Would skiing be safe when you are old and out of shape?

[Janeway]

I have not gone skiing in decades. Now, I am majorly out of shape. I loved to ski back when I did it, but, I weigh about twice as much and am much much weaker. Should I just look to a different trip? I also have a degenerated disk. 

Edited January 2, 2022 by Janeway

[MEmama]

XC or downhill?

Lots of older people XC ski where I live. It’s definitely an activity that can be done by virtually anyone, if you’re careful about the trails you choose and are realistic in how far you can go. 

[Jann in TX]

Downhill NO! 

Cross Country-- maybe-- it depends on type of snow and terrain. 

[regentrude]

I'd be wary of downhill skiing - but Cross-country should be doable.

[Zoo Keeper]

Have fun with some XC, but downhill doesn't sound doable (to me).

[J-rap]

You can always start with XC and see how that goes.  You'll get a feel how being on skis feels, and of course you can take it very slowly on flat trails. .

[ktgrok]

I think the jostling of skiing with a back issue would be a no. You don't mess with your spine. Otherwise I'd say try some bunny slopes or whatever...but not with a back problem. 

[Faith-manor]

My suggestion is to go to a well known slope that has a training hill, group lessons, and a magic carpet. Dh took skiing up again after decades of not doing it. He rents his gear and a gets a half day pass on Super Sundays at Schuss Mountain. He took the group ski lesson that came with it just to refresh his memory for form, and then spent two four hour afternoons two Sundays in a row on the training hill. You really are not all that likely to get hurt on it. They make those so there is just barely enough slope to get you going, and definitely not enough to get any speed. The operator only allows so many to go down at a time to keep beginners from getting knotted up and tripping each other. After that, he only goes on the beginner hill (easy). He does not do intermediate or advanced. He really enjoys it.

[Faith-manor]

Now that said, of you have a back injury, I would not recommend skiing. Maybe, snowshoeing? But I would ask an orthopedic doc, sports medicine doc, or physical therapist about it first.

[ktgrok]

Just now, Faith-manor said:

Now that said, of you have a back injury, I would not recommend skiing. Maybe, snowshoeing? But I would ask an orthopedic doc, sports medicine doc, or physical therapist about it first.

Yeah, I know nothing about skiing but that was the part that had me saying no. I DO have a DS who has broken his back, and other family members with disc issues, and even minor jarring can be life altering when there is already a compromised area. Heck, the final straw that sent my Dad into surgery for his disc issue was bending over to pick up the mail wrong!  

And a minor back issue can turn to a major back issue - either requiring surgery or causing paralysis, etc, very quickly. My son's only issue was very mild scoliosis that had never been picked up in check ups but that was enough to compromise the range of motion of the spine to allow it to break rather than bend when a friend jumped on his shoulders while planing around. 

A broken arm or leg you can come back from with some therapy usually.  A broken back is a whole other issue. And jarring stuff, twisting, even just getting the tip of a ski stuck awkwardly while shuffling, would be enough to potentially cause a problem I'd think. 

[ktgrok]

That said, a family ski vacation where they ski and you sit in a cabin or lodge with a fire place and hot drinks and books sounds AMAZING! Even more so if there is a hot tub somewhere, lol. 

[Grace Hopper]

It’s not just the back. Downhill skiing requires strength and agility in your hips and knees as well. Unless you have a regular strength training program in place and time to engage in a safe and slow ski retraining program, well, I personally wouldn’t do it. Definitely not for a short vacation destination (but I may consider it if I lived in a ski area and could approach it slowly). I don’t have time (or $) for a lengthy recuperation from injury. My sister has used up years of her vacation time on her ski-blown knees. 

[Faith-manor]

36 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

That said, a family ski vacation where they ski and you sit in a cabin or lodge with a fire place and hot drinks and books sounds AMAZING! Even more so if there is a hot tub somewhere, lol. 

