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I'M CLEARED TO SKI!
- Thread starter bounceswoosh
- Start date
Peaheartsmama
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
How are you feeling these days? do you feel like you are 100% again? I feel like I still have a little ways to go even if I do have a the go signal.Congrats!
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
100%? No way! It's 6 months, so I know my graft strength is only at 80%, and I need to be careful. My knee can get pretty achy from some things. My doc told me the ache I get below my knee after hiking is from the lower graft attachment. He didn't seem worried, though. I still overuse my left leg whenever I'm doing something involving both legs, even though my right leg is as strong as my left. Proprioception is way off. In fact, on a recent hike I managed to pee on my left pant leg because I thought I was squatting straight down - but I was way to the left. I can still tell by touch and sight that my right knee is a bit swollen, and it gets more so after intense exercise or - actually more so - standing all day, like when I was cooking for Thanksgiving. When I jump, I land more on my left leg.
It's achy right now, and I'm not even sure why!
My trainer says that the favoring is par for the course - it's typical for me to still be unable to convince myself to rely on my right leg if there's another option. I notice it every time I get off the toilet! (Peeing seems to feature prominently in my recovery tale!)
But when I was sliding a foot or so with a downhill step in the snow, it didn't bother me. When I had to pick up after my dog in the park, I ran through shin deep snow without a second thought. When I'm hiking, I don't seem to protect the right leg the way I do at the gym.
I want to get back to climbing in the gym, but so far I haven't been able to make the time.
Tomorrow we'll find out how this all relates to my skiing! I can think of a few different possibilities, and reasons, but of course there's only one way to know!
heather matthews
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It's awesome that you going to be back on skis as quickly as you are.Well done for all the hard work and effort you've put in.After all sliding around on a blue run is a million bazillion times more fun than not skiing and it sounds like you need to retrain your body to know where it is in space a bit so I hope you have heaps of fun doing so.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thanks! I was envisioning a bluebird day with perfectly groomed greens. Instead we got 4" last night! Normally I'd be thrilled, but right now I'm feeling cautious.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
So here we go. I skied just over 7k feet, which is adorable, and took 7 lift rides. My watch claims my top speed was 28mph, which is like, fast. I didn't have this device last season, so no idea if that's accurate. Average was more like 14mph.
Before I go into the nitty gritty - it was a GOOD day! I'm happy.
I started out on the bunny slope, of course. The first few turns were odd. I found I *really* had to focus to tip my right foot in either direction. If I didn't pay attention, it was all over the place. But it's not clear if that relates to my recovery, or if that's because of the new boots and canting. Maybe both.
My knee hurt a lot on the first run, but subsequent runs were pretty good. The greens were all groomed in the morning, so even though there was snow overnight, they were still fresh corduroy. That was really nice. DH said I was skiing "more two-footed" than last season, which maybe is because I was paying so much attention to my right leg.
The first two runs on the greens, I could tell my left quad was trying to do all the work. But then it seemed to even out, and I felt pretty good. I kind of forgot myself and skied across a baby lip below a lift pole. No actual air, just a tiny unweighting, but after I was committed, I did wonder how the heck that happened. I guess I was just feeling really good. The "landing" from the unweighting wasn't my favorite, though.
I tried a couple of blues. There were more people on them, going faster, so that was not my favorite. But it's more that unlike the greens, they had not been groomed in the morning. Ordinarily, a groomer with 4" of natural on top would be pretty great, but it really looked and felt a lot harder. I could tell my right leg was abdicating its responsibilities, and my knee ached. Probably my right leg was slacking *because* it hurt to participate. I'd been hoping to go to the Vista to have lunch and maybe see if some of my friends were around before heading home, but I decided to just call it instead. See, I *do* make good decisions!
The worst part of the day was walking down from the condo to the lift. About 10 minutes. It was brutal walking in ski boots. Every step hurt. Unfortunately, the lockers are $11/day. WHAT? So I don't know. I could take the bus to peak 8, but that's the long way around, v. annoying (vs taking the bus from peak 8 to the condo, which is pretty fast). I could drive to the gondola lot. I could see if loosening the buckles makes it better. I could carry a backpack with my shoes. Not sure yet. Walking back *uphill* was actually okay, just a few twinges.
