Ruptured Disc $6,000, ruptured Achilles ?? $10,000, ski and boots $1300

[skicoug]

OK I have put myself on the Injured reserve list again.........ruptured my right Achilles......I am left forward.

The point is......I don't want to talk about bindings.......how I fell......or any of that crap. 3 years ago I herniated a disc in my neck from a fall............and it was a long slow road back. I came back and skied better than before the injury.  By the way I am 42.  Now I face Achilles surgery tomorrow and another long road back.  My thought is this.......and would love to hear others philosophy as to why you think you ski. I figure I already new this was a dangerous sport and I chose to do it anyway. So now just because I am hurt why should my desire change.  I have had many ask me if I will still want to ski that way again........I am surprised that so many would think that way. Heck, what else would I do for fun........I have not done any other sport that has me addicted so much as this.

Looking forward to hearing your inspirational thoughgts or stories.

[DaveD]

You can get hurt in other sports just as easy as you can skiing.  I've seen many Achilies injuries on the basketball court.  A friend of mine just partially tore his Achilies jogging back down the court after a made basket.  Want to talk about back problems, find a golfer.  Every sport has it's injuries.  And let's face it, the older you get the more you hurt. 

With that said, find another sport that requires a significant amount of physical exertion where you can improve as you get older.  I'm sure there are many people that visit this forum that are way past 42 and still setting personal best.   

Instead of considering retirement from skiing, use your obsession to push you through re-hab.  Good luck, I hear it's a long hard recovery.  Dave

[ForrestGump]

Sorry to hear about this.  3 years ago I had a grade 2 tear in my hamstring and 6 weeks ago I had a grade 2 tear my left trapezius.  The hamstring was a full 3 month recovery. I skied for the first time this week after the trap injury and I can tell I'm still not ready. My girlfriend asks me why I continue to beat myself up, as I've been miserable for 6 weeks, in constant pain, on pain kilers, muscle relaxers etc. I can't tell her why. Other than "Skiing is awesome!" Better me out in the sun, enjoying the outdoors, staying in shape, etc........rather than on the softball field with all the other beer bellied drunks who consider themselves athletes around here! lol Hang in there, and don't let anyone convince you you're too old for this.  Rehab it, get back on the water, improve your self.

This reminds me that it's time to take my Soma and Tramadol. ;)

 

Good luck tomorrow in surgery!

[waterskicorey]

Sorry to hear about your injury. I have torn both of my achilles waterskiing and I also had to have my knee cap removed when I broke it playing hockey 10 years ago, along with many other injuries. Just got back on the water after 6 weeks from a torn bicept muscle. I'm 46, with a pb of 4@38 and I know I can ski better. There is no better sport in the world than chasing ball's. All I can say is don't give up or you die. Trust me you will heal from your latest  injury, I did and it doesn't bother my skiing at all. I skied about 5 months after both surgery's on both my achilles, so it won't be long before you are back on the water. Work hard on rehab and look after your body. I was riding a exercise bike, and lifting weights with a cast on both times a week after surgery, all I could think about was getting back on the water doing the sport I love. THAT is what keep me going and working hard. Good luck with your rehab and DON"T give up.

Corey

[RichardDoane]

I plan to still 3 event in Mens 10 !  Right now I just moved to Mens 4 after Nationals, and skied a new PB in tournament last weekend.  You'll get better the longer you work at it.  I've done the broken ankle/recovery thing, and as soon as I could ski I got back on my stick.  People who don't ski bouys can't comprehend what keeps a skier going, only truly "addicted" skiers know the feeling of running a full pass, or setting a new PB.  You'll recover, and be skiing again ASAP.

[jlittle]

Way to go on the PB Zippy.  Ran 35 in all three rounds didn't you?  I missed last weekend due to a hurt back.  I'm debating on waiting til next year to ski again but don't know if I can hold out.  Yeah it's a long winter and I will have time to heal but I also have other irons in the fire over winter.  A techinally correct rip of six solid turns & pulls on one of your easier passes it's sometimes just about as satifying as running your hards pass.  Just getting out in open water and linking bunches-O turns together is right up there too.  Breaking that barrier into the next line length... I'll be skiing for a few more years.

[MrJones]

This is an interesting discussion. Why do we do what we do to ourselves physically for our sport?

