Looking back, I don’t know how I survived snowboarding season in the past without my pre/post routine. After becoming a physical therapist, I’ve noticed snowboarding relies heavy on my lower extremities and requires a lot of trunk rotation. If I were to take a fall today vs. a couple years ago, boy would I feel the difference. The achiness of a day’s snowboarding is not something you forget easily.
"Before I knew it, I was flying higher than I had on any other attempt, arms suddenly desperate to grab the empty air as my body soar through the air."
Fog seeped across my goggles as my warm breath filled through the air vents of my bundled face and the cold mountain snow tickled my foolishly exposed face. The snow was freshly falling, creating pockets of unwanted moguls and a white wash over the escaping horizon. My legs were beginning to shake as this was my last run of the night on this upstate NY mountain. My board was blissfully gliding through the white angel dust as I decided to take that jump one last time. Picking up speed, I crouched low to prepare for my airborne adventure. Before I knew it, I was flying higher than I had on any other attempt, arms suddenly desperate to grab the empty air as my body soar through the air. Immediately on touch down my trembling knees buckled and my momentum threw me over my board, landing hard with the best attempt to brace. I slide down the mountain like a rag doll for 10 feet before hauling to a stop. The landing knocked the wind straight of me and I struggle a few seconds to get the crisp, cold air into my lungs.
Everyone wipes out at some point while snowboarding or skiiing. It's just part of learning. What you do after you fall is the key.
Unfortunately, my group was far gone ahead of me as I stubbornly took one last twilight mountaintop photo shoot. I wrangled all the strength left in my frigid body and sat up half defeated. My whole body was throbbing in agony, but I popped up and gently maneuvered my way carefully carving through the snow. Finally, I made it down the mountain in one piece, although it felt like multiple, and regathered with my friends to relay my epic disaster of a crash.
Waking up the next day was a struggle as my body was extremely stiff, sore and achy from head to toe. I did not want to repeat this feeling for the whole season and luckily, I was able to find a way to avoid the excessive sore and stiffness. In my off season, I’ve now started squatting and strengthening my lower half. During season foam rolling and stretching my legs and spine is a powerful tool I have learned to utilize before and after hitting the slopes. I’ve found it helps me to release some of the tension built up from a tough day’s work. I’ve also gathered more protective gear including a well fitted helmet, extension limited gloves and making sure my board is fine-tuned, which in turn has saved me from a couple bad falls.
"During season foam rolling and stretching my legs and spine is a powerful tool I have learned to utilize before and after hitting the slopes."
This year I plan to come out strong and prepared for the snow season and make sure I always pack my foam roller for any mountain adventure. Sometimes accidents happen on the slopes and here at Rose Physical Therapy Group in Washington, DC we are here to help get you back to where you want to be. Hope your shred season is as enjoyable as mine!
Learn how to foam roll at one of our workshops at either our Farragut Square - Dupont Circle location downtown, or at our location in Capitol Riverfront near Nationals Stadium at the Navy Yard metro station. Or you can call or email to make an appointment.