Very sore after first day out

[lv2ski]

We had our first ski day last Sunday at Bretton Woods and boy, my right quad and knee (probably ACl) were sore. I could barely walk down stairs for 2 days I think it was the same last year. The sad thing is I work out fairly regularly (squats, lunges with 5 LB weights) a few times weekly. Is this pretty common
We only skied for 2 hours also.

 

[Rockette]

Welcome to the first day of the season! Stretch out a lot, move around too. Don't bum around at home after that either, do a light workout. Maybe a powerwalk...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

It's pretty telling that you had issues with your right leg and not left -- sounds like you favor that leg and are depending on it more than the left! If so, my sympathies: I am the same way...

As for the pre-season workout, I recommend that you increase the amount of weight and number of sets on both squats and lunges. And great advice above re: stretching. Be sure to give both quads and hamstrings a gentle but thorough stretch afterward, a light one prior to starting out.

First day is often punishing - after a nice, cold lift ride, we push these muscles immediately into hard service. Your knee pain troubles me, though. Do you have a prior ligament injury? Take a fall? Any swelling? If none of the above, you should be good to go after a day or so of rest. I do admit at this point in my life to "pre-medicating" with OTC anti-inflammatories

 

[ski diva]

I always get sore in my glutes the first few times out. And like you, lv2ski, I work out 5-6 times a week. I guess I'm just using the muscles in a different way.

 

[Little Lightning]

I have patellar femoral syndrome. I'm a cyclist and my knee was happy all summer until I cut back my riding. Now it's giving me a fit, while riding and skiing. It was the knee that I had acl surgery on a year and a half ago. I'm sure that I haven't strengthened the Vastus Medialis muscle in that knee. My fault, as I haven't done my exercises all summer. Thing is it talks to me more while riding my bike than while skiing.

I have specific exercises (PT) that I do for it and I use movement prep to warm up before I leave the condo. https://coreperformance.com/workout.php?p=1&s=2&id=14
I also do the strengthening exercises. After skiing I use a foam roller and stretch.

BTW, when I tore my ACL I didn't experience any pain. My pain was all from the MCL which I also tore.

If I'm in severe pain I use ice.

If you continue to have problems see a Dr. or physical therapist. They will help you to understand what is going on and take measures to prevent the problem.

I also find that if I'm using poor technique and fighting the conditions I will have more knee pain.

 

[Little Lightning]

Also be sure that you are doing your lunges correctly. Check yourself to see that your knee is not extending over your toes.

 

[cyn]

I work out 5-6 days a week too, and I take Advil before I begin and when I finish.I still get quite sore, though, because I guess there's no gym in the world that has the equipment to exactly mimic all the muscles you use when skiing. I find it's usually the muscle just above my knee on the inside.
I also have severe arthritis, especially in my right knee. I am currently having a series of five hyaluronic acid shots to give me more fluid in the joints. That seems to help quite a bit, and I time them so I've had all five when the season starts.
Another thing I find helpful is to take it a bit easier the first few times and build up those ski-specific muscles before "going for it."

 

[pinto]

I work out 5-6 days a week too, and I take Advil before I begin and when I finish.I still get quite sore, though, because I guess there's no gym in the world that has the equipment to exactly mimic all the muscles you use when skiing. I find it's usually the muscle just above my knee on the inside.
I also have severe arthritis, especially in my right knee. I am currently having a series of five hyaluronic acid shots to give me more fluid in the joints. That seems to help quite a bit, and I time them so I've had all five when the season starts.
Another thing I find helpful is to take it a bit easier the first few times and build up those ski-specific muscles before "going for it."

Tell me more about this ... sorry to hijack the thread, but could you give a brief description? I may be going down this path. What does it feel like?

 

[cyn]

Hyaluronic acid mimics the synovial fluid in your joints. Arthritis apparently results in a loss of that fluid in addition to the cartilage loss.
I have no cartilage whatsoever left in my right knee and just a bit in my left.

I did not want to get into the cortizone thing for a number of reasons, so last year my osteo suggested Hyalgan. I had 5 shots, one week apart, and they really helped. They did wear off after a few months, though, which is not unusual.

This time, I'm having another brand, Supartz. The shots themselves don't hurt nearly as much as the pain without them. (I can't watch, though!) Afterward, I can feel a kind of coolness in the joints, I guess because the injected fluid isn't up to body temp yet.

