Skiing and Hitting the Slopes with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator

Skiing and Hitting the Slopes with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator

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You shouldn’t have to pass on going skiing with your friends if you need to use oxygen therapy. In fact, portable oxygen for skiers happens to be a great idea, even for those who don’t have a chronic lung disease. Being at high altitudes can make it harder to breathe, and can cause what is known as “acute mountain sickness”.

If you have a chronic lung condition, you should consult your doctor before taking part in this physical activity, whether or not you use oxygen therapy. If your doctor gives you the okay, he or she might advise that you use a portable oxygen concentrator while doing so, even if you don’t usually need one.

Using portable oxygen during exercise is a good idea, and often required for people with a chronic lung disease such as COPD. The air at higher altitudes is thinner as well, so breathing in extra oxygen while you’re hitting the slopes will help prevent you from getting sick. It can help prevent having a flare up, or coming down with acute mountain sickness.

Acute Mountain Sickness or AMS happens to some people at high altitudes. It can be severe or mild, and it can happen to people who are otherwise in good health. The symptoms can range from a headache, dizziness and slight nausea, to severe vomiting, pain and vertigo.

AMS can continue after the individual has returned to a lower elevation. You can reduce the risk of AMS by going to a higher altitude slowly (staying at one elevation the night before traveling to a higher location) and by using a portable oxygen concentrator on your way up.

If you need to use oxygen therapy on your ski trip, you can bring your portable oxygen concentrator with you. Just be sure that it doesn’t come in direct contact with snow, and it’s light enough to carry comfortably without getting in your way. A small POC with a custom backpack would be ideal.

Another thing you’ll need to do is keep some extra, fully charged batteries with you at all times, so you can replace a depleted battery when you need to. The great thing about many carry bags is that you don’t have to remove them from the bag to replace the battery. Just open the convenient zipper, remove the old battery and pop in the new one.

For good measure, never go skiing alone. Take a friend with you who can call for help just in case something happens to you, or vice versa. Take along a pulse oximeter as well, so you can check to make sure your blood oxygen level isn’t dropping. These are good to have wherever you go.

Be sure to follow the right safety measures and listen to your doctor. You can have fun on a skiing trip while using a portable oxygen concentrator.

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Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more.

Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.

About Scott Ridl:

Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more. Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.

13 thoughts on “Skiing and Hitting the Slopes with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator

    • Thank you for your inquiry. I have passed along your information to a specialist who will reach out regarding your request. For more immediate assistance feel free to give our specialists a call at 888-360-9628 or if you prefer email sales@amsrco.com

  1. We are going to copper mountain again this year to go snow skiing. Last year I absolutely loved the skiing but was plagued with what has Ben described as ams . I am considering a oxygen concentrator I can carry with. Any suggestions appreciated. It really made for a miserable time after two days

    • We have helped many customers ski with oxygen! There are lightweight portable options that are hands free so it is easy to hit the slopes. For assistance feel free to give our specialists a call at 888-360-9628.

  2. Well if they all operate in temperatures from 40-104 degrees how does one ski in an environment with lots of snow which has to be below freezing to turn the moisture in the sky into frozen snow so we can play in it & then its sometimes 0 degrees especially 70ft in the air riding on a ski lift? Could somebody explain that to me?

  3. Scott,
    My son is 35 years old and was a professional extreme skier. We live at 8600 feet in colorado. He has extremely bad asthma and his sao2 go dangerously in the low 70’s when skiing at altitude. He has given several motivational speeches on the subject of being an athlete with asthma. What do you recommend for an extreme athlete that needs oxygen at high elevation ?

    • Hello John, That is really inspiring.
      As you have pointed out SpO2% in the low 70s is dangerous and it demands medical attention. We cannot give any medical advice; please consult with your physician or health care provider.
      If they prescribe supplemental oxygen, they would mention the required liter flow of oxygen in the prescription. If a portable unit is an option, the units we carry can be operated up to 13,123 feet with most units supporting up to 10,000 feet. Talk to our Oxygen Specialist for a free consultation, please give us a call at (877) 644-4581.

  4. WOW! Glad I found you. The limitations of my POC are typical 41 degrees is lowest temp. Can I use ( given my health providers knowledge) a small tank in a backpack while skiing?

    • Please use the unit within the operating temperature range. I would recommend keeping available an alternative source of oxygen, in case the unit gets too cold to operate.

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