Thought i'd quickly recommend this AMAZING product i tried for the first time today - got me back on ski's !
Snapped ACL, Meniscus and every other ligament in R leg two seasons ago. Full reconstruction in Sept 2012. a lot of road biking and running a few 10k's off and on as knee pain still exists. Was very worried about committing to another season and purchased a ski-mojo at the ski show London for £250. was a bit unsure at the time.
Also thought i was a bit ambitious with my new ski's - line sir Francis Bacon.
Anyway, first day out today in Chatel and the SKI-MOJO was amazing !!! On the lift I had planned a couple of GREEN RUNS... and a blue if I was desperate or in an emergency!! (from a confident black run, off-piste, park lover). Once I engaged the Ski-Mojo, it gave me a massive lift and support to a still very weak knee and after that initial green run, I was not afraid of any run as long as I was sensible.
The mojo provided me with the support that I need right now and allows me to ski once again. I'm hoping I can ditch it in a month or so, I may never be the skier I was, but this mojo will be a fundamental part of my kit options going forward.
You can have the mojo "engaged" or unengaged so easily and I want to ween myself out of it over the next couple of months, but £250..... i'd have happily paid £5000 for the pleasure it has given back to me. Let the season begin !!!
The point of this post is to say that if you have any trouble with your knees, look into getting one of these in increase your time on the slopes. You are still in control with it on. It is a bit cumbersome to start with when getting used to it (isn't everything to do with skiing really!?!?), get a routine and will take you 2mins extra (no prob driving with them on - not engaged of course, as when on the lifts).
Brilliant !
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Libertine, thanks for posting ! I am still considering getting one, though my Physio reckons a hinged brace will be enough vs my consultant who said I shouldn't ski at all.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Get one and you can udjust as you go and a hinged brace is less money, but if you are like me, I want the best possible way to ski safely and this is the best rooute. I'm usually quite gung ho, but people forget that skiing is still an extreme sport.
As I said, I hope not to be in mine too long, but 250 quid, whhats that - a cheap tv or skiing
Libertine, great report - glad it's been such a success for you. I have inherited my husband's one, and it's all adjusted for me now - I was going to try it out last season but because of an injury (fractured pelvis, nothing to do with knees) I didn't ski a lot. This coming season, maybe.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I've known a few people who have used one. Not heard a bad thing about it. Some of them have since abandoned the aid, but that was partly due to the assistance it gave them.
Great to hear as I finally bit the bullet and bought one last week ( left knee completely knackered after various operations). I'll be using it in a couple of weeks, fingers crossed. NickyJ, - doctors - what do they know!! If I'd taken the advice of certain doctors I would have given up virtually all sports 30 years ago and probably still have a knackered knee now - the last consultant I saw said keep going as long as you can... so I will.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
At £250 I might have been interested but it seems to be c.£390 in all outlets so I'll give it a miss. Good to hear it is working for you.
After all it is free
After all it is free
RUGBY PETER,
Hi, how did you get on with the Mojo's? My wife is hoping to get back into skiing following a serious knee injury two years ago and this seems to be possibly the ideal device (along with a leg brace- due to torn ACL) to help.
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philcox, I assumed it is this OR a leg brace?
My Physio said she didn't think I needed this and that a hinged brace would be sufficient, with my knees I have had 2/3s of my meniscus cartilage removed and half of my previously reconstructed ACL has been destroyed. What does her Physio say?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
NickyJ, Hi Nicky. For you ( i've been reading some of your injury posts), i'd buy one to try in the absolute assurance that you could easily ebay it for 2/3 of the cost if need be. It goes underneath your ski pants so it's never seen - who wouldn't want one at that discount - they again would be absolutely certain (if need be) to flog it for at least 1/2 cost.
Just my opinion. Fingers crossed for you.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Hi Nicky J,
She is no longer at Physio, but had her final review with the knee surgeon last week who checked her and said she could give skiing a go again but must wear a knee brace to provide support. Knee still gets hot after a long walk etc but no swelling so was therefore looking at the mojo's in addition to a brace to take some weight/strain off the knees.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Quote:
looking at the mojo's in addition to a brace to take some weight/strain off the knees.
Depending on the brace, it might not sit well with a Mojo. One or the other might be better though one of the simple Neoprene braces can be worn with a Mojo. If you have a big complex brace you'd need to go somewhere (like Edge and Wax) and get some expert advice.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
pam w wrote:
Depending on the brace, it might not sit well with a Mojo.
I'm desperately hoping it will. I've got a mojo, very kindly donated to me by sHAF in Boots, but I haven't got my new brace yet. It's being custom made cos none of the off the shelf ones fitted, and I'm going to pick it up next Thursday.
I only had an op in November, and even though I'm exercising as much as possible, I don't know if I'll be fit enough to ski in 2 weeks time, so fingers are very crossed that the mojo will work with the brace.
