Hi - first post here and looking for a bit of advice!
I am an intermediate skier, been doing it for 10 years and absolutely love it. Had a couple of tumbles in that time, but this year I had my most serious accident - a broken left hip. Annoyingly it was at relatively low speed on a shallow slope angle, avoiding someone who cut directly in front of me at the last minute. Absolutely gutted as I was only 3 hours in to the holiday in France and it was game over, I spent the next 4 days in hospital in Annecy and was repatriated home with 3 shiny new titanium screws holding it all together
That was back in January, i'm walking again now having been about 14 weeks on crutches and with lots of physio obviously. Walking is fine, stairs are still painful but its pretty much back to normal life with my consultant in the UK saying that i'm really looking at January next year before it's 100% healed.
That's the back story, my question is, i'd really love to ski again, next season (we normally go in January) is definitely out, but 2021 is on very much on the cards. So what is my best way to fitness to get back there? I already know I wasn't fit enough this year so I want to be on-the-ball in '21. The only sure thing is that i'll be skiing with some kind of armoured shorts when I do go back, just to try and stop the psychological effects of getting back out there.
Really looking for exercises I can do at home and in the gym (the staff at my local gym have looked at me blankly in the past when asked about exercises for skiing) that'll build good fitness, whilst still looking after my leg.
Sorry for the long rambling post but just wanted to put a bit of detail around my question.
Thanks in advance for any advice
Simon
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Simon, I will try to attach below the link to two ski specific YouTube exercise videos that I can across this week following on from a lecture I attended last week during which Warren Smith talked about the importance of flexibility to skiing and how he needed to follow an extended physio program to bring him back up to a high ski standard after he broke his hip in a cycle accident.
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?
the two clips should be of interest to all skiers who might not already be using ski specific exercises to help boost their on piste performance .... Obviously you should get medical advice before starting any general exercise program that was not specifically designed for you taking into account your age / fitness level / physical ability etc
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Following on this conversation I will attach below two short but excellent clips from Warren Smith during which he explains the importance of testing your flexibility so that you can see what improvements need to be made in order for you to be able to achieve the full range of motion needed for higher level skiing. With a few months to go before most if us hit the snow now is a great time to start the few simple recommend exercises that could really boost your on piste performance ...
These are but two of the many excellent videos that Warren Smith has posted on YouTube.
Considering that he has had a similar injury himself i would suggest to Simon that you contact Warren Smith directly for expert advice re how to get back to peak ski fitness after a broken hip. I wish you a full recovery & Happy Skiing in 2021, 'Gerro'
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
PS: As a footnote to Simon's initial query I would highly recommend that all skiers consider using the 'Armoured Shorts' that Simon plans to purchase. I invested many years ago after two painful falls during an icy week in Kitzbuhel. Like my ski helmet (which nobody wore when I first started 20 years ago) I soon got used to wearing them and would now consider these armoured shorts an essential piece of kit. Mine which are manufactured by 'Dakine' have plastic pads on both sides to protect your hips and one pad behind to protect your coccyx bone. While they in no way limit movement you should consider the need for a little extra room when purchasing ski pants. Best bring them with you when trying on new salopettes for size.
Considering the speed that many of us routinely hit (even if only for a short time) when skiing it is only prudent to wear a helmet / back protector & armoured shorts when on piste. Safe skiing to you all in 2020, Gerro
After all it is free
After all it is free
@KKGerro, great response posting so I can find the thread again. Good luck @SpyderSG, it is good that you are planning the future. Good luck getting back skiing.
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.
Wow, those exercises look great. Thanks for posting.
Simon - I too broke my hip a few years ago and ended up with screws. Sadly I also ended up with avascular necrosis which meant the bone in my hip was dying off from lack of blood.
Meaning I ended up having to have a full hip replacement. Again it meant not skiing and I was very low at the time and wondering how to get fitness back.
It should be a little easier for you as the time you have recovering is shorter than mine (I had an extra year out where I couldn't walk very well). I think you will still have muscle memory.
My advice would be to get to a really good physio, take on board everything they say. Practise the exercises they give you. Don't rush things though. It's a slow process but worth it to be able to ski again.
You will be skiing again and there is nothing to stop you.
Speaking for myself I am struggling physiologically with this. It's all in my head, because I am so nervous of falling or being hit. I never want to go through the hip surgery, a year of mending and then to find out I need a hip replacement and going through another year of recovering from that. (It took that long because they needed to take out the screws and the holes had to mend).
