 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
I've lurked here mostly for a long time, but am back to ask some advice.
I've been trying to learn to ski for about 7 years now, but very early in my skiing career I fell and partially tore my acl quite badly. I was determined to get back on the horse and crack learning to ski but I'm finally ready to acknowledge it did have an impact.
I've had loads of lessons, and can actually ski pretty well, but once the slope gets to a certain gradient, narrowness or the piste is choppy or icy, I find myself panicking and slamming on the brakes. Then I pizza my way down slowly, slowly until I am exhausted.
I'm currently working on improving my fitness and the strength in my legs, to at least make exhaustion less of a problem (though I think that's more treating the symptom than the cause).
I've also been advised to ask for shorter skis as they will be more maneuverable and slower. I also read something about looser bindings I think? Or easier to pop out bindings? And a knee brace - I don't know which ones are decent, though. Is there anything else that will improve my control or confidence?
Lastly, are there any resorts with nice long gentle green like runs? I know, it's a mountain and so these things are hard to promise. I usually end up either skiing alone in the learner area, or getting in over my head.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@STyler,
I’m assuming your knee remains stable.
Confidence is a huge problem after knee injury, which is why i run a Return to ski day in late November.
The whole aim is build confidence and reduce fear.
I’m not intending to plug that you should come on this as it wont run for another year but the point is as follows;
You need someone ( physio, doctors ) to be able to reassure you that the knee is upto skiing. Possibly that has been done.
Then my suggestion is that you have lessons from a sympathetic instructor who will understand your predicament.
I use the Warren Smith Academy for my patients but there are others who would be capable of helping you including quiet few here on SH.
I’d do one to one lessons until you have some confidence then go to groups as your confidence builds.
Jonathan Bell
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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?
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I’m assuming your knee remains stable.
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Mostly - I physioed the poo-poo out of it at the time, but either age or lower fitness has caused it to twinge these days. It is mostly fine, though, just when I'm tired it can feel a bit sore or weak.
Is it worth checking out knee braces?
Thanks for that, I'll check out the Academy 
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@STyler, follow @Jonathan Bell's advice. He seriously knows what he's talking about.
As a personal encouragement: my wife had a partial ACL tear three years ago, and an MCL tear on the other knee the next year. She's been skiing since then with two hinged knee braces (this is NOT a recommendation, it's just the only way she had confidence to go on. It does make her look proper hardcore). That said, in these last three years she went from relative beginner to skiing offpiste, including doing her first couloir in Argentina this August. Next season she's planning to get rid of one of the braces, for a start.
As for me, I had an ACL reconstruction back in Nov 2010 and returned to full-on offpiste skiing in Chile in August 2011. Since then, I can hardly feel the difference in my knee, the only thing I need to avoid is to keep it bent in gondolas or in the bar.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Nice, thanks!!
Can I ask, why is it not a recommendation?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Well first of all I’m not qualified to give recommendations.
Most usual advice I’ve heard is to take the plunge and get rid of braces as soon as possible.
But in her case, she may have been too afraid to come back to skiing. Whereas, this way, she turned into a freerider.
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It is clear that a small number of ACL knees will be fine under all sports situations with just a physio programme.
For those that remain unstable you have three options:
Give up the activity.
Have surgery.
Use a brace. A brace is a compromise but some will prefer this to surgery. It’s impossible to know whether you should be braced with out looking at the knee and finding out more about expectations and how the knee has performed to date.
If you do get a brace go high or low. Ie either spend £30 or £450+
Jonathan Bell
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