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Basic Biomechanics provides a brief overview of the biomechanics utilised when snowboarding, including the main joints that are used, plus how the muscles, tendons and ligaments interact with these joints. This will help to create a deeper understanding of why certain movements work in the way they do. In turn, it will help to present the most efficient movement options when teaching and to really pinpoint the origin of movements when analysing snowboarders.

Injury Prevention

Snowboarding is physically demanding. Both riders and instructors should be prepared to cope with the increased demands on strength, endurance and general fitness, using appropriate pre-season training, morning warm-ups and end-of-day stretching.

There are a number of specific muscle groups used in snowboarding that should be focused on to reduce the risk of injuries.

Core muscles are situated in and around the pelvis and abdomen. They work like a corset to protect the spine from repetitive stress and aid in snowboarding by creating a stable platform from which to produce powerful movements using the limbs. Activating the core muscles helps to maintain the alignment of the spine when both riding and lifting students. It also promotes correct loading through the spine and limbs which, in turn, helps to reduce the risks of injury from repetitive stress or sudden overloading when taking falls or jumping.

Lower limb or leg strength is a necessity in all aspects of riding. To help maintain a long career in snowboarding, it’s important to make sure there is no major muscle imbalance in the lower limbs. The shin and calf muscles work together to control the ankle joints. The quadriceps muscle and hamstring muscles in the upper leg work together to create vertical movement through the knees. The hip flexors and gluteal muscles work together to enable movement through the hips. All of these muscle groups have to be active to maintain an active stance. Tightness or weakness in any of these muscle groups can increase the risks of injury.

Upper limbs are used predominantly for balance when riding; however, they often take more of an impact when a rider falls. Shoulder dislocations and broken wrists account for more than half of the injuries in snowboarding. Whilst it is important to teach students how to fall correctly and use protective gear, it is also very important to maintain strong muscles in the shoulders and arms to aid joint stability and minimise risk of injury.

Pre-season Training

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise is an important aspect of snowboard training. Resistance training and lots of stretching will help to reduce the risks of injury and allow for a full winter of riding. Yoga is also an excellent cross-training activity for snowboarding. If an injury occurs during the season, seek medical help as soon as possible before it becomes a chronic injury.

Warming Up

Pre-riding warm-ups play a big role in injury prevention. Before riding, take the time to warm up by doing some dynamic exercises to mobilise the joints, get blood flowing into the muscles and the cardiovascular system. Some good examples are leg swings, lunges, squat jumps, trunk twist and arm swings. On the first run, focus on activating all major muscle groups by doing simple tasks that explore range of movement. Tasks that focus on the core muscles are particularly useful here. When teaching, encourage students to warm up in whichever way they know how. This may be with the board off or on. Do not encourage them to stretch in ways that are unfamiliar to them.

After Riding

Many injuries occur when riders become fatigued or start to think about other things, such as the journey home. It’s important to recognise when this is happening and to simply call it a day. The final run should be done with a much lower intensity to help the body begin returning to its resting state. At the first opportune moment, perform some static stretches to prevent stiffness and reduce the chance of delayed onset muscle soreness. Foam rollers are an especially good tool for loosening the muscles later in the evening.

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