I wish you all the luck, but see no reason for you not to ski again, with all the fun and enjoyment you had before.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
As emphasised above make sure that you do a proper physio program. Note that (as per Warren's comments on his own recovery) for skiing you need better than average flexibility and that is before any medical disadvantage. His point was that he needed to go above and beyond the normal physio program to get back to ski fitness. Look at the two original videos I posted to see what flexibility you need to aim for, show same to your physio so that they understand what you are aiming for and then a suitable tailored program can be made out for you by and supervised by an expert. I would still suggest you also contact Warren and see if he gets back to you with any advice based on his experience as a patient and as one of the UKs top ski instructors. Best of luck with your recovery & I hope you add a photo to this thread in 2021 showing you smiling after completing a ski run !!!!!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:
for skiing you need better than average flexibility
I'm sorry, but for intermediate skiing, as you profess to be, you really don't.
Do what you can and you will know if you can ski as your hip will tell you in advance.
Enjoy it at your pace.
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.
Apologies to all if my post was in any way misleading so I will clarify; The original question was from a very keen intermediate skier with 10 years experience. Despite a broken hip he's still intending to hit the slopes again asap and continue where he left off. All good !!! I've been in that exact position myself having broken bones on two different ski trips. To be honest excess speed was a factor in both cases .... To divert; Warren Smiths point was that skiing requires a lot of lateral movements that most average recreational skiers do not do 51 weeks a year off the snow. These Specific lateral and forward flex movements are required if us recreational skiers wish to move up from beginner to intermediate to higher intermediate standard etc ... Considering our modern sedate lifestyle I don't think it's contraversial to point out that 'Average adult flexibility' will just not cut it if you want to be a higher level intermediate skier .... If you are happy to plateau at a certain level that's fair enough but our patient with the broken hip sounds to me like someone with the ambition to continue to improve his skiing !!! ... Anyone who has this aim and passion for the sport should be always interest in improving their ski technique & recommend that they look at the two short WSSA videos i posted above, test themselves (with a partner helping) and then based on those results see where they measure on the scale. At least if you know that you are stiff on one leg / side over the other then you can work on that and it explains why you can turn much easier on one side etc.... it would also assist your instructor to know if you have any physical limitations as any lesson can then be tailored to take that into account. In my case if I had worked on my flexibility years ago I might have been a split second more responsive on piste and consequently barely avoided both incidents that led to my hospital visits. ...... Maybe our patient above is the same; who knows !?!? ... So I will stick by my assertion (and I am also quoting Warren Smith) that for [intermediate] skiing you need better than average flexibility !!! Once again I wish our patient a speedy recovery and recommend that he continues to strive to recuperate back to average health and beyond and is so doing bring his fitness level up that extra step to where he will be a high level intermediate skier in time. Look forward to that photo being posted in 2021
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
Frosty the Snowman wrote:
Quote:
for skiing you need better than average flexibility
I'm sorry, but for intermediate skiing, as you profess to be, you really don't.
Do what you can and you will know if you can ski as your hip will tell you in advance.
Enjoy it at your pace.
Actually, "average" flexibility, like "average" fitness of any kind, is a moving target. Moving downward that is.
Technically, one can ski with all sort of physical limitations. So you don't "need" much flexibility or balance or strength... you just don't ski well! That is, not as well as you could if you improve your general physical fitness.
More over, when one part of the body is limited, it typically puts undue stress on other parts, typically neighboring joints. So no, the hip won't tell you "in advance" it's limiting you. Though it may tell you AFTER! Worse, someone who's limited in hip flexibility will typically stress their knee. Do you really WANT that?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Let's all first agree that anyone who travels to the Alps in Winter to strap onto a set of boards with the intention of sliding downhill over snow ISNT AVERAGE !! ... From there I will say I 100% agree with FreeRider who made the point more eloquently than I did .... Aim high and work on your flexibility, strength and endurance. If you do it should result in a better on piste and Après experience as you will be able to ski better, ski safer, ski longer, party better and have a better more enjoyable experience overall which is the aim for most of us. Nuff said; safe skiing to you all for 19/20
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Following with interest...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
So I had a hip resurfacing 4 years ago and returned to skiing 3 months after the operation. This week I had a no. Skiing accident which resulted in the same hip being broken into 6 bits, so I am now recovering from a full hip replacement and have been told I will not ski again before the end of March. So having had the experience the advice that I would give to Other Snowheads and myself is:
Do what the physios tell you and then a bit more.
Unless you are very trim in the first place loose some weight.
Take any opportunity you can to do aerobic exercise, no matter how trivial - I use a static bike whilst watching the news.