Lol, that me! I would be out skiing were it not for the permanently injured ankle from the car wreck. It is weak, and perpetually swollen such that, ski boots are not roomy enough to accommodate the swelling. So I don't get to ski. They have a snow walk trail that does not require snowshoes, and I usually do that, stand at the bottom of the hill and take some photos, then go sip tea and read a book around the fire. Or, that was my routine until covid. Now they ski, and I stay home. My hope is omicron blows thrkighr, and by spring break (end of February/beginning of March), cases will be low.enough that with a KN95, I will feel comfortable going along. The next ski trip is Martin Luther King Jr weekend, just dh and middle son because the one in college in the UP will be too far away to go get just for a three day weekend. I still think cases will be high, so they will go alone with a couple thermostat of hot chocolate, sub sandwiches and snacks, and ski, eating inside the van when they want to warm up. I have no desire to sit in the van for five hours after a 3 hour drive to get there.

[Grace Hopper]

44 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

That said, a family ski vacation where they ski and you sit in a cabin or lodge with a fire place and hot drinks and books sounds AMAZING! Even more so if there is a hot tub somewhere, lol. 

This sounds wonderful if OP isn’t going to be required to help with kids in the slopes, etc. If everyone else is old enough to be independent skiers, it would be lovely to plan a cozy reading vacation!

[wathe]

I will add that the other hazard that people don't think about is other skiers and snowboarders.  Getting run over by other out-of-control slope users happens.  The risk of this depends somewhat on where you ski.  Where I am (Ontario), the slopes are short, crowded and, because of climate, often icy.  Skiing here is way more dangerous than on powder on a spacious mountain in B.C.

[ktgrok]

25 minutes ago, Grace Hopper said:

It’s not just the back. Downhill skiing requires strength and agility in your hips and knees as well. Unless you have a regular strength training program in place and time to engage in a safe and slow ski retraining program, well, I personally wouldn’t do it. Definitely not for a short vacation destination (but I may consider it if I lived in a ski area and could approach it slowly). I don’t have time (or $) for a lengthy recuperation from injury. My sister has used up years of her vacation time on her ski-blown knees. 

good point! So easy to blow a knee if the muscles surrounding the joint are not strong. 

[Frances]

1 hour ago, Grace Hopper said:

It’s not just the back. Downhill skiing requires strength and agility in your hips and knees as well. Unless you have a regular strength training program in place and time to engage in a safe and slow ski retraining program, well, I personally wouldn’t do it. Definitely not for a short vacation destination (but I may consider it if I lived in a ski area and could approach it slowly). I don’t have time (or $) for a lengthy recuperation from injury. My sister has used up years of her vacation time on her ski-blown knees. 

I agree. My husband is a very fit, trim, active person. But he has had sports related knee issues on and off since high school. And eventually he decided skiing occasionally was not worth the pain and risk of doing more serious damage. It was fine when he was younger and going slower as our son was learning. But as our son progressed to black diamonds and my husband got older, he decided it wasn’t worth it anymore, as our son now had college friends to ski with.

[Bootsie]

I am not a skiier,  When I took lessons, I had to laugh when the instructor told me it was like riding a bike downhill.  I said I never rode a bike on ice or snow, when my feet were killing me, and I was having to wear gloves and heavy jackets becuase I grew up in South Louisiana--which also meant I never rode a bike DOWNHILL--on the perfectly flat, sea-level ground.  I decided to try Cross country skiing thinking I would be safer and broke my tailbone about an hour into the lesson--so so much for my skiing outings.

However, others in my family ski.   DH skiied some as a young adult and had not been in years when we met. He had back surgery, including a five-level spinal fusion.  He is overweight and not in great shape (and  has knee problems also) but goes skiing with the kids once every two or three years--the last time at age 69.  He knows he can't do what he used to do and he knows the extra weight will carry him down the mountain faster, so he compensates and takes things slowly.   We know a number of people who are older and have had injuries (broken legs, back problems, etc.) who ski.

