Help Needed: I am afraid of the bunny hill.

[floatingyardsale]

So: ACL and assorted ligaments torn last year, rehabbed, cleared for skiing, added a few pounds of muscle, sweet custom carbon fiber leg brace.

I returned to the slopes yesterday and ladies, did you know the bunny hill is really steep and skiing is fast? I was like a baby deer all day.

(I assume baby deer scrub speed on every turn.)

Knee is fine. Brain is dumb. How do I get out of my own head?

I'm planning a lesson next weekend but for those of you who have had a bad skiing injury, how did you get out of your own head?

 

[jting]

I've been lucky to not have a ski injury but just 2 days ago, someone ran into me from behind just right in front of the chair lift line (!) when I was stopping. I wasn't hurt but am a bit in shock still. I could have avoided him if I had eyes at the back of my head.

I'm a cautious skier but am now a little traumatized about being hit from behind. I'm not sure how to get out of my head and would love to hear how others have overcome this mental block.

 

[newbieM]

I haven’t had an injury but I had someone flatten me from behind before and I left the mountain shaking.

I also get nervous at times. My suggestion is to do one turn at a time. Tell yourself it’s just one smooth turn. I little hard on a bunny slope because it is crowded. I also find that singing helps. It distracts the panic feeling - I usually pick a silly Disney song and just sing it out loud to myself.

Just take it slow and try not to get in your head too much.

 

[geargrrl]

How did your rehab go? Did you do "return to sport" PT?
My situation, destroyed my ACL and MCL in a mountain bike accident. I was braced for 6 weeks while the MCL healed, then had surgery with a hamstring graft for the ACL that September. I followed my PT to the exact T. I was cleared for spring skiing if I was careful, but I decided to wait until the following fall to go skiing. My PT was "return to sport" not "return to cubicle". I was also rehabbed to the point of no brace needed. I maintained my PT/strength training and then hit the slopes (finally) 1 year post surgery. I don't recall exactly how it went. I suspect I did a couple of runs to test it out and then went on my way.. I have a baker's cyst as a surgical remnant that gives me trouble every now and then, and skiing on hardpack is problematic but other than that I've been great.

So, what is my point?
-Do you trust you are rehabbed to the best possible point? I was doing single leg ladder hops when I was done with rehab. Have you done any dryland conditioning *with* the brace to be able trust it, trust the movement? That's where I would go next if it were me, PT/training sessions specific to building confidence on the slopes with your set up.
-How are snow and crowd conditions, are they safe?
-To get out of your head, you have to trust your body.

Good luck, this is just my story and thoughts.

 

[BlueSkies]

So: ACL and assorted ligaments torn last year, rehabbed, cleared for skiing, added a few pounds of muscle, sweet custom carbon fiber leg brace.

I returned to the slopes yesterday and ladies, did you know the bunny hill is really steep and skiing is fast? I was like a baby deer all day.

(I assume baby deer scrub speed on every turn.)

Knee is fine. Brain is dumb. How do I get out of my own head?

I'm planning a lesson next weekend but for those of you who have had a bad skiing injury, how did you get out of your own head?

After my ACL/MCL/meniscus repair it took multiple days of skiing greens before I felt comfortable enough to try a blue and then more to get back on blacks. My head was the problem too and just taking my time worked.

 

[floatingyardsale]

How did your rehab go? Did you do "return to sport" PT?
My situation, destroyed my ACL and MCL in a mountain bike accident. I was braced for 6 weeks while the MCL healed, then had surgery with a hamstring graft for the ACL that September. I followed my PT to the exact T. I was cleared for spring skiing if I was careful, but I decided to wait until the following fall to go skiing. My PT was "return to sport" not "return to cubicle". I was also rehabbed to the point of no brace needed. I maintained my PT/strength training and then hit the slopes (finally) 1 year post surgery. I don't recall exactly how it went. I suspect I did a couple of runs to test it out and then went on my way.. I have a baker's cyst as a surgical remnant that gives me trouble every now and then, and skiing on hardpack is problematic but other than that I've been great.

So, what is my point?
-Do you trust you are rehabbed to the best possible point? I was doing single leg ladder hops when I was done with rehab. Have you done any dryland conditioning *with* the brace to be able trust it, trust the movement? That's where I would go next if it were me, PT/training sessions specific to building confidence on the slopes with your set up.
-How are snow and crowd conditions, are they safe?
-To get out of your head, you have to trust your body.

