Elite Olympic figure skaters manage injuries much like other athletes who work out, go to the gym, or swim to stay fit, according to Gretchen Mohney, director of medical and performance services for U.S. Figure Skating. “No athlete at this level is 100% fully healthy,” Mohney stated. “It’s about managing whatever it is that may be breaking down.”
Mohney identified several warning flags for skaters and weekend athletes to watch: recognizing and responding to acute injury immediately, treating chronic injuries with targeted interventions rather than rest, monitoring loss of mobility and compensation patterns, and addressing overuse by varying training volume and intensity. She emphasized that when athletes lose mobility or flexibility, their bodies start to compensate and the stress is put on another part. For figure skaters, this could mean “the difference between doing a double jump and a quadruple jump.”
Dr. Fred Workman, a team physician for U.S. Figure Skating for 25 years, noted he’s treating more concussions lately. Other frequent injuries include lacerations from knife-edge skates, hip, knee, ankle and foot injuries, and shoulder injuries for men lifting partners overhead in the pairs event. “Skaters are doing much more demanding and aggressive—risky if you will—maneuvers,” Workman said. “The hard ice always wins. When you fall on the ice, something is going to give.”
Workman emphasized a holistic approach to guiding young athletes that includes managing stress and mental health. He advised adding variety to training and diversifying interests beyond the ice. “Not only cross-train in your sport, but cross-train as a human,” he said. “Diversify your interests. A very common mistake is spending all of your time on the ice and less time in off-the-ice training.” He also noted that competitive careers eventually end, and sport builds resilience and life skills that extend far beyond competition.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://sentinelcolorado.com/uncategorized/olympic-figure-skaters-offer-wellness-tips-for-weekend-athletes-the-hard-ice-always-wins/