On the other end of the spectrum we have a friend who is trim and in great shape in his 50s.  He skiis often.  He is very disciplined and does daily ski exercises on days he can't ski.  He recently fell in a freak ski accident and had a serious break in his hand--so anything can be risky.  

I enjoy going on a ski trip, getting everyone to where they need with their skis, and then having some quiet time enjoying the snow and hot cocoa.  I also enjoy snoeshowing.  

[Drama Llama]

I am middle aged, out of shape, and on my way back from a ski vacation.  I don't have disc issues, so i can't speak to that. 

I wouldn't want to pick up skiing at this point.  DH skied for the first time on this trip, but he's way more coordinated and in somewhat better shape than I am.  Watching him reminded me that learning to ski is a lot of work, and involves lots of things like falling down and getting up, and side stepping up the hill to where you dropped your pole, and exaggerated snow plow positions.  My FIL thought about learning to ski, and decided not to, I think for a man in his 70s that was a good choice.

But, as someone who already knows how to ski, who listened to my body and stopped when my knees grumbled, and chose easier slopes than in my youth (no moguls for me!), and would do a run with the kids and then watch the next run from the bottom?  It was fine.  We had fun.  I was the one who left early and went back and got lunch on the table, and most days I either started later than the group or ended earlier, but I didn't fall down once, and I slept a little better with the sun and fresh air and exercise.  

I'll also say that's assuming that you have absolutely no responsibility for learners on the slope.  I was super clear that I wasn't helping DH up if he fell.  Helping kids learn to ski is hard.  

I also did walk all fall, to try and get ready, so I wasn't in the very worst shape I've been in.

 

[wintermom]

I just went downhill skiing last week after a 25-year break. I've been skate skiing regularly for the past 25 years, so balance and technique have been maintained. I was surprised how demanding downhill was on my quads, but my whole body was fatigued and sore after a few hours. Plus there is a ton of inactivity where you get onto the chairlift and ride up the chair lift, followed by 10-15 min (depending on the hill) of very intense muscle control. The lactic acid build-up is really noticeable. If you aren't physically prepared for that then it would certainly be less enjoyable. I'd also forgotten how stupidly heavy the boots and skis are. You need a decent amount of strength simply to walk around carrying all your gear. 😄

Showshoeing is MUCH easier on the body. If you've ever cross-country skied before, I think it would be a far more enjoyable experience. But if you do want to give downhill a go, I'd start out with a half-day max. 

[Insertcreativenamehere]

In March 2021, I went skiing for the first time in 20 years. I wasn't in terrible shape but had some extra pounds on me. I had been working out but half-heartedly. We just did the bunny hills but I fell quite a bit and couldn't even get on the magic carpet or off the chair lift without falling! It was embarrassing!

Since then, I've started to run and strength train quite a bit. I haven't lost much weight but I have gotten much stronger, especially glutes/legs/core. My daughter and I went back to the same place in December 2021 and I didn't fall once. I have to think that my training between March and December played a big difference. We're going back again this week, hopefully. I'm still pretty cautious and stay on the easiest runs but it is fun! 

Edited January 2, 2022 by Insertcreativenamehere

[katilac]

If skiing is the main thing you would want to do on this trip, then yes, I would definitely look for another trip. I don't think it's a good idea at all when you don't have decent body strength or recent experience. 

If the appeal was also about a wintry landscape and cozy cabin, I'd look into what other activities were available. Most ski lodges have lots of fun winter activities that don't require the strength and such of skiing. Snow shoeing would get you out there and active with less chance of injury, and would be a good activity to work towards skiing in the future (building strength). They'll often have things like snow tubing and sleigh rides as well, just check the list of each place. 

 

[kristin0713]

I take my kids skiing, and I watch. 😉 I haven't gone since college and I just don't want to risk getting hurt.  I have too much to do!   😂   But my friends go and they ski with their kids, so...I guess it just depends on how annoying it would be if you did get hurt.  For me, it's not worth it because I'm just as happy sitting in the lodge with my coffee and a book.  But if it would be really fun for you, it might be worth it.