What is the best snowboard stance for bad knees?
To prevent knee and calf injuries, you'll want to pay close attention to your angles. As a general rule, you'll want a positive angle in your front foot and a negative angle in your back foot. Keep larger stance angles in your lead foot since you'll spend the majority of your time with that foot facing downhill.
Typical beginner angles will be +15/0 or +18/0. If you're confident about which direction you will snowboard ie. either regular or goofy you might prefer the +18/0 as this greater angle can be more comfortable for the front knee.
Even a strong knee is at risk of ligament damage when skiing or snowboarding, especially if you've had previous injuries to the knee. Wearing a knee brace to support the knee and protect the ligaments is one of the best things to do while on the slopes.
Meniscus injuries are among the most frequent knee injuries in snowboarding. The menisci are crescent-shaped cartilaginous disks between the thigh and lower leg bones that act as shock absorbers and stabilizers of the knee joint. How do meniscus injuries happen?
Stance: Regular, 22 inches wide-I rock the biggest stance option on my board-with nine degrees angle on the front foot and negative-three on the back.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Squat like you're sitting back into a chair.
- Stand up and step one leg back into a reverse lunge. Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle to the floor. ...
- Return to the squat position and repeat on the other leg.
- Do 10 reps on each leg.
The axis of the dynamometer was consistent with the axis of motion, and measurements were made at 25° and 67°; 25° is the angle of the general resting position of the knee joint, and 67° is the angle in the middle of the knee joint's total range of motion.
Skiing also tends to be harder on your knees than snowboarding. Both feet being attached to the board means snowboarders are likely to experience more injuries when at the beginner stage than skiers. The most common injuries for snowboarders are wrist, shoulder and ankle injuries.
A few indicators that might suggest that your stance is too wide include having trouble turning the board, as well as feeling excess pain in the ankles and knees. Too narrow of a stance and you may be falling over excessively with even less control of the snowboard.
Until you develop a defined favorite riding style, most riders will find a slightly wider than shoulder width stance to be a good starting point. A just wider than shoulder width stance offers good stability and a powerful jumping position.
What angle should my bindings be at?
Many snowboarders position the front binding at a 15° angle and the rear binding at somewhere between 0° and a -6° angle. This is a great position for learning to ride because it forces you to learn correct technique and distribute your weight properly.
The standard orthopaedic rule is you can safely resume recreational sports (such as skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing) 4-6 months after your ACL surgery and 6-9 months after for competitive sports. That being said, every ACL injury and rehab is unique to the person and their lifestyle.

In general, the smaller, bonier bits of the body – like thumbs, fingers, toes, and wrists – are best supported by tape. These small bits of the body are meant to be mobile, something that tape can provide. Alternatively, areas that support the weight of the body, like knees and ankles, will benefit from bracing.
The most frequent snowboarding injuries are to the wrist
In addition to wrist injuries, falling onto an outstretched hand can transmit the force along the arm and cause a shoulder or elbow injury. Around 60% of snowboarding injuries are to the arm, wrist, hand or thumb.
Sports such as football, tennis, and basketball involve a high risk of developing meniscal tears. They often occur along with injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament, a ligament that crosses from the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shinbone).
ACL injuries are the most common injuries to endure while snowboarding. With the constant change of direction, twisting and turning and harsh landings, this sport is generally very tough on the knees. Many snowboarders are skiers who transitioned to the sport because it's known to be easier on the knees.
Pro | Goofy or Regular? | Stance Width |
---|---|---|
Travis Rice | Goofy | 23″ |
Tyler Chorlton | Regular | 53cm |
Victor de le Rue | Regular | Uses a mark on his phone cable! |
Wolle Nyvelt | Goofy | 56-58cm (depending on board) |
Stance: Regular, 23.5 inches wide, front fifteen degrees, back negative-twelve.
But one move has become synonymous with the American superstar: the Double McTwist 1260. The move combines three-and-a-half twists and two flips in one piece of air all with a snowboard strapped to his feet, and he first competed it at the Olympic Winter Games during his victory lap at Vancouver 2010.
If you've suffered from a past knee injury, knee instability, or if you were recommended a knee brace from a medical professional it's worth considering wearing a knee brace during snowboarding.
Can I snowboard with knee arthritis?
The Bottom Line. You CAN ski or board even if you have knee osteoarthritis or chronic back pain. Maybe exercise and new equipment can get you through the snow.
Keep Your Legs Flexed & Body Low
There are two main ways to fall on a snowboard: forward and backward. With either approach to falling, keep your legs flexed to reduce your risk of ankle or lower leg injuries. Also, try your best to keep your body as low to the ground as possible to minimize the impact.
Summary. The inability to bend or straighten the knee may be the result of a true locked knee (in which torn knee cartilage becomes wedged in the joint) or a pseudo-locked knee (in which severe knee pain triggers a defensive reaction that impedes knee movement).
Normative Values. In women, the Q angle should be less than 22 degrees with the knee in extension and less than 9 degrees with the knee in 90 degrees of flexion. In men, the Q angle should be less than 18 degrees with the knee in extension and less than 8 degrees with the knee in 90 degrees of flexion.
Feet on the Floor
Keeping your knees at a 90 degree angle reduces the amount of strain on your knees and hips, while sitting with your knees crossed or bent under you can place additional strain on the joint.