Good luck, this is just my story and thoughts.

Excellent questions. Braced for seven weeks while the MCL healed, and it probably took another fourth months for whatever I did to the fibula to calm down, and another two to get my knee built up enough to stop the patellar pain.

I didn't get surgery because by the time I saw the surgeon I was functionally back to normal for everyday life. I did return to sport PT back in June, with a lot of jumping and single-leg exercise (ladder hops, hops onto boxes). My "involved" leg is stronger than my uninvolved leg (pro-tip: injure your dominant side.) Since then I've mountain biked, backpacked, cross-country skied, snowshoed, and most of it without the brace. The brace is mostly there for the mental game - and there's some evidence that while it won't protect the ACL, obviously, it might keep me from mangling everything else should I take another bad fall.

I keep up with the lateral PT exercises and I cycle on my trainer and do a lot of kettlebell work. I feel like I'm pretty fit. Skiing was the last thing on my list. The knee is stable. I'm just afraid.

Snow conditions were nice and soft. Light was flat and visibility went to zero when the weather rolled in. Crowd conditions a little busy. Snowbasin 4 Life, but there is functionally one green run at that mountain, and it's full of unpredictable people. I normally avoid it because I know all the routes that skirt it but they're all blues or bumps so I was skiing semi-crowded runs that I normally avoid. I hadn't meant to start there but the little resort I meant to go to literally burned down last week (!) and my DH was like, time to get back on the horse.

So I did! And it was.. fine? But I skied like trash and I don't think I've ever felt so cautious.

 

[geargrrl]

Have you considered skiing without the brace? Especially since you feel strong in everything else? Your body might remember that as more normal. Maybe try just one run?

I toss this out there as hub had a full custom shock absorbing brace, hugely expensive, supposed to prevent bone-on-bone disruption and.....he hated it. He put it in the drawer after 6 runs and has never looked back.

 

[floatingyardsale]

Way too nervous for that, but that's a good thing to keep in mind.

 

[sashak]

So: ACL and assorted ligaments torn last year, rehabbed, cleared for skiing, added a few pounds of muscle, sweet custom carbon fiber leg brace.

I returned to the slopes yesterday and ladies, did you know the bunny hill is really steep and skiing is fast? I was like a baby deer all day.

(I assume baby deer scrub speed on every turn.)

Knee is fine. Brain is dumb. How do I get out of my own head?

I'm planning a lesson next weekend but for those of you who have had a bad skiing injury, how did you get out of your own head?

I tore my ACL and when I returned I definitely had to convince myself to go down, lol. I took the green runs, I wore a brace most of that first season back, and I went slow and steady. I started doing long sweeps on greens then blues, and by the end of the season I was back skiing the whole mountain (not moguls that year). Have tiny achievements, go slow, be patient with yourself, when you're bored you'll be ready to up the challenge!

 

[tinymoose]

It honestly may just take some time and mileage to convince yourself it's fine. I broke my right big toe this past summer at gymnastics on a back handspring and it's taken a good 6 months to get back to where I'm willing to just go for it again.

I've been lucky to not have a ski injury but just 2 days ago, someone ran into me from behind just right in front of the chair lift line (!) when I was stopping. I wasn't hurt but am a bit in shock still. I could have avoided him if I had eyes at the back of my head.

I'm a cautious skier but am now a little traumatized about being hit from behind. I'm not sure how to get out of my head and would love to hear how others have overcome this mental block.

This may not be what you want to hear, but I got mowed dowm from behind 10+ yrs ago and while I'm not scared to ski now in general, I still tense up if I hear someone behind scraping behind me (ironically I never heard the person who mowed me down b/c they were sliding downhill on their back with their snowboard in the air... which hit me right across my backside and took me out).

 

[contesstant]

So: ACL and assorted ligaments torn last year, rehabbed, cleared for skiing, added a few pounds of muscle, sweet custom carbon fiber leg brace.

I returned to the slopes yesterday and ladies, did you know the bunny hill is really steep and skiing is fast? I was like a baby deer all day.

(I assume baby deer scrub speed on every turn.)

Knee is fine. Brain is dumb. How do I get out of my own head?

I'm planning a lesson next weekend but for those of you who have had a bad skiing injury, how did you get out of your own head?