It's interesting to look back at the first thread on snowHeads about the Ski-Mojo from 2007 which I started (admittedly in a sceptical frame of mind ). Since then several snowHeads have posted about how they have found it a very useful device, so although I have no personal experience of using one (I'm not that sure that it would help with Telemarking! ) I now accept that it has its place.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:
I'm not that sure that it would help with Telemarking!
Maybe it would - it would help shove you up from the "knee down" position!
looking at the mojo's in addition to a brace to take some weight/strain off the knees.
Depending on the brace, it might not sit well with a Mojo. One or the other might be better though one of the simple Neoprene braces can be worn with a Mojo. If you have a big complex brace you'd need to go somewhere (like Edge and Wax) and get some expert advice.
Having looked at that video it would be totally incompatible with my hinged brace.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Jonathan Bell wrote:
RachelQ,
How are you getting on?
Pretty well thanks Jonathan. My knee's getting stronger all the time, the painful grating of bone has all gone. All still a bit week and feeble, but I think that's just a matter of time
After all it is free
After all it is free
philcox, Sorry for delay - just got back today from a week in Courchevel. As far as I'm concerned it is brilliant, it takes a significant amount of strain away from the knee and in the past my knee started to swell more and more as the week progressed - not this time. I always struggle in the bumps especially when turning right and there was a great improvement. Highly recommended from my point of view but it is a chunky piece of kit and I doubt you could use a hinged brace as well, I just use a neoprene type sleeve - tried off the shelf hinged braces in the past and didn't get much benefit. Happy to answer any other questions you may have.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Hi Rugby Pete,
Sounds like you had a great week and that the Mojo will be ideal for my wife , I will check out further the brace compatibility issue - thanks for getting back to me.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I am totally out of the mojo now . having worn it unengaged for a couple of weeks, I have not worn it at all for the last two weeks and been pushing hard on and off piste. Excellent bit of kit to get confidence back and still in my kit bag if needed later in the season or when knee swells too much,
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Good news Have just had a trying on session to decide what to pack tomorrow. The mojo works fine with my ACL cti brace - just have to wear baggy ski pants and walk like a robot
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
RachelQ, Ooh..photos please. I couldn't see his the mojo could work with the CTi brace...
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Hi RachelQ,
Please let me know how you get on with the Mojo's and the Brace - hope all works out ok.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I used to wear a brace, a Donjoy Armour for a reconstructed left knee. My right knee now is pretty ropey too. I bought a Mojo a few years ago, the early model was a bit bulky, but after the upgrade 2 yrs ago they are much more 'wearable' quite simply the Mojo is why I can still ski. I don't use my brace now as I don't feel it's necessary. If your in any doubt, just do it. Get back on skis and go enjoy the mountains again!!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I have a friend, a keen skier, who hasn't been able to ski since one leg became lame about a year ago. The doctors haven't found any cure for him. Is it possible that the Ski-mojo might help him to get back on his skis? Has anyone any experience in such a case (I realise my description here is a bit vague)? Or does it only help with knee problems?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've been wearing a SkiMojo for over 2 years now. I suffered a tear on my interior meniscus along with a detachment of my ACL on the Thursday morning. I fitted the Mojo to my boots/ski's on the Saturday and then skied using the new kit on the Sunday. On the Wednesday I skied down Mont Fort in Verbier. In have palpable bones so maybe prone to Meniscus injury and due to this and my age >55 have been advised that I'm too old for a reconstruction. I'm a fairly aggressive skier and prefer to be on edges whenever possible. Whilst I forget to engage the Mojo after coming off a lift, the device makes long term skiing both possible and indeed safer as its use (not clinically proven) does protect against further injury to knees and in particular ACL damage.
I'm fairly technical and believe a good set up is essential. Before skiing each day I side slide for 10 metres or so on each side. It's important to test both sides as this ensures a correct set-up but also that you are perfectly balanced. If you cannot slip on both sides, further adjustment will be required. I then finish off with 2-3 brackage (pivot) turns on each side to confirm the correct set-up. Once again, any difficulty indicates an adjustment or further check is needed.
I’d thoroughly recommend using a Mojo to anyone that needs help to ski, and moreover add that I wished I’d used my earlier as it would almost certainly have protected me when I had my light, slow accident and potentially have preserved my ACL.
I now wouldn’t consciously ski without a SkiMojo support and wonder why some of the posters above have dispensed with using the device when even disengaged, it provides some degree of protection from further injury.
I’ve met with Martin the head of Ski Mojo a couple of times to work through technical issues to the extent that I’m happy to answer any questions posed by potential or fellow users. I’d also suggest that if any SkiMojo users do have comments/critique that they make the effort to provide feedback as this will help ensure the product delivers as much help and support for skiers like me, that now rely upon it to enable their skiing. The current version has been improved considerably due to much of that feedback, so please don’t be shy!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I tried it at the Ski show and is certainly no good if you're under 5'1"
The guy said that they could cut it down- but it seemed a lot to spend on something I could not get the feel of and so I ducked it................
