The first real snow has a way of making every Marquette skier a little giddy. Waxing skis, digging out the poles, and checking the Noquemanon Trail Network grooming reports all start to feel like a seasonal ritual. But the first few weeks on snow are also when a lot of skiers pick up the aches that linger all winter. The best time to prepare for ski season is before the trails open.
Cross-country skiing is a full-body sport, and it asks a lot of your back, hips, shoulders, and knees, especially after months of running, biking, or just laying on the beach. Here are five of the most common Nordic ski injuries Upper Peninsula skiers run into, and a practical way to get ahead of each one.
1. Low Back Pain From Classic Skiing
Why it happens: Classic skiing means a lot of repeated hip flexion/extension and rotation through the trunk. When the hips and core don’t share the work, the low back ends up doing it.
How to avoid it: Think “hips forward, tall chest.” Build in core and glute work (planks, single leg bridges, bird-dogs) a couple of times a week before the season ramps up, and take a few minutes to loosen your hips with leg swings or 90/90s before you clip in.
2. Knee and Hip Overuse in Skate Skiing
Why it happens: Skating loads the hips and knees through a wide, side-to-side push, thousands of times per outing. If hip mobility or glute strength is lacking, the knee and the outside of the hip take the strain.
How to avoid it: Add single-leg strength work and hip mobility drills, and don’t jump straight into long skate sessions on your first weekend out. Increase time on snow gradually.
3. Shoulder and Wrist Strain From Poling
Why it happens: Poling is a powerful, repetitive pull and swing. Weak upper-back muscles, a stiff mid-back, or poor wrist position can send stress into the shoulder and wrist.
How to avoid it: Strengthen the upper back and rotator cuff (rows and band pull-aparts are great), work on thoracic spine mobility, and check that your pole length and straps fit you properly.
4. Groin and Inner-Thigh Strain: Pre-Season Exercises
Why it happens: Gliding, kicking, and skating all require your adductors to stabilize and push. Cold muscles plus a big stride, or a slip on a hard-packed or icy section of trail, can lead to a strain.
How to avoid it: Before the snow flies, start with Copenhagen planks to target inner thigh stability. Warm up with dynamic leg swings and lateral lunges before heading out and ease into longer strides on cold mornings. Save the hard efforts for after you’re warmed up.
5. Early-Season Deconditioning: Ease Into Ski Season
Why it happens: This one is less about technique and more about timing. After a break from skiing, your body hasn’t yet adapted to the specific demands of the sport. Doing too much, too soon is one of the most common reasons skiers end up sidelined in December.
How to avoid it: Follow the “gradual build” rule: increase total time or distance in modest steps, mix easy days with harder ones, and keep strength and mobility work in your weekly routine, not just your ski time.
How to Prepare for Ski Season: A Few Habits Worth Building
Warm up with movement, not just a quick static stretch.
Take recovery days seriously, especially if you’re building toward a race like the Noquemanon Ski Marathon in late January.
Pay attention to pain that is sharp, one-sided, or sticks around from one session to the next. Normal soreness fades. Pain that doesn’t deserves a closer look.
Staying Ahead of Pain With a Sports Chiropractor in Marquette
At North Coast Spine & Sport, Dr. Michael Houle, DC, CCSP®, CSCS, a sports chiropractor in Marquette, MI, works with local athletes using Functional Range Assessment (FRA) to look at how your joints actually move and where you may be limited. That information helps point to the mobility and strength work that makes sense for your body, and for the way you ski.
If you’re planning a big season on the Noquemanon Trail Network, a pre-season tune-up can be a smart way to catch small issues before they get in the way of your ski training. You can book a visit with Dr. Houle online, or reach out to the clinic with any questions.
