Adaptive Nordic Skiing Equipment and Techniques

A woman with a brain injury in a ski lesson. 

        You have to be willing to exert yourself for cross-country, also known as Nordic, skiing. This sport really separates out those who like to work for the benefits of exercise from those who are compelled to the extreme thrills of downhill skiing. I enjoy Nordic skiing for the tranquil connection to nature and the great cardio workout in fresh air. I relish exploring the landscape as I pole and glide along. The downhills are especially satisfying as you've earned them!!       

Nielsen sit-ski seats and frames without skis.

        To get off to a good start with adaptive Nordic skiing, some specialized equipment is necessary. For those with mobility impairments, a seated ski is usually the way to go. Like all equipment, sit-skis come in a variety of styles and sizes. For years in our adaptive winter programs we have used sit-skis designed by Bob Hall and Colin Dye, both athletes with disabilities. Recently we have added to our fleet to provide updated high performance options, and now offer a couple of Neilsen sit-skis as well. With all these designs, the ski is usually built custom for the individual, so we have had several on hand to best match up the right one for each skier.

First skier to use the Tessier Eskiap.

        This year DCR's Universal Access Program purchased a Tessier Eskiap Nordic sit-ski, which has an intricate frame with adjustments for tilting the seating angle and adjusting the center of gravity. This amazing (and expensive!) sit-ski also has built in hand brakes, a huge plus for better control on steeper downhill stretches. An interesting factor for sit-skiing is that with a lower center of gravity, you move faster downhill than you would on stand-skis.

           For those who are ambulatory and want to learn on conventional stand-skis, our program accommodates people with a wide array of cognitive and sensory impairments. Much of the success of such accommodations involves dedicated staff who build a lot of experience over time working with many different people with disabilities. Lots of techniques and tips evolve for addressing various needs and when building upon relationships developed with participants in successive lessons. Everyone learns in this process and from time to time we have enhanced our understanding with trainings to learn better techniques for working with people with specific conditions. 

A young man skis with an instructor on each side.

        We see a lot of skiers on the autism spectrum. Some useful techniques include working one to one instead of in a group or class format, avoiding any waiting in line, finding topics unique to an individual for those who want to converse, and being willing to keep instructions more physical and dialogue simple for those who prefer less stimulation.

        Skiers with brain injuries may get exhausted much sooner, even if they are in good shape, due to the extra load to mentally process when learning something new and developing new mind-eye-foot coordination. We like to make sure that anyone who has driven themselves to a program doesn't get overly exhausted or rests well before driving home after skiing.

A ski walker used during Special Olympics.

        Balance aids for stand skiers are used occasionally when warranted, but generally it is better to steer people towards conventional Nordic training techniques for balance and strength building. Ski poles offer inherent balancing for most people to get started and groomed tracks can help too. We have modified walkers with skis on the bottoms, but these only allow for parallel movement of skis so are mainly used on level ground. People with hemiparesis or hemiplegia or other conditions in which its difficult to achieve even propulsion on both sides may have little success with accommodations. I have not yet seen good adaptations to address their needs, but they may exist.

Three helpers pose with a kicksledder and sit-skier.

        The use of snowshoes and Scandinavian kicksleds helps round out our program, and some people find these preferable to skis. These two choices help take the stress out of balancing. Widening the range of equipment helps meet the needs of all family members and gets more people out on the snow.

A modified sit-ski has a push bar and outriggers.

        We have also modified conventional sit-skis for users who want to get out but have limited or no ability to propel themselves. This is where having plenty of hands-on support is essential, and family members are often part of the team experience. Lots of pushing and pulling may be involved, but everyone gets out to have a great time.

        As you can see from the photos, it helps a lot to have a groomed ski track, which takes much of the stress of irregularities often found on ungroomed trails off the skier. We also provide adaptive skiing on snowmobile groomed trails in state forests, and might use ungroomed trails for those with skill levels  ready for the experience.

A woman provides trunk support to a sit-skier.

        Various adaptive aids are used to help with positioning of skiers. We are especially fond of a wide neoprene band, often referred to as a "waist-trimmer" in gyms, for providing a broad level of trunk support. Pieces of pipe foam are often added to the frames of sit-skis to minimize pressure. This dense foam similar to camping mats can be folded and tucked under legs for extra support and warmth for sit-skiers. 

    Any adaptive activity requires a continuous process of learning and crafting solutions, so it's always good to have a ready supply of foam and duct tape!