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
philcox wrote:
Hi RachelQ, Please let me know how you get on with the Mojo's and the Brace - hope all works out ok.
I was skiing all last week with just my new Ossur CTi brace and didn't need to use the mojo at all, because the brace gave me so much support*. I used an ice pack on my knee some evenings if it felt a bit stiff, and took Voltarol every morning. It's only since I've got home that I've suffered at all - my knee's quite painful and very stiff at the moment, but I'm hoping that's just due to muscles and ligaments long unused to skiing. I'll be trying again in four weeks .
RachelQ, excellent news. Get straight back onto the exercise programme. ..although you will feel you have gone backwards....and your recovery time will be less after your next trip. Onwards and upwards!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
RachelQ,
Quote:
It's only since I've got home that I've suffered at all - my knee's quite painful and very stiff at the moment,
I took one of these on a half term trip to Tignes this year and was really impressed.
Quick bio: I'm 6'1", 110kg, 52 years old with osteochondritis dissecans related massive lesions / moon craters on left MFC - two open knee ops and many keyholes over the years (like 14...) - and just trying to keep it going/ ignore the knee. The knee now swells, grinds, locks and doesn't bend much beyond 90- 100 degrees and is painful most of the time.
I'll eventually, or sooner rather than later, need a replacement, but for now I'm trucking on. I can't run with it and cycling hurts pretty badly so exercise is pretty limited - partly as I hate swimming in pools and partly as I'm very good at making excuses....
I have skied for years with a 4 strap neoprene hinged brace on my bad knee plus basically did most of my skiing on my good leg no matter which way I was turning. All ok until the good leg gets tired... so all my off piste etc is behind me now.
With a 7 years younger (and fitness fanatic wife) (8 weeks skiing experience) and two 9 + 10 year old kids ( 4 weeks each), I had been relying on my years of skiing, and what passes for a bit of technique, in terms of keeping them behind me, but it was becoming ever more apparent that those days were looking limited. That is not to say that I wanted to be first down the mountain always- I just would like to be able to keep skiing with them for a few more years - e.g. cruising down reds and around the mountain and not have them constantly waiting for the old wreck...
With that in mind i saw this thread and ended up buying one to try out. Here's my experience.
It took me about 20 mins -half an hour in resort to get it all attached and adjusted on the first morning (having a very small brain) but only a couple of minutes each day after that, and I left off my brace as the ski mojo has velcro closing neoprene straps above and below the knee that seemed as supportive as my old brace. Didn't miss the brace after 20 years of skiing with it.
We walked to the lifts and felt a bit of rubbing against one calf (needs fine adjusting on that one boot I guess) but soon forgot that when we started skiing. I had a few issues getting it "switched on" as you have to sort of "hyper extend" your legs to get it to engage and the evil leg doesn't really do straight, never mind hyper extension anymore, but I eventually figured it out. I had a few events where I forgot to switch it off when getting onto a lift which means you sit there with, ummm, turgid legs until you manage to switch the assistance off. I also had a few where I forgot to switch it on and I thought "why am I suddenly skiing so badly"?
Cutting to the chase- it was excellent - I skied all day every day and the other half cried off before me on a few days. If you consider that this was basically on the back of no exercise barring walking up and down my multi storey office stairs a few times a day then you can get a feel for how much they helped. It really took the pressure off - not just the bad leg, but it helped with the other overloaded leg too. Very unobtrusive and possibly the only time I would notice it is when I went to lift my leg over a bump or out of deep snow or whatever when you can feel the springs pushing the ski down. I normally live on painkillers on such trips, especially at the end of a day, but I didn't take one all holiday.
I think this is a great product and I can see my skiing years being extended by many years as a result of wearing one. The only thing I would prefer to change, if I had to criticise it all, would be the top harness arrangement as it slips down a bit too easily so you or I end up hoicking the back of it back into ideal location occasionally - perhaps the Mk 3 might have a higher waist band in addition to the existing cross strap arrangement would help it stay in place better - a bit more like a climber's harness? I assume that it might have been felt that this would then conflict with the ski trouser waist or what ever?
Big thumbs up for Ski Mojo
John
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Jiggs62, great to hear how well it worked for you.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Cheers Pam
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Jiggs62, Like you I can't totally straighten my knee and so switching it on was occasionally an issue - on those occasions I found taking the ski off and then straightening the knee seemed to work. It's a great piece of kit, just wish it had been invented 30 years ago
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Hi RugbyPete
I sense similar rugby knees to me then
To save taking your skis off- I found that pushing backwards gently on the joint of the Mojo whilst keeping my leg as straight as possible at the same time did the trick.
Yeah wish it had been invented / wish I had come across it years ago as probably a fair bit of the incremental damage to my knee has probably been me doing daft stuff on skis.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
). Since then several snowHeads have posted about how they have found it a very useful device, so although I have no personal experience of using one (I'm not that sure that it would help with Telemarking! 
) I now accept that it has its place. 
.
