ski gear weight and tennis elbow

Terrific responses! Thank you guys for treating seriously a nerd like
me.
I understand that skiing at high speed is smoother and more stable
with heavier skis... But still catrrying heavy skis is a pain. This
whole thing came up to my mind after the week I spent earlier this
month in Val d'Isere. It so happened that my tennis elbow was very
disturbing during this week. I guess I have to choose between tennis
and skiing.

Cheers,
Itsik

(Itsik Weissman) writes:

Terrific responses! Thank you guys for treating seriously a nerd like
me.
I understand that skiing at high speed is smoother and more stable
with heavier skis... But still catrrying heavy skis is a pain. This
whole thing came up to my mind after the week I spent earlier this
month in Val d'Isere. It so happened that my tennis elbow was very
disturbing during this week. I guess I have to choose between tennis
and skiing.

Aaaah, now I get it. I feel your pain -- I've had bad tennis elbow
in both elbows (caused by kayaking, not tennis). I know that exact
tennis-elbow pain that you get while carrying things in certain
positions, and I'm sure you know what they all are.

Do you use a tennis elbow strap? I did, and I found that it was a
huge help. I wore mine constantly, not just when I was "doing
something" with that arm. Wearing it daily helped keep the
inflammation from acting up under the stresses of daily activities,
small actions that you might not think of as painful but that still
aggravate the condition. That, plus ibuprofin, plus ice, plus
massage, plus acupuncture, plus rest, plus improving my paddling
technique, took care of it -- in time. Ski season is a good time to
let the elbows heal.

As far as carrying gear, there are ways that will make it easier.
The standard over-the-shoulder carry is not bad -- you can also get
straps that tie onto the skis near tips and tails, and then go over
your shoulder, like the shoulder strap on a duffle bag. What you
really don't want to do is carry the skis with your arm hanging
straight down at your side -- that's the worst position, and if
you're carrying 'em like that, no ski is so light that it won't
cause you probles.

--
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.

On 30 Mar 2004 01:16:57 -0800, (Itsik Weissman)
wrote:

Terrific responses! Thank you guys for treating seriously a nerd like
me.
I understand that skiing at high speed is smoother and more stable
with heavier skis... But still catrrying heavy skis is a pain. This
whole thing came up to my mind after the week I spent earlier this
month in Val d'Isere. It so happened that my tennis elbow was very
disturbing during this week. I guess I have to choose between tennis
and skiing.


Ah, makes more sense now. But I doubt that buying the lightest-weight
skis you could find would make much of a difference, after you add
bindings and poles to the package. Have you checked out any of the
wheeled ski bags that are available? One end rolls on the ground so
you don't have to take all the weight; might help.

bw

bdubya wrote:

On 30 Mar 2004 01:16:57 -0800, (Itsik Weissman)
wrote:


Terrific responses! Thank you guys for treating seriously a nerd like
me.
I understand that skiing at high speed is smoother and more stable
with heavier skis... But still catrrying heavy skis is a pain. This
whole thing came up to my mind after the week I spent earlier this
month in Val d'Isere. It so happened that my tennis elbow was very
disturbing during this week. I guess I have to choose between tennis
and skiing.



Ah, makes more sense now. But I doubt that buying the lightest-weight
skis you could find would make much of a difference, after you add
bindings and poles to the package. Have you checked out any of the
wheeled ski bags that are available? One end rolls on the ground so
you don't have to take all the weight; might help.

Or learn to carry skis on the shoulder, not dangling from an arm
stressing the elbow. (Sort of like learning to keep wrists straight at
the keyboard...) Might be worth a try.

Tennis elbow/etc is no reason to give up the "Breath of Live" that
skiing is - just make some adaptions to avoid the stress and carry on.