Author’s note: From the PT: a Look at Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome is a good introduction to the current article and includes a more detailed description of the anatomy, pathophysiology, and associated research. Since it was published on FasterSkier in 2022, that article has served as a resource for the Nordic skiing community, and I have fielded multiple requests for guidance from skiers around the world with CECS. In that article, I suggested that conservative...
US Ski & Snowboard recently hosted a course titled “Medical Emergencies in Skiing and Snowboarding”, which is required training for all physical therapists and athletic trainers working with the team during competitions. As the name would imply, we learned about emergency management of acute injuries: application of cervical collars, tourniquets, back boards, distraction splints, and plenty of other nasty scenarios we hope to never see. Thankfully, cross country skiing tends to be lower risk when...
Cambridge Sports Union has completed its on-line survey examining the prevalence of chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) within the competitive nordic ski community in North America. The purpose of the survey was to gauge the extent of CECS among cross-country skiers, and to collect data that contributes to understanding the etiology of CECS. Fifty coaches responded to the survey, representing roughly 1,500 athletes. The teams represented include youth and regional clubs, the U.S. and Canadian...