Patience with yourself, listen to some music that gets you pumped up, and yes to a lesson! I STILL get scared when I get cooking too fast in good conditions, my injury flashes back to me. I think it's one reason I ski not-so-fast anymore. Can you go up on a weekday? I can probably get you some massively discounted passes.

I've been lucky to not have a ski injury but just 2 days ago, someone ran into me from behind just right in front of the chair lift line (!) when I was stopping. I wasn't hurt but am a bit in shock still. I could have avoided him if I had eyes at the back of my head.

I'm a cautious skier but am now a little traumatized about being hit from behind. I'm not sure how to get out of my head and would love to hear how others have overcome this mental block.

I agree with @tinymoose, that paranoia will always be there. I've been hit 3 times over the years, one I got launched through the air and double-ejected out of my bindings. I've witnessed WAY too many near-misses and have had too many friends and acquaintances get hit and hurt badly. If I see a pack of young men or teenage boys coming, I wait for them to pass. I get mad at my husband if he skis too close to me (and as an instructor, he loooooves to do that!)

 

[HikenSki]

I tore my ACL in Jan 2021 and had surgery that March. After 11mo of intensive return to sport PT, I tried my hand at skiing again in Mar 2023 and had a very similar and frustrating experience. It was as if I had never skied before. There were many tears. I even got shorter rentals when I thought it was my longer and stiffer Liberty V82s. I couldn't get out of the wedge and it was really hurting my knee. I couldnt get forward or flex my boots either. I gave up after multiple attempts. I took it easy over the summer, enjoying my other outdoor activities, just living and letting any remaining swelling and fluids buildup die down. I restarted my strength training exercises in November. Immediately I could tell how much stronger the knee was and I was much more confident in its strength and stability. I stopped by the boot fitter to have them lessen the flex of my boots (drop from 120 to 100) and check the alignment (both legs were off, but esp my bad leg which would explain the weird torque feeling I was having). Immediately I could tell a difference in the shop.

I returned to the slopes beginning of this month and I was already feeling more confident and able to flex my boots and get forward. First day was miserable experience tho, I was just not getting parallel and was really struggling. Took forever to get down the long gradual green. My knee was not happy. The next day, I opted to try my wider Head Kore 91s which have always made me more confident. There was immediate improvement in my skiing. The lighter weight and shorter effective length was noticeable. When I didn't think about skiing, the motions returned and I could feel that dance with the mountain. But when things got a little steeper or squirrelly, I'd think too much and would get stuck in the wedge. So I know it's all mental and the muscle memory is still there. Time and practice is what it is going to take. My friend is a PSIA instructor and her words "Be patient with the turns and go slow. It will come back" kept resonating in my head. I am confident my skiing will improve when we head back for four days on Jan 31. I also read Conversation with Fear over the winter break and that helped put things in perspective too.

 

[MissySki]

I've been lucky to not have a ski injury but just 2 days ago, someone ran into me from behind just right in front of the chair lift line (!) when I was stopping. I wasn't hurt but am a bit in shock still. I could have avoided him if I had eyes at the back of my head.

I'm a cautious skier but am now a little traumatized about being hit from behind. I'm not sure how to get out of my head and would love to hear how others have overcome this mental block.

I was hit December 10th, and sustained a mild concussion. It was very anxiety inducing to be around people when skiing after that. I always try to be very cognizant of those around me on a trail.. and this was very overwhelming at first after being hit. At this point I am feeling about back to normal when skiing in a crowd, and not so hypersensitive to other people being around.. it's been another 15 ski days since I was hit. I have always tried to let crowds go by when I can, and ski in a clear spot, I still do that when possible.

 

[badger]

Best way that I have gained confidence in similar circumstances was to relax and lower my expectations. No one is judging you or looking at you. It can take some time to develop trust, but that is what you need right now. The lesson is a great idea as you won't be alone fearing the worst. You will begin to let go the more you ski without worry. What has always amazed me is that fine line we cross when we realize we are not skiing like we are injured anymore.

 

[skibum4ever]

I destroyed my right leg in December 2021 and it took me 16 months to return. I felt extremely tentative on the first day back. However, I took a 2 hour private lesson with an older Level 3 instructor. He definitely understood what I was going through. Beginner lift, 400 vf. Lots of stopping, lots of fear. Although my fall was not the result of a collision, I was terrified whenever anyone got near me. My instructor spent a lot of time glaring at anyone who even came close to violating our space. When my lesson was over, I took one more run and definitely felt unprotected - naked and vulnerable. And of course, if you can, avoiding the weekend helps. If not the whole weekend, maybe avoid the busier day, or start early and quit when the hordes invade.