If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[lv2ski]

much better

Thanks for all of the input. I did stretch pre and post skiing. Used a heating pad the next day, ibuprofen...was good to go after a couple days.
I am a bit of a knock-kneed skier (even w/boot fitting, etc) so I know it stresses my knees and ligaments, and my skies are pretty fast and spirited (volkl 5 stars) so I know I was hitting the brakes a bit. I think it is my ACL that gets stressed, but when it starts to hurt I really try to let up on the pressure, rest it more, stretch and usually it goes away. I think I do need to up the ante on my work-outs, and I am careful about my knee allignment/ankle during lunges. The videos I use have good instructors. I really like the Crunch 30-40 minute work-outs.
It makes me feel a little better that The Diva herself also gets a little sore too

 

[Jilly]

Well I know that I did something different this weekend too. The calves and the quads remind every so often. Not bad though. I do remember one time trying to get of bed in the night and not being able to move. So this year was better than that. I also remember a clinic I did at the first of the year - the instructor commented that we were trying too hard. "You're all crunching! Relax." I found myself doing the same thing again and reminded myself to RELAX. This is suppose to be fun!!

 

[SnowHot]

I was reading this and prepared to feel the burn after my first day out, but I skied 6 yrs on Sunday, and I'm feeling great!
Admittedly, I took a mineral supplement similar to sport legs, and I stretched thoroughly when I was done skiing.

I feel good....nananana.........Like I knew that I would!
[MEDIA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgDrJ5Z2rKw[/MEDIA]

 

[altagirl]

Yesterday I did the "LCC triathalon". We skinned to the top of Alta and skied back down (Tradygirl and I telemarked - yay), and then I went on a mountain bike ride (complete with one spectacular endo...), and then realized I lost my dang phone on the trail and spent 2 hours hiking to go find it.

I expected to be insanely sore today - it was my first day of the season on skis, but I'm not. Not sure how that happened... but my knees are bugging me a bit.

I realized as I was skinning uphill that my right leg felt weaker than my left - it got tired first and felt shaky as I neared the top. And about the same time I realized that my left leg wasn't sore or tired but it hurt where I have arthritis and the meniscus was removed. So I'm figuring the arthritis pain is making me favor the left leg and overwork the right. I'm not really sure what to do about that...

My only sore muscles today are in my rib area - I'm not sure if that's from poling as I was skinning uphill or the rotating upper body motion of tele turns.

 

[SnowHot]

I was feeling fairly strong and healthy and you just made me feel like a wussy!


Yay Altagirl and tradygirl!!!

 

[altagirl]

I was feeling fairly strong and healthy and you just made me feel like a wussy!


Yay Altagirl and tradygirl!!!

We only did one run of skiing though! And my legs were feeling like noodles for the top part of the climb. It got steep and we bootpacked the last steep section. My husband was calling it the "Hillary Step". Which is pretty funny for the top part of the climb next to a groomer.... But we were feeling out of shape enough that's what it felt like. (Like I said, I'm not sure how I'm not sore...) And then I was stopping a bunch on the way back down - I forgot how much work tele turns are.

It definitely made me want to set up some girls touring days. Luckily tradygirl is a patient one because I don't think any of the rest of us can keep up with her. :D It was a really fun day though - 6 girls and a bunch of guys. I'm psyched to pick her brain for some more backcountry knowledge too!

 

[Gloria]

Yesterday I did the "LCC triathalon". We skinned to the top of Alta and skied back down (Tradygirl and I telemarked - yay), and then I went on a mountain bike ride (complete with one spectacular endo...), and then realized I lost my dang phone on the trail and spent 2 hours hiking to go find it.

I expected to be insanely sore today - it was my first day of the season on skis, but I'm not. Not sure how that happened... but my knees are bugging me a bit.

I realized as I was skinning uphill that my right leg felt weaker than my left - it got tired first and felt shaky as I neared the top. And about the same time I realized that my left leg wasn't sore or tired but it hurt where I have arthritis and the meniscus was removed. So I'm figuring the arthritis pain is making me favor the left leg and overwork the right. I'm not really sure what to do about that...

My only sore muscles today are in my rib area - I'm not sure if that's from poling as I was skinning uphill or the rotating upper body motion of tele turns.

Excellent ladies, I miss having big days like this. Having kids is great, but somedays I wish....not often enough though. Sounds like a great day!