For the last couple of seasons I have been having a lot of pain in my knees - I normally get to January and then it starts to really hurt. The doctor told me I need to go for an MRI but as soon as I stop skiing the pain goes away so I tend to stop worrying about it in the Summer and I'm too busy in the Winter to get round to it.
I know - it's a really bad way to approach a dodgy knee problem.
However, the doctor also told me that some people find that cycling can help, so I started mountain biking last Summer (he said road cycling but I think mountain biking is more fun ) and this year my knees only started giving me trouble in mid-March and they are nowhere near as painful as used to be, so I'm very happy. The downside is that I'm now addicted to another expensive sport
I'm still going to get them checked out but just thought that cycling might help others with iffy knees.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I guess I'm lucky:
Quote:
as soon as I start skiing the pain goes away
But yes, I find cycling good, also the leg press at the gym. Also I have developed a new variant on my twice-daily balance exercise: while brushing my teeth, I stand on one leg and swing the other one back and forth, knee bent then straightened. This lubricates the knees wonderfully. But I haven't quite perfected doing this with my eyes shut, yet.
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?
Pedantica, I have visions of you getting toothpaste everywhere but on your teeth after seeing this:
victoriac, yes, I'm under strict instruction not to hike for 6 months round here (it's the, er, 'going down' that the knee should be protected from during that time apparently) so it's a summer of cycling for me... but not sure I'll be whizzing down the hill on the mountain bike for quite a while yet either! The circuit round Lake Annecy will be more the thing I think. Glad to hear it's made such a difference for your knees.
I'm embarrassed to admit that I just tried that! Don't know that it did much for my knee though
The Lake Annecy circuit must be gorgeous in Summer - hope it helps your knee miranda.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
miranda, Loved the film - its really hard to do, isn't it!
Pedantica, victoriac, I've also been told to do single leg presses in the gym - suprisingly difficult! If you start by doing half the weight that you would normally do with 2 legs, its manageable, & of course, you can build on it.
Now to look at the ceiling, close my eyes & try to stand on one leg again - I hate to be beaten by an exercise
Well not everything, but standing on one leg etc is a key part of rehab post ACL - doing it on the ground then on a wobble board / bosu etc
This months Cycling Plus Mag has a good article about what top cyclists rate as their number one exercise be it for strength / endurance etc
Chris Hoy - he of the immense thighs reckons squats - Youtube "Pistol one legged squats" - they are tough - think I'm only 20% there
If you are a cyclist and have clip in pedals then cycling one legged is good - that said just putting time in on the bike is really what it is all about.
Really is a case of what you put in etc etc though on here I have been "flamed" occasionally for being a little OTT but I'm no worse than thousands of "Mamils" out on the road every Sunday
Look at the the concept of "Sportives" in June and July and enter a couple of lesser distance ones (50 - 60 km) and if it will give you something to train for.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
genepi, after your post about how accident prone you are, please practice the exercise with some crash mats surrounding you... I have a feeling your OH might kill me for putting the idea in your head!
Weathercam, I know which posts you're referring to on the flaming bit - I think at least one person was just trying to put across the point to others reading the thread that you don't have to go all out on this and you yourself have also acknowledged that caning it in the cross country running possibly wasn't the best idea and possibly a bit more yoga might have been more productive.
There's loads of contradictory advice out there, so who knows? You've obviously achieved a great deal already. I just know that my GP is the head of an alpine sports injury clinic and my surgeon and physio also deal with alpine sports injuries all the time, and the protocol they're all giving me is a lot more cautious to get to the desired end point of a full recovery to all sports in 6 months than the one you've been following. Apparently if I was a pro and "making ze ski competitions" it would be different but I'm not and neither are most people on this forum.
After all it is free
After all it is free
miranda, So no hill's then ? Shame, I was all set for a walk up a small one at the weekend to get some fitness back
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.