Experiencing an ACL tear or similar knee injury can make you doubt your ability to get back on the board; however, with time, patience and the right preparation, including a properly fitted knee brace, there is no reason you cannot go on snowboarding.
Knee injuries, more specifically Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears, are much less common in snowboarding than in alpine skiing.
Often, the most common injuries in the knees from sports activities like skiing and snowboarding occur in the ACL and MCL. Injuries in these areas are more common because of the large amounts of twisting and bending forces that your knee can experience during these activities.
If your toes/heels overhang the board by over 1/2 an inch it is likely that you will experience some kind of toe or heel drag in the snow when turning. Toe or heel drag indicates that your snowboard width is too narrow and will result in reduced snowboard performance.
Typically, snowboard boot sizes 11.5 and up will need a "wide" specific model which will have a waist width of 260 mm or more.
How tight should snowboard boots?
Snowboard boots should feel comfortably snug everywhere—heel, instep, and toebox. Your toes should be barely touching the front edge. If a boot fits "just right" out of the box, chances are it will be too big when to boots break in.
Snowboard Stance Width
For guys of average height, it's likely to be around 21 inches (53 cm); for women, it will be more like 19 inches (48 cm). Screw the bindings down at this position and stand in them to see how it feels. Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
A wider stance will result in greater engagement of the muscles around the hips. The gluteal group and inner thigh muscles come alive in the wide stance version of the squat, while the quadriceps recruitment is reduced. Conversely, a narrower stance increases quadriceps recruitment and minimizes hip muscle involvement.
Snowboards are designed to have the rider's feet either centered on the snowboard (lengthways) or setback. Setback basically means that your back binding will be set up closer to the tail (back) of your snowboard than your front binding is from the nose (front).
Generally, you want to hot wax your board every 3 to 4 days of riding. This ensures better glide in varying snow conditions and an overall better performance. Just make sure you're using the right type of wax for the specific conditions.
Medium-to-soft (3 – 4 out of 10) is the best compromise between responsiveness and a forgiving ride. Intermediate riders don't need to stick to this but I still wouldn't go beyond a 6/10 or 7/10 in flex for an intermediate rider.
The right binding is placed at the nose (tip) of your snowboard, the left binding at the tail (rear end). Regular: You ride with your left foot forward. The left (front) binding is placed at the nose, the right one (rear) at the tail of your board.
Your hips should be over the heel-side edge as you find the balance point. Bend your knees, as if you're sitting down in a chair.
As a general trend, snowboarding is much easier on the knees than skiing. Because snowboarders are attached to a single board and keep their knees mostly flexed, they experience less torque movement in their lower legs.
A common instruction in forward folds in yoga is to "bend the knees to protect the hamstrings" (and specifically the hamstring tendon attachment up at the sitting bone). The idea is that bending the knees will reduce the stretch on the hamstrings, and this will keep the hamstrings and their tendons safe.
What is the best snowboard stance for knees?
You don't want to be too upright when you are snowboarding. You want your knees slightly bent even in a relaxed position. For this reason the high-backs should be on a slight angle tilting forward (towards the board).
What are the most common ski and snowboard knee injuries? The most common knee injuries are typically soft tissue injuries such as meniscus tears and ligament tears. Within the ligament tear category, the most common, and well known are anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries.
6. Unable to Bend Knee. When you've torn your ACL you will lose a range of motion.
If your orthopedist recommends it, you can wear your brace all day. However, improper use of a knee brace can worsen your pain or cause further damage to the knee. If you are using a brace that immobilizes your knee, the joint can weaken.
Bracing allows the player to apply and adjust the brace throughout the activity. This keeps the support optimal throughout the practice or game. On the other hand, once tape is applied, it is not adjustable. Another disadvantage of taping is that it quickly loosens once the athlete starts to move and sweat.
ACL injuries are the most common injuries to endure while snowboarding. With the constant change of direction, twisting and turning and harsh landings, this sport is generally very tough on the knees.
Knee injuries are more common in skiers because of the amount of force and shock applied to one's knees. Some knee injuries can be mild, like a sprain, or more significant, such as ligament tears or fractures. Shoulder dislocations are more common in snowboarders.
Upper Extremity Injuries
The wrist is the most common site of injury, accounting for almost one quarter of snowboarding injuries (Table 2) and for one half of all fractures. Other common fracture sites are the clavicle and the elbow.
If you catch yourself leaning back during turns, make an effort to keep weight on your front foot to remain centered. Most of the time, people lean with their shoulders and upper body, so focus your forward lean there.
The Grab: Rear arm wraps around the outside of the knee, grabs toe edge in between the bindings, with knees tucked. The Tweak: Point the nose of your board south, and crank that grab back behind you.
What is the most common injury in snowboarding?
The most frequent snowboarding injuries are to the wrist
In addition to wrist injuries, falling onto an outstretched hand can transmit the force along the arm and cause a shoulder or elbow injury. Around 60% of snowboarding injuries are to the arm, wrist, hand or thumb.
Knee injuries, more specifically Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears, are much less common in snowboarding than in alpine skiing. However, an ACL injury is a season-ending injury and the most common injury requiring surgery in snowboarding.
Skating, skiing, and snowboarding
They involve intense physical activity and come with a higher risk of wear and tear-and injury than low-impact activities like walking or swimming. So, in general, ice skating, skiing, and snowboarding are not recommended for joint replacement patients.
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