 Poster: A snowHead
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I got wiped out from behind on a recent trip which left me with a crook left knee. That was 4 weeks ago I can do most things OK now but it is still not 100% and I doubt it will be in 3 weeks when I go to Arabba on a trip with my son.
As soon as it gets slushy and bumpy I will call it a day as I know if I catch an inside edge in the slush it will almost definitely put my knee out again. I am only going because fights are booked accom paid for etc and besides as I say it is a trip with my son.
I trust the Italian piste groomers will work their magic overnight so I intend to ski on the groomed stuff and I think I will be OK when the injured knee is the downhill ski, so I will make a concerted effect to keep the left leg light when it is the uphill ski as that is where it will pop out. I have borrowed a steel enforced knee brace of a mate who had similar injury.
So the question is this: should I lower my DIN setting from 8 to 6 and risk the ski releasing as apposed to putting to much strain on the crook knee.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you are skiing slower, smother and less aggressive, a lower DIN can make senses, but it does not guarantee you will release when you want to. I lowered my DIN after my first ACL surgery and didn`t have pre-release problems on piste, but still blew out my ACL a second time.
Have you seen a doctor who knows about knees? This is what I would do before deciding anything.
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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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| MEfree30 wrote: |
If you are skiing slower, smother and less aggressive, a lower DIN can make senses, but it does not guarantee you will release when you want to. I lowered my DIN after my first ACL surgery and didn`t have pre-release problems on piste, but still blew out my ACL a second time.
Have you seen a doctor who knows about knees? This is what I would do before deciding anything. |
Yes I have seen a physio and it is a case of excercise, basically cycling and time, which is the problem. Their is no way I would book a trip now but as I say it is already booked and paid for.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I have also considered going over to the dark side for a week (taking boarding lessons) as I think my injury may be less vulnerable with both legs strapped to one plank.
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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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See a surgeon for an opinion and a scan if you plan a long skiing future.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I don't know what your exact problem is, in fact, nobody except the professional who examines you personally will know.The simple thing is that, although you feel you can get skiing again within 7 weeks of an existant injury, you do not know the extent to which your knee has been affected. I am assuming you have seen your doctor. If not, then make an appointment. There's no point of asking on a forum, when really you require the service of a medical professional.
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Old Skool,
Yes I have seen 2 doctors who referred me to the physio, who basically advised if it feels OK then it probably wil be.
Maybe I went on too much in my original post, but my question is:
Should I lower my DIN from 8 to to say 6 considering I have no intention of skiing aggressively or in the bumps/slush
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Keep the flex soft (and drop the DIN, yes, but not so much that you're uncomfortable). Stay tall but not too rigid, enough to absorb the bounce. Dont overflex ( ie. don't overbend ze knees) all the way down the mountainside, take more breaks than you'd nomally expect.
Look, just be sensible. I'm not saying wrap yourself in cotton wool, but think about your thighs for steering more than you'd expect, keep your upper body calm and allow the skis and lower body to take you where you want to go. Relax your way down the mountainside. If in doubt, stop!
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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.
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WOW
You are correct about asking for advice on a forum. Only me and my physio know about my precise injury and I can tell you that keeping tall will make my knee vulnerable. What I need to do is keep my knee as flexed as possible and keep it very light when it is the uphill ski.
To re-itterate the advice I am seeking and preferably from people who have experienced similar injuries is :
Should I lower the DIN settings.
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Kel, I did my ACL and now ski with the DIN set at 5 when the guides say they should be at 7. That's four seasons now and never had a pre-release problem.
Do you know what yours should be set at? Subject to that not being higher than 8 then I would say go for the lower setting for peace of mind.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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What exactly is the injury you sustained?
If your knee is not right you are crazy to ski, take this one hit and you'll definitely be better in a year, make the knee worse and you'll always have problems and your knee will never be right. It will be nothing to do with your settings, my friend
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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.
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| Quote: |
What I need to do is keep my knee as flexed as possible and keep it very light when it is the uphill ski.
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almost inevitably, a mindset which focuses on keeping knees flexed will put you in the backseat, ie centre of mass behind the balls of your feet...which is a disaster for your skiing and biomechanically awful for your knees...you will fatigue your quads (which support your knees) quicker than usual, you will increase the twisting forces on your knee, your skis won;t work as well so you have increased chance of falling/catching an edge, etc etc.
Old Skool, is absolutely correct, you want to be standing in balance using your skeletal structure as much as possible, ie flexed ankles, hips over balls of feet, strong core activation, and you want to be steering your inside leg using the big thigh muscles not the feet and knees - this massively reduces the twisting forces on the knee and reduces the chances of catching an inside edge. Focusing on keeping the inside ski light is another recipe for negative/over-cautious skiing which will mean that when it does catch an edge you have no control over it...
From my experience of knee injuries (2 torn menisci and 1 partial ACL tear), what really helps is a proper warm up to activate all the support muscles, a skills warmup when on the snow to switch on the ski technique, then a strong focus on good biomechanics as above when skiing.
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