When you are able do other stuff that develops strength and agility like mountain biking and hill walking.
Do all the Warren Smith stuff that is practical for you.
Ask your physio and or a loved one to see if you flexibility is the same on both sides - be careful that you and your body are not taking shortcuts - I recently had a go at paddle boarding and found it difficult as I had developed the habit of bringing my damaged leg around to the side to get up from kneeling rather than bringing it up straight.
Remember this stuff is going to hurt. I asked one of the hospital physios how long after doing exercises is it acceptable for the area to continue to be painful - she said 4 hours, then of course you start again. So consider taking pain killers before you exercise.
Impact shorts are a good thing psychological as well as physicaly. I still use them for snow boarding- or maybe I used to use them for snowboarding- we will see.
Surviving your first fall after injury is also quite life affirming.
Good luck.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Have to respect the discipline and dedication shown by Ski lots .... Best wishes for a full recovery and return to the slopes !
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?
Have to respect the discipline and dedication shown by Ski lots .... Best wishes for a full recovery and return to the slopes !
Just saw these replies - thanks again for the info and encouragement!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I am a middle aged Asian woman living in US and an intermediate level skier. I fell on ice and suffered femoral neck fracture (broken hip) in March, 2019 and got three titanium screws in my hip. It took me seven months to walk without aids and a whole year to walk normally, as I followed my physical therapist but at a slower pace and in a delayed fashion in terms of the movements he asked me to do. As I result I recovered without femoral head necrosis. In my second year I walked every day but is limited myself to a short distance under one kilometer maximumly. Towards the end of my second year in February 2021, I was back to skiing, mainly on groomers, by early April I could ski moguls. Now I am almost three years after broken hip, my skiing is just like before my broken hip but skied fewer times and shorter duration each time just to be safe.
The keys to resuming skiing after broken hip in my opinion are patience, proper nutrition, and moderate non weight bearing exercise
Thanks for the reply and advice. I haven't posted on here in a while, but by way of an update;
I still haven't skied since my injury in 2019, however I did do a lot of snow walking in resort (La Clusaz) in 2020, which helped me get some level of fitness back. Covid stopped us going anywhere in 2021, but I have a trip to La Clusaz booked for March 12th for a week and plan on getting back up on the skies then.
The plan is to use it as a refresher for a return to our (my wife and I) favourite resort in 2023 - Aspen Snowmass. With any luck, skiing this year will be like riding a bike and i'll be confident again in no time (I hope!).
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thank you so much Spyder for your update! I am so glad we both have not developed AVN the necrosis after three whole years!!! Such a triumph! Congratulations to us!! Although we still can get AVN but the probability declines significantly after this much time.
It has been so lonely for me wanting skiing after my terrible accident, discouraged by friends and family. I have been searching for skiers who had same hip fracture and fixed with titanium cannulated screws but resumed skiing. I found a post on snowhead two years ago where a lady resumed skiing only 13 months after her hip fracture was fixed by the three screws, but she disappeared soon later and no further post.
Now I feel I finally found you and truly appreciate your update!!! Due to covid, I have been mainly to ski resorts within reasonable driving distance since February 2021. We live in Connecticut US, so I have skied resorts in Vermont and New Hampshire, I still can still most of the trails I skied before my hip fracture. During off season, I do aerobic exercise, swimming, and static bicycling to maintain my fitness. I also occasionally hiking a mountain trail (below 10 kilometer so far). Anyway, my exercise is moderate but consistent. If covid is lessened, I would light to fly to a big ski resort, I am so looking forward to ....
I wish you all the best, happy and safe skiing!!!
Helena
After all it is free
After all it is free
Just thought i'd close this thread out for anyone interested.
I went out to La Clusaz back in March, managed to get back up on the skis and have to say had no confidence issues - I was slightly apprehensive beforehand, but as soon as I clipped the boots into the bindings, all that disappeared and I skied like I used to before Only real issue was the horrendous snow quality, they'd had lots before we arrived, which had melted to a large extent - temps were +18C in the day and lows of +3C (at best) at night, so no opportunity to even make snow.
Despite that, I got 3 days skiing in and I satisfied myself that I can still do it.
Onward and upward now, back to La Clusaz at the beginning of January 2023 and as a special treat for my wife and I, a third return to Aspen at the end of the same month - absolutely cannot wait!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Only real issue was the horrendous snow quality, they'd had lots before we arrived, which had melted to a large extent - temps were +18C in the day and lows of +3C (at best) at night, so no opportunity to even make snow.