AndAnotherThing.., they're being extra cautious possibly - it's not the uphill that's the problem, it's the downhill. My doctor said to me on that first initial examination in the emergency room that the ACL was totally gone but other ligaments fine and meniscus fine. His colleague had said I could snowshoe in 2 months time. Original doctor and the physio both then said no, take it easy, your knee is now not 100% stable (though I've not actually 'felt' this) and if it gives way you risk screwing up your meniscus and other ligaments for no reason and making your op and recovery more complicated. MRI 8 weeks later confirmed doctor was spot on and I was relieved as it justified not snowshoeing and so on. As you might imagine, living where I do, the urge to get up the hills is strong. But the urge to be in good shape for next season is stronger. You are so close to the op now, I wouldn't risk it personally but what do I know really? I have been through all the options "I'll wear a brace, I'll use my poles, I'll be really careful..." but actually if I fell or caused the knee to swell just before the op it would be beyond frustrating if the op then had to get put back or turn into something more complicated.
Your doctor may say something different... this is just what they've said to me here and I have met a couple of ski instructors who've followed the protocol and have said their knees were not just completely back to normal after 6 months but one said it was even better than before. I am hoping to get the go ahead after a few months to walk up the hills and lift back down again. If you could get down the hill somehow it might be ok... otherwise I think I'd stick to the exercise bike, flat walking, swimming, or circuit training without burpees and the like to get the heart rate going. But I must stress this is just what I have been told here in France and I'm sure other people will have been told differently elsewhere.
When's the date of your op?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
miranda, I was trying to respond to the original poster about cycling, so probably my fault for mentioning the ACL, but that was really responding to the one legged bit.
You guys are in prehab, all I did was cycle, and cycle, didn't even do any yoga for fear of tweaking somthing. Did climb up a couple of hills but came down very carefully usng poles..
I crammed the cycling in as I could not do all the other stuff I would be doing, such as windsurfing, running etc.
Hence I ended up doing sportives and cycling in the alps rather than more intense time trialling, I backed right off intense high HR as thought that was not good, so Iwas maybe more Captain Sensible on the prehab rather than the rehab!
But this year did do some good stuff
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Weathercam wrote:
Iwas maybe more Captain Sensible on the prehab rather than the rehab!
sounds like it.
Weathercam wrote:
But this year did do some good stuff
Also sounds like it
Rehab requires a lot more patience I'm sure and it's easy to think you'll stick to protocol until you actually find yourself stuck in that position - OH and some guests are doing a cycle race that comes up past the chalet early this summer... I shall be watching them with my nose pressed up against the window, whilst chained to my exercise bike
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.
miranda, Op 4th May so pretty soon. My Physio thought the hill would be OK, but I hadn't considered the issue with the downhill pressure on the knee and actually gave it a miss last weekend. I think all things considered I'll probably give it a miss as missing the op would be rubbish.
victoriac, Back on topic, the physio today recommended cycling as one an 'OK' activity. The trick is to find ways of building muscle strength. Pre accident, Hill walking and indoor climbing have been my activities of choice for this. I suspect that not playing so much Badminton probably helped too !
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
AndAnotherThing.., how many times do you think you'll hear "May the 4th be with you" from well wishers before then?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
miranda, Don't give them idea's !
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
miranda, you don't have to be glued to the indoor exercise bike, I was on the road bike pretty soon after doing the ACL, though I never "got" out of the saddlw on hills etc and used light gears on the hills.
Think like you, there's no way I can be cooped up inside!
Now have to get knee uber fit for a little excursion down to S Morocco early June where I'll be putting it under pressure again!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Well!!!Cycling has own importance for fitness of the body.Cycling for 30 minutes just 2-3 times
a week will help with all other aerobic exercise too and reduce the chances of you having to
stop your activity to get your breath back and again improve your weight loss.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
or swimming with a float and merely kicking. say 20 x 25m lengths 3 times a week
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?
I go to 4 x 45min spin classes every week, brilliant high intensity interval training, can't recommend enough. Full on, sweaty and 20 people all going for it to AC/ DC, Pink, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters etc, what could be better? Loads of people there doing rehab and building up knees, you just go at your own intensity.
Markymark29, yep I kmow what you mean, I do 3 x 1 hr spins, legs and 3 swims just to nail it!!! So fighting fit . . .
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
roche1800........also 2 x 1 hr ski fit class (circuits) and 3 x 1 hr pump classes! Almost ready.......double sessions Mondays and early Saturdays and triples on Wednesday evenings. Finishing next weekend though to repair any tissue ready for all those lunges and ab exercises for real. Never felt so ready for skiing with 12 days to go.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
) and this year my knees only started giving me trouble in mid-March and they are nowhere near as painful as used to be, so I'm very happy. The downside is that I'm now addicted to another expensive sport 