In short, @floatingyardsale your feelings are entirely normal. I think your upcoming lesson will do you a lot of good. It certainly seems that your body is well-prepared for your return. (Probably better than mine was!)

If you have someone who can ski with you on the next day after the lesson, it will probably be very helpful. In my case, that someone was @mustski. I will always be in her debt.

Good luck. You've got this. Message me if you have any questions which I haven't addressed.

 

[Iwannaski]

First of all, you know how to ski. But have you maybe regressed in greatest hits like “Looking at your ski tips“? Are you maybe tense so that you’re not able to float and absorb? can you sing yourself a song going down the bunny hill?

You’ve got this, and also … go at TODAY YOU’S pace. Pre-injury @floatingyardsale is not today’s … today‘s you is today’s you. Be kind to her. Cheering for you!

 

[AJM]

I realise that everyone is so different in how they react to skiing after injury and I was sooooo worried I would've lost all my confidence after my accident at the end of our 2022 season but luckily I was fine ...whew.
I put it down to my wonderful PT who worked tirelessly to get me ready to ski again. She said "we have to make sure that we've got you in the best physical shape we can so that you can then just focus on getting back on the horse having faith that your body (legs etc) will do what's its designed to do" and it worked for me.

After skiing on my beloved Sheeva 9's I soon realised I needed a softer, shorter more forgiving ski for my first season back so I switched to a K2 Mindbender 85 which were super confidence inspiring and meant I could just get on with the job of skiing.

I did have my ups and downs but that was mainly due to me pushing things a bit farther than I should and as my PT also said to me "this is your season of frustration" and boy was she right !!

My accident was purely down to me, I didnt get taken out by anyone as @MissySki did and perhaps if I had been my story might have been different.

All I can say is take it easy and at your own pace, switch out to a more forgiving ski and all the best YOU"VE GOT THIS xx

 

[AJM]

-To get out of your head, you have to trust your body.

This ^

 

[floatingyardsale]

Wow, ladies, you're amazing! Thank you.

In no particular order:
@contesstant , maybe a midweek ski date in March? I will PM. Didn't want to commit until I'd had a chance to see how the knee held up.
@skibum4ever : I did have a good friend lead me down from the gondola. She is an elegant and easy skier, so I just stayed in her tracks badly.
@Iwannaski : look I just had to make sure the tips of the skis were still there, OK?

A more forgiving ski might be in order. I've been skiing on my Elan Wildcats (86) which I love but they like to go fast or at least quick turns. But they also force me to stay on top of them, so I'll see how the lesson goes. I have Atomic Vantages in a 97 width but the width tended to leave me with sore knees pre-injury.

The tough part is that the kids were going to pass me skillwise soon anyway, and then 7yo got out of lessons, declared they were boring, and demanded a black diamond bump run from the top. I took the intersecting blue groomers but both kids are pushing it.

 

[Iwannaski]

The tough part is that the kids were going to pass me skillwise soon anyway, and then 7yo got out of lessons, declared they were boring, and demanded a black diamond bump run from the top. I took the intersecting blue groomers but both kids are pushing it.

I don’t know if you saw the Barbie movie, but there is a line in it, “a mother stays still so that her children can look back and see how far they’ve come” … and it made me SOB… and honestly, that’s the way it is, right? Like, I’m a pretty evolved, professional do-er of things. I feel like I’m fairly accomplished, and that my children’s accomplishments are theirs, and not mine, and still that line really hit me.

I hope when you see the 7 year old passing you, you think, “wow, I did that“ and feel so great.

I don’t even TRY to ski with mine. I give them resources, I give them support, I make sure they have buddies and then I cheer.

And regarding the tips… I get it. LOL. Last year, the instructor I had said, “look, you have to trust the ski to ski. Stop trying to make it NOT go”…so now, when I feel myself holding back, I chant, “Let the ski ski! Let the ski ski!” I kind of mutter this under my breath. Added bonus, if you see a strange woman talking to herself, you’re likely to give her a wide berth… Maybe you can try “the tips are there, they’re still there”