I guess my biggest surprise was that after the first few turns, the mechanics of skiing didn't feel hard or weird at all. It just felt like ... skiing. It wasn't scary to be sliding, and it wasn't some alien activity. It's ingrained - apparently even seeking out little features on a groomer is ingrained. But what was surprising was how little it took to jar my knee. Anything that wasn't pure groomer, really. I thought it would be hard to keep myself from getting into terrain - but I think pain is a pretty good teacher there. I can't imagine skiing a true bump run right now, or dealing with deflection from chunder.
To be fair, my knee was still cranky from Monday's workout. My trainer wanted to put me through my paces before seeing the doc the next day, so I did TONS of jumping in all directions. That's all I did actually except for leg blasters and squats. That's a lot of impact.
Anyway, pretty exciting, and I'd say a successful day! The doc warned me I'd have a short day the first day and that my knee would be sore, so right on all accounts.
Depending on how I feel, I may go out tomorrow and test myself on some blues again. And depending on how that goes, I may join my little lesson group on Saturday for at least a few warm up runs. Instructor Pete may be able to help me out with smoothing out my turns and reducing the jarring.
Before I go into the nitty gritty - it was a GOOD day! I'm happy.
I started out on the bunny slope, of course. The first few turns were odd. I found I *really* had to focus to tip my right foot in either direction. If I didn't pay attention, it was all over the place. But it's not clear if that relates to my recovery, or if that's because of the new boots and canting. Maybe both.
My knee hurt a lot on the first run, but subsequent runs were pretty good. The greens were all groomed in the morning, so even though there was snow overnight, they were still fresh corduroy. That was really nice. DH said I was skiing "more two-footed" than last season, which maybe is because I was paying so much attention to my right leg.
The first two runs on the greens, I could tell my left quad was trying to do all the work. But then it seemed to even out, and I felt pretty good. I kind of forgot myself and skied across a baby lip below a lift pole. No actual air, just a tiny unweighting, but after I was committed, I did wonder how the heck that happened. I guess I was just feeling really good. The "landing" from the unweighting wasn't my favorite, though.
I tried a couple of blues. There were more people on them, going faster, so that was not my favorite. But it's more that unlike the greens, they had not been groomed in the morning. Ordinarily, a groomer with 4" of natural on top would be pretty great, but it really looked and felt a lot harder. I could tell my right leg was abdicating its responsibilities, and my knee ached. Probably my right leg was slacking *because* it hurt to participate. I'd been hoping to go to the Vista to have lunch and maybe see if some of my friends were around before heading home, but I decided to just call it instead. See, I *do* make good decisions!
The worst part of the day was walking down from the condo to the lift. About 10 minutes. It was brutal walking in ski boots. Every step hurt. Unfortunately, the lockers are $11/day. WHAT? So I don't know. I could take the bus to peak 8, but that's the long way around, v. annoying (vs taking the bus from peak 8 to the condo, which is pretty fast). I could drive to the gondola lot. I could see if loosening the buckles makes it better. I could carry a backpack with my shoes. Not sure yet. Walking back *uphill* was actually okay, just a few twinges.
I guess my biggest surprise was that after the first few turns, the mechanics of skiing didn't feel hard or weird at all. It just felt like ... skiing. It wasn't scary to be sliding, and it wasn't some alien activity. It's ingrained - apparently even seeking out little features on a groomer is ingrained. But what was surprising was how little it took to jar my knee. Anything that wasn't pure groomer, really. I thought it would be hard to keep myself from getting into terrain - but I think pain is a pretty good teacher there. I can't imagine skiing a true bump run right now, or dealing with deflection from chunder.
To be fair, my knee was still cranky from Monday's workout. My trainer wanted to put me through my paces before seeing the doc the next day, so I did TONS of jumping in all directions. That's all I did actually except for leg blasters and squats. That's a lot of impact.
Anyway, pretty exciting, and I'd say a successful day! The doc warned me I'd have a short day the first day and that my knee would be sore, so right on all accounts.
Depending on how I feel, I may go out tomorrow and test myself on some blues again. And depending on how that goes, I may join my little lesson group on Saturday for at least a few warm up runs. Instructor Pete may be able to help me out with smoothing out my turns and reducing the jarring.
