third one is coming. Going WIreless to net. Instant crash moves.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh,,,,,&****$$####!!!!))(((??&&&++++ ,,,,,,,,silence.

Enough techno while skiing.

See August Rush movie ,,,,,,, then discover and enjoy the music "all around us ".
Ian get that movie. It will make you a better parent, better person and yes a better skier since you will discover that music all around us ( that most persons do not hear ).

Re:Safe Skiing

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:46:07 GMT

I have Tinnitus so in effect I have to rely on 4 senses, unfortunately it not easy especially when daft boarders are tailgating you , which has happened to me on a number of occasions.
The one rule I consider to be most important for safety is for following skiers ect to pass without putting themselves & others at risk, this will not happen in my lifetime, it seems to get worse every year :evil:

Re:Safe Skiing

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:28:11 GMT

Think there's a huge difference between having a condition that's affecting your senses, tinnitus or loss of hearing good examples where you adjust your style attitude and awareness to compensate, as opposed to choosing to listen to music down the slopes with an invincibility complex.
Funny that you can buy helmets so your safer then lose one of your senses by getting speaker inserts in the ear muff.

Re:Safe Skiing

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:41:00 GMT

I was told to maintain aggressive stance with hands forward where I can see them both and not to attempt recovery if falling. I read that ACL injuries are not related to high speed as they result from twisting falls that usually happen at lower speeds. I agree with what others are saying regarding general safety rules. My attitude to people listening to the music while skiing is mixed. I don't think they make their life easier by doing it. On the other hand, I understand that I am responsible for my navigation and avoiding others and while doing this I may act on the basis that every other skier is blind or deaf. Two days a week in Verbier there are days for blind skiers and one of them is Sunday when it's really busy. They CAN'T see me. I MUST see them. In a way skiers with headphones are not different from my perspective. The only time when I really need them to hear me is when I am right behind them but I shouldn't be skiing that close to people anyway. So, Rule #5 in Pavel's book:) Learning to avoid the others will make you largely independent of their actions.

Re:Safe Skiing

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:59:43 GMT

There is nothing worse than hearing a skier/boarder coming up fast behind you and hoping they are in control. I would rather know there is potential danger approaching than be ignorant and unprepared.

Re:Safe Skiing

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:04:39 GMT

felthorpe wrote:There is nothing worse than hearing a skier/boarder coming up fast behind you and hoping they are in control. I would rather know there is potential danger approaching than be ignorant and unprepared.

And do what? If you're maintaining your speed and course, how else can you prepare for potential danger approaching? The truth is that there is very little you can do to change what's happening behind you. You avoid unnecessary manoeuvers in case you are being overtaken but even then it's the responsibility of the overtaking skier to leave you enough room for any manoeuver. Trying to do any more than that will literally require turning backwards which is way more dangerous. Ski fast! By that I don't mean be a speed demon or ski out of control but rather don't waste time and speed unnecessarily. Sometimes you get it so right that you basically ski on empty slopes on a busy day.

Re:Safe Skiing

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:11:08 GMT

We solved this problem when it happened to me because my husband was skiing behind me and when the boarder approached me out of control and was about to grap me to stop himself, my OH gave him a quick tap with a ski pole, he soon changed his mind then and fell over on his own rather than take us both down.

What I meant was that I was aware of the boarder approaching as I could hear the scraping noise of the board as he tried and failed to slow down. I even felt his hands grab the back of my jacket. So I was ready for an impact and had prepared myself to fall. I hoped I would do less damage to myself and others around me by having some choice on how and where I fell over. In this case there was nowhere else for me to go, as the slope was quite crowded and I couldn't easily get out of his way without getting in someone else's way.