As we head into the 2026 ski season, we usually prepare for the slopes by looking at mountain passes and updating our gear – but we sometimes forget to prepare our bodies! Skiing is a physically demanding winter sport, especially on the knees.
Knee injuries are some of the most common injuries seen in downhill skiing. The ACL and MCL are especially common points of knee injury with skiing, especially in movements where you are leaning backwards, turning, or falling.
Learn more in this blog about how to best prepare your knees to enjoy this ski season safely!
Training your Knees for Ski Season
When training your knees for ski season, you want to think about these key components:
-Hamstring Strength
-Quadriceps Strength
-Single Leg Control
-Reactivity
Let’s dive in:
1- Hamstring Strength
The hamstrings (back of your thigh) play a large role in your knee strength. When skiing, the hamstrings and the ACL both function to resist the forward motion of your shin. If your hamstrings are pretty strong, especially in eccentric strength (slow lengthening of the muscle), this helps take some pressure off of the ACL in an attempt to decrease your risk for injury.
An example of building eccentric hamstring strength for skiing includes Eccentric Hamstring Curls on a Ball!
2- Quadriceps Strength
The quadriceps muscle (front of your thigh) also plays a large role in knee strength. If you think about the position you are in when you are downhill skiing, you are essentially holding a mini squat for most of the run – no wonder why our quads feel so tired at the end of the day! Being able to hold and manipulate this position is essential to your knee health when skiing.
An example of building quad strength for skiing includes Goblet Squats for repetitions and/or holds!
3- Single Leg Control
While skiing, you shift your weight from one leg to the other repeatedly. We have to be really strong, balanced, and in control when standing on one leg to keep our knees safe. Most of our single leg control comes from our hip muscles. We need our hip muscles to not only be strong while we are on one leg, but also produce power to help us push off onto the other leg, or come to a quick stop.
An example of building single leg control for skiing includes Single Leg Squat Slides!
4- Reactivity
We’ve all been there: that patch of ice came out of nowhere, that section of powder was way softer than we expected, or we have to dodge out of the way of another skier. The key to keeping ourselves, and our knees, safe during these moments is being reactive. Reactivity when skiing means we can process the unexpected situations quickly, and respond right away. Think of a time you may have tripped walking on the sidewalk – with good reactivity, you can correct your foot placement and stay upright – but with poor reactivity, you may end up experiencing a fall. The same thing applies with skiing.
An example of building reactivity for skiing includes Skater Jumps in response to your PT yelling out “left” or “right”!
In Summary:
Preparing your knees for ski season goes beyond a general training program. It requires targeted strength training, mobility work, and control. If you’re in the area of Newton, Massachusetts, come in and see us for a full assessment of your knees prior to hitting the slopes this year.
We offer a Complimentary Introduction Call on our website to get started:
References
PMID: 30833902
PMID: 27900115