Great Gear for Preventing Winter Sports Injuries by Marie-Christine Leisz, DO
Stay outside this winter, injury free
Winter is here and comes with a unique set of conditions that can cause endurance sports injuries. Who hasn’t fallen biking or running on icy terrain? We are also at risk to develop cold exposure injuries. For hints to keep you outside this winter injury-free, I asked local experts about what is new in running and winter cycling gear.
Wool is back!
Extreme cold exposure can cause serious injury like hypothermia or frostbite. Runners are caught between the rock and hard place dressing for cold weather. Too many layers make you roast and too few make you freeze. Cyclists actually create their own wind chill. The key to finding comfortable clothing is picking the right fibers. I asked John Long, owner of Fleet Feet Sports in Minneapolis and Bob Sumada, owner of Now Bikes and Fitness in St. Paul, what’s new in winter running and cycling gear. Both John and Bob recommend garments made of refined merino wool. These new wool products keep you warm even when wet and wick sweat away from the body much better than cotton and most synthetics. Bob recommends cycling gloves lined with Merino wool for this reason. These garments can be washed frequently without shrinking and do not hold those stinky odors like synthetics do. Top them with a windresistant running suit or a cycling jacket and bib overalls for complete protection.
Protect your head.
Wearing a helmet is the best way to prevent cycling-related head injury. Those light-weight vented cycling helmets are great in the summer but hard to modify comfortably for winter riding. Bob recommends one of the new winter helmets. They are insulated and have ear covers. Some are vented. He also suggests wearing goggles to protect the face and eyes and provide fog-free vision. In addition, there are new balaclavas that have a second vented layer over the mouth area to prevent that uncomfortable frosty build-up.
How about the feet?
It is scary and frustrating to try to run at an even pace on an icy path. If you are a Saucony fan, John says check out the new Saucony Razor Ice shoes! They look like a Nordic ski boot with a running sole. They have a high-top design and speed lacing under a zippered upper. Best of all, they have a new Vibram Arctic Grip Sole which the company claims sticks to wet ice better than any other product. Winter bike shoes have also adopted a high-top, insulated design. Bob says they are just the thing if cold feet are a problem while cycling. They accommodate heavy socks and are easy to put on and take off.
Get some traction!
If you are a winter cyclist and ride on icy trails or roads, you probably have experienced how quickly and without warning, you can fall. Lugged tires and even snow chains work well for snowy roads. Studded tires are the way to go if you have to ride on icy surfaces. They are much more available and less expensive this year.
Optimize winter hydration.
Now, some suggestions from me. Runners and cyclists need adequate hydration to train and perform at the highest level. Did you know you can dehydrate just as fast in the winter as the summer? This is because the colder the air, the less humidity it can contain. We lose more fluid as vapor in the air we exhale. We might sweat more too because we are wearing heavier clothes and our sweat evaporates at a higher rate in dry air. In addition, the sensation of thirst in cold weather can be diminished up to 40% and we can dehydrate before we know it! This is important because not only is it unhealthy but, exercise performance is impaired by losing as little as 2% of your body weight through dehydration.
So, to prevent winter dehydration, drink before, during and after working out. Weigh yourself before and after a long, outdoor work out and replace weight lost with fluid. A pint of water weighs one pound. That said, hydrating while training outdoors in the winter is not as easy as it is in the summer. No outdoor drinking fountains function in the winter so you have to carry fluid while training. One of the biggest problems ensuring adequate winter hydration is how do you keep fluid from freezing?! Here are some tips from the Nordic skiers! •Warm the liquid before you start exercising. •Carry a sports drink. These drinks contain sodium and other electrolytes and will stay in a liquid state longer than water. •Use an insulated water bottle. •Stow your water bottle upside down. This keeps the fluid at the top from freezing first. •Put your bottle belt under your jacket to keep it warm longer. •Use chemical heat hand warmers around the bottle in combination with an insulating sleeve or wool sock.
Another safety tip!
Always carry a cell phone with you! You never know when you may be stranded running, cycling or skiing and being able to contact someone to help you can literally be a life-saver! Dr. Marie-Christine Leisz is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Physician at Courage Kenny Running and Endurance Sports Injury Clinic.
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