Knee pain before ski season? How to get your knees ready for the slopes this winter

19 Oct

Last reviewed October 2026. Written by the clinical editorial team at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness. Reviewed by The Wellness Team.

If your knee aches before ski season, start preparing six to eight weeks before you travel. Have the knee assessed, build strength in the thigh and hip muscles, and, for suitable knees, consider PRP, which takes four to eight weeks to reach its effect. For a Christmas or New Year trip, late October and early November is the right time to begin.

Key points

The knee is the most commonly injured area in recreational skiing, accounting for 27% to 41% of ski injuries in published reviews.
Injuries to the ACL and MCL, the two main stabilising ligaments, together make up nearly one third of all skiing injuries.
PRP usually takes four to eight weeks to build, so timing a course around the trip matters.
A 2024 randomised trial in athletes with partial MCL tears found PRP gave faster improvement in pain and function at two and six weeks than a standard therapy.
The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness offers doctor-led knee PRP from £595, with a free doctor review on WhatsApp.

Why do knees take the strain on a ski trip?

Skiing loads the knee in ways daily life does not. Long days in a bent-knee position, sudden twisting forces and hard landings all concentrate stress on the cartilage and ligaments. A knee with early arthritis or an old injury often feels fine in London and then aches by the second day on the mountain.

Published reviews of alpine skiing injuries report that the knee accounts for 27% to 41% of all ski injuries, making it the most commonly injured site. The ACL and the MCL together account for nearly one third of all skiing injuries.

Ask a doctor about your knee before your trip on WhatsApp and tell us when you travel.

When should I start preparing my knees for ski season?

Start preparing your knees six to eight weeks before you travel, and earlier if the knee already hurts. That window allows time for an assessment, a strength programme and, where suitable, a PRP course to take effect. PRP usually takes four to eight weeks to build, so starting late can mean flying out before the benefit arrives.

Planning around the main ski dates in the UK calendar helps.

For a Christmas or New Year trip, begin in late October or early November.
For a February half term trip, begin by early December.
For an Easter trip, begin in January or early February.

How to get a painful knee ready for skiing

A structured plan in the weeks before a ski trip gives a painful knee the best chance of a comfortable week on the slopes. The timeline below suits most patients with early arthritis or an old knee injury.

Eight to twelve weeks before. Book a doctor's assessment of the knee, with imaging if needed, so the cause of the pain is clear.
Six to eight weeks before. Start a strength programme and, if suitable, the first PRP injection.
Four weeks before. Have a second PRP injection if planned, and increase ski-specific exercise such as squats, wall sits and balance work.
Two weeks before. Review progress with the doctor and agree how to pace the first days of the trip.
On the trip. Warm up before the first run, take regular breaks, stop before you are exhausted and consider a supportive knee brace.

Book your free suitability review on WhatsApp to plan around your travel date.

Can PRP help knee pain before skiing?

PRP can help knee pain from early to moderate arthritis or chronic tendon problems around the knee. A 2025 meta-analysis in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found PRP gave clinically relevant improvement in knee function at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months compared with placebo. A 2025 meta-analysis of 26 randomised trials found PRP gave better pain relief than hyaluronic acid gel injections at 6 and 12 months.

For skiers, the timing is the key point. Benefit usually appears four to eight weeks after the first injection, which is why a course started now suits a trip in late December or January.

Which exercises help prepare knees for skiing?

Strong thigh, hip and core muscles protect the knee on the slopes. A doctor or physiotherapist can tailor a programme, and most include the following.

Squats and wall sits, to build endurance in the thigh muscles for long runs.
Lunges and step-ups, to strengthen each leg on its own.
Side-lying and banded hip exercises, to control knee alignment.
Balance work on one leg, to improve stability on uneven snow.
Cycling, to build fitness without heavy impact.

What if I injure my knee while skiing?

A knee injury on the slopes needs a proper assessment before any return to skiing. Signs of a significant ligament injury include a pop at the moment of injury, rapid swelling within a few hours and the knee giving way. A suspected ACL tear needs prompt specialist assessment, and PRP is not a substitute for that.

Partial MCL injuries, often caused by a twisting fall, usually heal without surgery. A 2024 randomised trial in 32 athletes with partial MCL tears, published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, found ultrasound-guided PRP gave faster improvement in pain and function at two and six weeks than pulsed ultrasound therapy. By 12 weeks both groups had improved to a similar level, so PRP's main benefit was a quicker early recovery.

Message a doctor after a ski injury on WhatsApp with photographs and a description of how it happened.

What happens at The London PRP Clinic?

A knee assessment at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness starts with a free doctor review on WhatsApp. Approved patients see a doctor at the clinic, who examines the knee and reviews imaging. Where imaging is clinically needed, The Online GP by The Wellness offers doctor-performed diagnostic ultrasound in the same Marylebone clinic.

Most knee PRP plans use one to three injections spaced two to four weeks apart. Most patients walk out normally and return to desk work the next day. Read our guide to PRP knee injection recovery for what to expect week by week.

How much does knee PRP cost in London?

Image-guided joint injections at Harley Street clinics commonly cost £780 to £900 or more per injection. The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness offers doctor-led knee PRP from £595. The doctor confirms the full plan and cost before treatment begins. Read our full guide to PRP joint injection costs in London.

How does the free suitability review work?

The free suitability review is a doctor's honest opinion before any appointment. Send a short description of your knee, your travel date, what you have tried and any X-ray or scan reports through WhatsApp. A GMC-registered doctor reviews the case and either approves you for a consultation or recommends a more suitable route.

Start your free knee review now, call +44 20 3951 3429, or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.

Frequently asked questions

How long before a ski trip should I have PRP?

Most patients should start PRP six to eight weeks before a ski trip, because the benefit usually builds over four to eight weeks after the first injection. For a Christmas or New Year trip, that means starting in late October or early November.

Can I ski after a PRP knee injection?

Most patients can return to skiing a few weeks after a PRP knee injection, once the post-injection ache has settled and strength has been rebuilt. Your doctor will advise on timing for your knee.

What is the most common knee injury in skiing?

ACL and MCL ligament injuries are the most common serious knee injuries in skiing, together making up nearly one third of all skiing injuries in published reviews.

Where can I have knee PRP in London?

The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness offers doctor-led knee PRP from £595 at 4 Baker Street, Marylebone, London.

References

Davey A and colleagues, and Weinstein S and colleagues. Reviews of alpine skiing injuries, as summarised in Lower Extremity Review.
Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma injection versus pulsed ultrasound therapy in athletes with medial collateral ligament injury of the knee, a randomised controlled trial. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2024.
Bensa A and colleagues. Platelet-rich plasma versus placebo for knee osteoarthritis, meta-analysis. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2025.
Platelet-rich plasma compared with viscosupplementation in knee osteoarthritis, systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 randomised trials. Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics, 2025.