NewEnglandSkier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Sounds like a good first day back!
jellyflake
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Great you are back!!
snowski/swimmouse
Angel Diva
I'm just seeing this thread, though I'd seen in another that you're back to skiing. I can sooo relate to all the sensations you've noted above. Just take it in small steps. Concentrate on proper form and your knee will thank you for it. In the overall scheme of things, I think skiing ~helped~ my knee, eventually when I was skiing daily, breaking up stubborn scar tissue. So happy for you!
contesstant
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well yeehaw! That's so awesome! And honestly, it's definitely a good thing that the pain is reminding you. I have a feeling the pain will start to subside as the season goes on. All those ski-specific muscles will get strong and start firing properly.
Good stuff!
Good stuff!
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My knee felt better today. Well, it talked a bit while skiing, but after getting home, my knee feels good today (though it's a bit warm). Whereas it was pretty cranky yesterday.
A friend I met at Silverton several years ago skied with me today! She graciously joined me on the mellow stuff. I skied a couple of greens, then checked out a few blues. With the fluff, it was just heavenly. I did encounter some short areas with mellow bumps .. really more powder accumulations. I couldn't avoid them, but honestly I felt good on them. Honest! Very mellow, even, slow turns. I could turn my skis on the bumps, which was actually less strain on my knee than skiing on flats. But after a few runs of blues, my knee and quads were squawking. Done for the day.
More scary was the runout from one of the blues. In the early season, it's roped off half way down. I didn't remember. So there's a narrow traverse out, which of course develops ruts and rollers. I'm glad for all my experience on this kind of trail - I have learned that I can keep it slow by putting the apex of the turn at the top of the roller. It was still a bit nerve-wracking - not as controlled as I would have preferred.
Anyway, it was a good day! I just have to get used to these 7-run days. My knee isn't ready for more right now, and I'd rather bail too early than too late.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Oof. Yesterday Breck reported 19" (not sure why - the snow stake was clearly at 17"). Anyway, I skied in a lesson group - the group as a whole was working on getting comfortable in the chop. I didn't use a brace (don't have one, actually), but I did have K tape for my patella, and also a neoprene patellar tendon strap. I don't know if either helps or not.
This group is going to be great for me. I am getting valuable instruction, a group to ski with, and the terrain and pace provide a cap on just how much trouble I can get into. The instructor is also willing to push me out of my comfort zone in the right way. He's had the same reconstruction and so when I say I don't think I'm going to do a particular drill and he says I'll be fine - I believe him.
In other ways, I definitely don't need pushing. It's hard to stop myself from doing things I would normally just do without a second - without a first - thought.
My knee was pretty angry last night and is still sore, but less so, this morning. There was no way to avoid cut-up snow yesterday, so it's not surprising that the few runs I did wore it out. I think it's similar to the hike I did in untracked snow a few weeks ago - just a lot of movement and dealing with adjusting for instability.
It wasn't, like, pain-killer sore. I didn't even take Tylenol. But I think now that I know I'm not doing anything active today, I'll take Tylenol, just to take the edge off. Generally speaking, I'm avoiding anything that mitigates the pain artificially - so that I can hear what my body is telling me.
This group is going to be great for me. I am getting valuable instruction, a group to ski with, and the terrain and pace provide a cap on just how much trouble I can get into. The instructor is also willing to push me out of my comfort zone in the right way. He's had the same reconstruction and so when I say I don't think I'm going to do a particular drill and he says I'll be fine - I believe him.
In other ways, I definitely don't need pushing. It's hard to stop myself from doing things I would normally just do without a second - without a first - thought.
My knee was pretty angry last night and is still sore, but less so, this morning. There was no way to avoid cut-up snow yesterday, so it's not surprising that the few runs I did wore it out. I think it's similar to the hike I did in untracked snow a few weeks ago - just a lot of movement and dealing with adjusting for instability.
It wasn't, like, pain-killer sore. I didn't even take Tylenol. But I think now that I know I'm not doing anything active today, I'll take Tylenol, just to take the edge off. Generally speaking, I'm avoiding anything that mitigates the pain artificially - so that I can hear what my body is telling me.
jellyflake
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
You are doing great.
It will take a while but you'll be fully recovered & stronger than ever!
It will take a while but you'll be fully recovered & stronger than ever!
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Honestly, I'm probably - make that definitely - pushing it more than I should. As per usual, people should take it just a little easier than I do ... I'm not very good at taking it easy! I'm trying, though. I'm trying really hard.
snowski/swimmouse
Angel Diva
Sounds like you're doing the best you can and still be bounceswoosh! The instructor with first hand experience is an added blessing!
