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How to Avoid Ski Injuries

Originally posted on Powder | By Izzy Lidsky | Last updated Nov 29, 2025 5:10 AM ET

As inherently fun as skiing is, it's risky, and unfortunately, injuries can be part of that game. Most lifelong skiers have experienced at least one ski injury, even if it's minor.

Sometimes, injuries are inevitable, but often there are ways to at least try to prevent them. Here are a few of the best ways to avoid getting injured while skiing and saving yourself that ski patrol sled ride and hospital bill. None of these things are a surefire injury prevention, but they certainly help and mitigate some risk of common ski injuries.

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No one actually smiles this much in the gym, just saying. Photo: Drazen Zigic/Getty Images

1. Get in Good Skiing Shape

Probably the best and most proactive way to avoid getting injured during ski season is to get in shape before the season. Strong muscles act as natural braces for all those joints that are susceptible to injury while skiing (your knees!) and can help absorb impact as well. Core strength and good balance also help with those unpredictable moments and 'saving it' when things get a little too loose. Lifting weights also increases bone density which is a great first line of defense against injuries. Good physical fitness also reduces strain on your body during strenuous activities like skiing. In short, the more prepared your body is for skiing's unexpected moments, the better it will react to them.

Two blue square runs and a double black diamond at WhistlerPhoto: AWelshLad/Getty Images

2. Don't Ski Above Your Skill Level

Skiing terrain at a level that's actually suited to your skill set requires a certain amount of self-awareness and humility. Everyone wants to ski the 'cool' runs and jump off stuff, but if jumping that cliff or trying a trick is above your pay grade, it's better to refrain than 'huck and pray.' It can be tough to gauge how much to push it when you are hoping to progress on skis. However, the best way to progress isn't usually skiing terrain or features way above your skill level, but rather mastering certain skills in mellower terrain before stepping up. So, if you're eyeing up a run, feature, or trick and wondering if you can do it or find yourself having thoughts like 'it can't be that hard...' better to save yourself the sled ride down and medical bills and back off until you're 100% confident you have the right skills.

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3. Call it Quits When You're Tired

It's the end of an epic pow day and with each turn, you find yourself fighting harder and harder to stay in the front of your boots. There's nothing worse than wanting to keep skiing but feeling that burn in your quads and knowing you should probably call it a day. 'Just one more lap,' you think to yourself and before you know it, your tired legs give out, you catch an edge. Was it really worth it for that last run? Skiing when your muscles are tired is a recipe for disaster. It might be tempting, but remember that that last lap probably isn't worth a season off skis if you do get hurt. Don't forget to take rest days throughout the season and include recovery activities like foam rolling, stretching, or cold plunging & heat therapy into your routine.

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4. Wear a Helmet

Wearing a helmet is a super easy way to prevent head injuries. It doesn't involve any extra exercise, lots of added steps to your routine, or good self-awareness and decision making. All you have to do is wear it! But wearing it can be the difference between bonking your head and a serious head injury, so it's well worth including.

Peak times often involve hopelessly crowded slopes.DieterMeyrl/Getty Images

5. Stay Aware of Your Surroundings

A little extra caution can go a long way against preventing injury. Rules of thumb like always looking uphill before crossing a slope or letting folks know you're passing them on a cat track exist in order to keep everyone safer. If you're on a busy ski mountain, taking an extra second to gauge what's happening around you can help prevent collisions and other accidents that could result in injury.

Awareness of your surroundings and what's under the snow can also help prevent injury. Keeping your eyes out for hazards like holes in the snow, slope deformities, or rocks and stumps under the surface, especially early in the season, can save you. You can't always prevent these types of accidents, but a little pause can go a long way!

6. Never Call Last Run

Not calling your last run is an old skiing superstition, but one that a lot of folks swear by. Calling your last run seems to always end in injury, so instead, saying 'two more and skip the last' or a simple 'two-skip' should safe guard you from any bad skiing karma.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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