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Are wider skis on piste leading to more injuries?
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

miranda wrote:
^ So Neil Maclean-Martin (physio and director of befitapps) raises a different problem as he does not talk about fat skis on hard snow but says that fat skis encourage people to go off piste and ski terrain they are not fit/good enough to ski, causing them to having slow falls so the bindings don't release, with the longer, wider skis creating even more of a problem for ligament and meniscus injuries than 'normal' skis...


I know Neil, he is a very good physiotherapist and has an excellent clinic in Chx

Thank you for the link to the short article.

I agree that unfit people are more likely to injure themselves, including their knees, this is simply that they fatique quickly and lack strength.

Longer skis do increase the lever arm and are therefore can put more torque through the knee but i don't think that is the main issue. The increase in torque delivered by an extra few centimetres of ski isn't that much. A ski that is too long will however be more difficult to steer correctly so more likely to catch an edge/ run badly thus risking a knee injury. A ski that is too long may also put you in back seat which is very risky position for the ACL.

Fat skis do allow (IMO) people to get into deeper snow/offpiste when they might have in the past not been able to do so. As a result of this ease of access they may in some cases to be inexperienced and so expose themselves to numerous increased risks one of which will include knee injury. Knee injury is associated with deep snow.

The classic mechanism for ACL rupture in skiers is a slow fall backwards but i'm not sure i can see how fat skis contribute to that unless too long.

There are many variables that contribute to knee injury and i'm sure using equipment not matched to your ability is one of them.

So i agree with much of what he says but think that people who are on fat skis are exposing themselves to lots of other variables at the same time.

Jonathan Bell
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

Thanks for the response JB - much appreciated. As you say, there just seem to be a lot of variables. Personally, I do not compare myself to my instructor - yes she can "rip powder" on whatever kit you give her… I also did an off piste route from the top of the hill to the village with her that required a walk uphill after the lift (which I found a bit of a slog though in my defence it was warm that day) and then it came up in conversation that the first time she'd done it she was 8…. and there wasn't even a lift in those days… Skullie So from my point of view, I'll happily take advantage of whatever modern developments can offer to make my skiing life easier and more fun (and that includes having 'jack of all trades/master of none' skis *if* that worked out best for me) - but equally I'd sacrifice *some* fun for long term joint health if there was a case for it (though I will not be switching to mid chest height ski boards)… as far as I can make out, though, the message hasn't really changed… strengthen, stretch, think about your bindings, and don't do stuff beyond your ability, irrespective of whether you're on fat skis or not… and hope you don't get "unlucky"…
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