Some scientists at UC Davis have put a winter-sporting spin on their research in engineering, nutrition and chemistry. Here is a look at what three researchers have discovered looking at their discipline and the world of sport:

Eat right for winter sports

Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or a weekend warrior, winter sports require that you pay special attention to food and water, cautions nutritionist Liz Applegate, an expert on nutrition and fitness.

"Particularly for sports like snowshoeing or downhill and cross-country skiing, you need to make sure that you take plenty of food with you," she says. "If your blood sugar gets low, you’re more likely to become confused and run the risk of getting lost."

Plus, running out of "fuel" results in poor performance and makes it hard to stay warm. She suggests tucking a half-cup of dried fruit and an energy bar into your pocket before taking off for a half-day in the snow and perhaps something extra for an emergency.

For all cold-weather exercising, Applegate stresses that a high-carbohydrate food, should be eaten a couple of hours before your workout.

And even though it’s cold, you need to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water because cold air is drier than warm air and draws out more body moisture. She also urges winter athletes to dress in layers, so that they can peel off one layer as they warm up without risking a sudden drop in body temperature.

Applegate is one of the nutritionists made available by the International Olympic Committee to advise Olympic athletes. She is the author of several books including Eat Smart, Play Hard.

Binding settings key to avoiding ski injuries

For recreational skiers, setting bindings a little lower can help avoid knee injuries, according to Maury Hull, a biomechanical engineer.

Hull has studied leg injuries related to skiing and snowboarding for over 20 years. With orthopedic surgeon Steve Howell of Sacramento’s Methodist Hospital, he directs the UC Davis "knee lab" investigating injuries in skiers and boarders.

Rigid plastic ski boots mean fewer ankle injuries but more knee injuries, Hull said. Injuries generally happen because the ski acts as a lever that can put considerable force on the nearest available joint – the knee.

One aspect of Hull’s work has been to develop ski bindings that release under the right conditions. Published release adjustment standards (DIN settings) are too conservative for most skiers, Hull said. He recommends that skiers treat the standards as an upper limit and set their bindings a few points below, then adjust upwards as required. In contrast, competitive skiers will keep their bindings very tight to avoid losing a ski.

Vibrating oxygen atoms slip up skiers

Most skiers assume that pressure or friction melts snow under the ski to make a slippery layer of water. But there just isn’t enough pressure on skis to do that, according to chemist Timothy C. Donnelly.

In fact, the problem of why ice is slippery at all was only solved in the 1990’s, he said.In 1996, UC Berkeley chemist Gabor Somorjai discovered that oxygen atoms at the surface of ice crystals vibrate much faster than those inside, creating an outer layer that acts like a liquid. That’s what makes ice slippery. Skis, snowboards and ice hockey pucks all swim on this.

How skis run over snow is a long-standing interest for Donnelly, a keen skier. He developed ski waxes that work in all types of snow conditions. On cold snow, hard ski waxes smooth the ski base and make it slick. On warmer, wet snow, softer waxes act like lubricants to make the skis slide faster.

Donnelly’s research on ski waxes led to commercial products used at the 1988 and 1994 Winter Games. He is currently developing an environmentally friendly liquid de-icer for uses as diverse as dog sled runners, fishing boats, aircraft and microwave towers.