It is a frequent injury in this winter sports season: about a third of alpine skiing accidents cause a knee sprain. How can these often painful incidents be avoided? Doctor Jimmy Mohamed gives his good advice Tuesday at the microphone of Europe 1. The sprained knee is a lesion of the ligaments, which occurs after an abnormal movement of the leg. But not all sprains are as severe as each other. "There are three grades of sprains: benign, when the ligaments are a little stretched, medium when they are torn, and severe, when they are completely broken," says Jimmy Mohamed.
Good physical preparation
When they are due to ski accidents, they are caused in 40% of cases by an incorrect adjustment of the bindings, recalls the doctor. Before fitting, have them checked by a professional. Another piece of advice: good physical preparation to start a few weeks before going to winter sports. Doctor Jimmy Mohamed recommends an active walk at least once a day and two to three jogs per week, from 30 to 45 minutes.
>> Find the whole of Sans rendez-vous in replay and podcast here
And if however a bad fall occurs, be careful not to aggravate the injury: in case of pain, it is better to stop. "If we hear a cracking sound, or if we feel that our knee is slipping, as if it were dislodging, but that it was returning to its place, this indicates a sprain. We will also have difficulty walking, and bending the leg, "says Jimmy Mohamed. It is then advisable to cool the leg using ice, or snow, then to consult a doctor who will prescribe a radio.