European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 13, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Conditioning is Best safeguard against injury Sven Wendlinger works out at the Chi Emsee hotel weight room. A by the new York times one might think that an orthopaedic surgeon who has treated thousands of skiers for injuries including countless world class athletes might choose to avoid the slopes himself. But or. J. Richard Steadman 56, a Pioneer of sports Medicine at the Steadman Hawkins clinic in Vail colo., likes to go skiing at least once a week. Quot i take every Opportunity that i can a said Steadman in a recent interview. Quot but i do follow my own rules such As conditioning myself before skiing. And i try to ski in  with much of the 1994 ski season still to come there Are things you can do now. Get your ski equipment in order exercise regularly and make mental notes to take with you on the slopes. Being a skier and an expert in sports Medicine Steadman has firsthand advice in All three areas. A Reserve offensive tackle in the late-1950s at Texas a amp a Steadman gave up football in his Junior year to concentrate on medical school. In his first years of medical practice in South Lake Tahoe calif., he developed surgical and rehabilitative innovations for treating skiers with knee injuries. With the development and widespread availability in the 1970s of the higher ski Boot injury patterns have changed from leg Breaks to knee problems. Steadman created a technique for treating certain knee injuries that reduces the chances for developing arthritis later on. His methods were committed to getting injured skiers Back on the slopes faster than usual. And in 1976, he became the chief physician for the . Ski team. Steadman has treated american olympic medallists such As Phil and Steve Mahre Cindy Nelson and Christin Cooper. In 1983, he cared for Marc Girardelli later Luxembourg s five time world cup Champion who had dislocated his knee. Steadman sees scores of recreational skiers daily most of whom Are sideline with knee injuries. Over All the statistics for serious injuries in skiing declined last year but conditioning remains a skier s safest bet against injury. The National ski areas association of Lakewood colo., has estimated that the rate of catastrophic accidents on the slopes a severe head injuries paralysis coma internal injuries and death a was Down from 1.48 skier injuries per million skiers in 1991-92, to 1,31 skier injuries per million skiers in 1992-93. Despite the slight downswing in serious accidents there Are More skiers than Ever on .  the slopes by Effie Bathen staff writer Sven Wendlinger Learned to ski when he was a toddler a and his Grandfather guided him Between his Knees Down the slopes of the Chiem Gau mountains in Southern Germany. For Many europeans or germans like him gliding Down the snowy hillsides is second nature. But keeping in shape takes preparation said the former ski instructor recently while working out at the Chi Emsee hotel weight room. A ski Outing usually requires a whole Day and demands a lot of endurance and flexibility. To get in shape Wendlinger recommends step aerobics working out on a stationary bicycle or an electronic step machine. Quot it s Good conditioning a said the 20-year-old economics student Quot and you la recover  any kind of stretching or twisting exercise a like toe touches or Forward and Side bends a works for flexibility. After a Day on skis five or 10 minutes in a Sauna can help ease the kinks out of tight Muscles. Eighty degrees celsius about 180 fahrenheit is a Good Standard but be sure to read the thermometer inside the room because thermostats vary. For Wendlinger who grew up in Bernau near Chi Emsee what appeals to him most is looking for the thrill of new slopes. Quot it s fun when you look Down and see All the people below shaking their Heads. Then you go a he said. One of the funniest things he s seen occurred last year Young skiers frequently learn the sport by gliding Between a teacher s Knees. When he tried to help one of the children in his class Down the ski run. He did what his Grandfather had taught him guiding a girl in front of him Between his own skis. She kept crying but he told her not to be afraid. Finally he heard her say that she had lost a ski. He had to go Back up and get it. And As for planning a Day on the slopes he added another hint he Learned from the children. Kids always seem to avoid last minute Calls to go to the bathroom. He said he could t count the number of children he has had to grab and ski to the toilet. A amps photos by Ken George january 13, v 04 stripes Magazine 11 l