"How To Prep For Winter Sports" - Sarah Grossbart
Every winter, Alexis Colvin, MD, associate professor of sports medicine and orthopaedics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, braces herself for the onslaught. Come January, like clockwork, patients begin limping into the hospital, complaining of knee injuries. She attributes the spike in ACL and meniscus tears to so-called weekend warriors hitting the slopes with little to no advanced training. "The most common scenario is someone who may or may not work out much during the week, and then they go skiing for the weekend and do pretty intense days," explained Dr. Colvin. "And it's almost always toward the end of the day, where they just want to squeeze one last run in and they maybe weren't paying attention as much and then they injure the knee." Dr. Colvin suggests hobby skier spend four to six weeks conditioning before they hit the slopes. "Working on your cardio, flexibility, and core strengthening can help prevent injury," she said. Whether you're taking on an outdoor adventure sport or joining an in-town winter sports league, following these tips will help you stay healthy all season long.
- Alexis Colvin, MD, Associate Professor, Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Chief Medical Officer, United States Tennis Association