Pow Time – Sports Massage for Ski Recovery

It’s snow time!  Lots of snow predicted in the mountains and everyone who loves skiing or snowboarding is going to be working hard carving fresh tracks down the mountain.  All that winter joy means a serious workout for your lower body. Your hips, hamstrings, glutes quads and calves will all be working hard and likely to get sore after a long day of playing in the snow.  Sore muscles is a sure sign of a good day on the mountain. 

After a long day of skiing or snowboarding, a few quick tips for muscle recovery:

• Hydrate!  skiers and boarders lose water through sweating and breathing and often don’t carry water with them on the slopes.  Before you grab an apres ski beer, be sure to drink a big glass of water or two to begin the rehydration process

• STRETCH! Your muscles have been working super hard all day, be sure to give your legs and back the opportunity to stretch out and lengthen before you hop into your car for the drive home. Spend at least 5-10 minutes stretching out your lower body muscles in order to alleviate the post-ski stiffness.

— simple quad stretches

— stretch and release your calves

— lengthen your low back with a table top stretch

• A warm soak: Epson salts baths can be a much needed recovery after heavy sports exertion. Soaking your muscles in warm water soothes tired muscles and reduces swelling and can loosen stiff joints.  A nice warm soak will warm you up to the core and bring a sense of relaxation.  Remember to HYDRATE with plenty of water!

• Schedule a massage. If you demand of lot of your body on the mountain, be sure to give your muscles the opportunity to relax and recovery from the physical demands of strenuous activity.  Sports massage and traditional thai massage therapy is extremely helpful for muscle recovery and injury prevention.  Thai massage focuses specifically on the hips and low back, making it a great choice for after ski muscle recovery.  The stretching, joint mobilization and muscle pressure are the perfect combination to relieve pain and tension from physical exertion.