ABSTRACT
Ski mountaineering is an increasingly popular sport with a relatively high risk of injury. Therefore, several studies have analyzed factors related to the likelihood of injury, including athlete characteristics, training, resilience and equipment. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify factors that may influence injury risk. A 15-minute online survey was sent to various ski mountaineering groups of different ages and levels. Both the Mann-Whitney U test and odds ratio analysis were performed in order to analyze the data. Results from 104 skiers showed that most injuries occurred in the lower extremities, especially in the knee (29.6%). The findings indicated that skiers who had suffered an injury performed in more competitions per year (p = 0.046), more ski mountaineering sessions per week (p = 0.022) and fewer core training sessions per week (0.029), although core training and competition were not statistically significant factors. Likewise, non-injured athletes had fewer pairs of skis (p = 0.019), which were also wider (p = 0.04). However, no difference was found for warm up and resilience between both groups (p = 0.275). In conclusion, it is important to implement preventive measures based on these factors, even if more research is needed.
ABSTRACT
Traditionally, cross-country skiing has been known for having a strong endurance component; however, strength demands have significantly increased in recent years. Given this importance, several studies have assessed the effects of strength training in cross-country skiing. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to analyze the results of those studies. A detailed search of four databases (Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library) was conducted until February 2022, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Ten eligible studies were selected from the 212 records identified, all of them including young well-trained skiers and interventions of 6-12 weeks. Results showed that maximal strength training may improve some important variables: for instance, performance, double-poling economy and maximal strength. However, this type of training failed to change other indicators such as peak oxygen consumption. Concurrent training, which combines endurance and maximal strength training, seems to be effective to improve performance. The mechanisms responsible for the improved economy of double poling might be due to a lower percentage of maximal strength during double poling at a given workload, which could increase performance. Future studies should include longer interventions which analyze a more varied sample.
