What really motivated me to start blogging was the Coxless Crew. Those of you who have read previous blogs and who follow me on social media will know that I have been an avid supporter of Laura and her team who recently rowed across the Pacific Ocean. I was in awe of their journey and I read their blog every single day for the entire nine months that they were at sea. I decided that if they could blog daily, despite their sleep deprived states, then I could manage once a week (read about their journey at www.coxlesscrew.com). This was the motivation that I needed to get going, and now I often enjoy sitting down in the evening to put pen to paper / fingers to the keyboard.
I have been in Val d'Isere for 10 seasons now. Week in and week out, I see people who have their skiing holidays interrupted due to injuries occurring. Many a time I have had to tell ski instructors that their season is over due to ligament rupture (this is the very worst part of my job) and I regularly see resort staff sent back to the UK because their injury is preventing them from doing their jobs. Obviously, when possible we will rehab people back to the slopes as quickly as possible but it is not always possible to do so. So, if I can share some of my knowledge of how to prevent injuries occurring, even if it just helps one or two people a season, I see this as a positive thing and I will continue to write. Of course, we currently have no way to measure whether or not my tips make any impact at all, but from the feedback I have had, people are certainly taken some advice on board.
So, what gives me inspiration for my topics? Usually, this comes from what has taken place during the week. For example, when we arrived in resort in the autumn, my daughter who was not yet two was really struggling to sleep. She was clearly having some interesting dreams and was talking in her sleep for nights on end. Therefore, I felt that it would be of interest to look further into the effects of altitude on our quality of sleep ('Why can't I sleep at altitude' November 19th 2015). The weather has also led to topics and involvement from ski instructors around town helping me promote injury prevention - so far with tips on skiing on ice (December 27th 2015) and skiing in poor visibility (February 4th 2016). It is great to discuss topics with instructors around town when writing blogs. Their input is invaluable to safety and awareness on the slopes.
Speaking of which, another key motivation for blogging is to help people improve ski performance. Over the years, I have collaborated with some of the top BASI trainers and instructors (I need to ask their permission before I reference them by name) to develop a ski specific functional movement screen aimed at reducing injury and improving performance on the pistes. Unfortunately now, there are many copy cat editions out there (don't get me wrong - I think its an important strand to be offered for injury prevention), but we pride ourselves in continually liaising with trainers, keeping up to date with ski developments and adapting our programmes accordingly so that we can deliver the best screen possible. We regularly work with ski racers, trainee ski instructors and world cup hopefuls to ensure that movement patterns off the hill are the most efficient they can be for performance on the hill. At times, this includes the use of video analysis and team discussions, to allow us to develop the best program possible for the skier. Anyone can benefit from a biomechanical movement screen. There is no 'one size fits all' and we adapt our testing methods to each individuals needs, aims and ability.
Finally, look where I live:
If the beauty of my surroundings doesn't inspire me to write, nothing will! I may not be the most creative writer (hopefully this will improve with time and experience), but I enjoy sharing my knowledge, I like to help 'demystify' why injuries occur and how to help make them better and I love to share my passion for 'keeping you fit to ski'. I really appreciate any feedback that I get. Hopefully it will help me to continue to learn and grow. Feel free to get in touch if there are any topics that you would be interested in reading about in future blogs within the realm of:
- physiotherapy
- injury management
- injury prevention
- physical preparation for ski performance
- ski biomechanics and movement screening
- ski fitness and preparation
- general health and well-being
- nutrition and hydration (bear with me here - I am still studying)
Over the next few weeks, I will be talking about ski performance and elements of our biomechanical screens that can impact on performance. I will probably start with discussing the necessary movement patterns to achieve optimal 'lateral separation'. If you're not familiar with this term, it will all be explained in the blog.
Thank you to everyone that has been reading and supporting my blogging over the last few months.
Disclaimer:
The purpose of this blog, is to provide general information and educational material relating to physiotherapy and injury management. Bonne Santé physiotherapy has made every effort to provide you with correct, up-to-date information. In using this blog, you agree that information is provided 'as is, as available', without warranty and that you use the information at your own risk. We recommend that you seek advise from a fitness or healthcare professional if you require further advice relating to exercise or medical issues.
LSA
Bonne Santé info@bonnesantephysio.com 0033 (0) 4 79 06 07 27
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