 First, my bona fides. Skiing 20 years. 17 of those with back problems. Herniated disc and surgery 18 months ago. Superglued up my forearm then wraped it in duct tape when my ulna hit the tip of my 9100 in an OTF at 38.You aren't supposed to get stitches wet you know and it was Saturday morning of a ski weekend. Super glue burns if you haven't tried it. Broke the tip of my finger where the nail bed was sticking up in the air on a Monday. Cut the finger of my glove off so the splint would stick out so I could ski on Thursday. Wrecked my front ankle in a classic double hard shell OTF at the very first Big Dawg. A good friend of mine used to tell me it was great to practice when you were sick because you would have to focus on technique instead of muscle. Pretty sure he just needed a driver. 

Our sport is obviously very addictive. Many others are as well though. As a PT I see a lot of runners, tri-athletes, etc in there 30s-50s who keep on going. I think one of the things that keeps us involved is how much of a lifestyle thing it becomes. Most of my friends I have through skiing. I met my wife through skiing. My kids are getting into skiing. 

It does get tough at times. People who don't get it never will. One of my first employers out of PT school inferred that I might want to think about "giving up" my hobby after I came back from a tournament weekend crippled up in the back. This was from a PT who is supposed to be dedicated to getting people back to normal life and full function. My mother in law (who is a great lady and means well) frequently tells me and my wife that she would like us to quit whenever we get injured. (Did I mention my wife has had knee and hip surgery from skiing?) 

I completely agree with Corey in saying "don't give up or you will die." Not physically. Not spiritually either as I strongly believe in my Christian faith. I do however think that skiing is what gives us that spark to enjoy our lives to the fullest. Why I want to go to the gym in the mornings. Why I look forward to the changing of the seasons. Why I am not in the same physical shape as the majority of the my patients who are around 40 and look (and act) old! 

A few final thoughts. I love skiing. I am a skier and when I had considered quitting due to my back I was a very unhappy soul. Even if you are on a 6-12-24 month rehab, you are still a skier who is just in the process of getting back on the water. When they put me in the ground I vow that they will find very few usable parts left. 

Good luck on the surgery tomorrow. Surround yourself with people who share your goal of getting back on the water during your rehab. Let us all know how it is going. 

sj

 

[Horton]

Sorry for the loss of the a weeks worth of posts here. I really like what was said.

For myself I am almost 40 and last Saterday I had one of the best skiing days of my life. Why do I still ski when I generally limp every morning? Because I can get better and that is addictive.

[6Ball35]

I knocked out my three front teeth during an awkward collision with my knee.  I've broken my ankle once in an OTF fall (in Wiley's bindings/still use them), sprained both ankles countless times, dealt with elbow tendinitis and back issues for many years, the ridiculously slow walk to the bathroom at 2:00am fills the hall with the sound of knee and ankle cracks.  3 surgeries and many stiff muscles and aches later, I had a better day today because I ski'd this morning.  My wife told me too in fact.  She said I needed to ski today because I was getting cranky.  Can't really explain it any better than that

[MrJones]

6Ball...that is the best explination I have heard yet.

sj

[tsixam]

When I have had a bad day at the office, at home or just feeling down, the best cure is one or two sets of skiing. It feels like I can get rid of all the bad energy by just rounding those small red balls. Even if I don´t ski well it feels, like I am new born when I climb the dock. 

I have had my share of injuries, left knee totally ruptured, from jumping (it was the longest flight of my jumping career), ankles, elbows, ribs and about 300 stitches. The last couple of years I have had lower back problems. I can’t imagine a life without skiing so I have started a new workout routine. Every day I do a core strength workout and a stretch program and I can already feel that it’s they way to go. Quit skiing is not an option. 

John, you and I are about on the same level, but I am almost 10 years older. This is the first year I have started to close 38 regularly and I can feel that 39 is not out of reach. I can assure you that you have many years of progress in front of you. Workout, stretch and ski smart and safe! ( yeah, I know skiing smart and safe is not easy) 

Tsixam

[scott thompson]

just ruptured my achilles at Big Dawg finals. Surgery coming this Friday.  Its the 2nd one - other one was playing basketball about 6 years ago.  5 months after surgery i was skiing again (couldn't hold out much longer - it was June - in Iowa).   Now I already cant wait until 4/15/09 - a good 6.5 months of recovery, and another tax season done and I'll be on the water  4/16/09!!  no time to waste - those scores at the big dawg are going nowhere but up!  Incredible finals this last weekend.

 Hope you are doing well skicoug!  Take care, and look forward to skiing again.  It is a long recovery, and the crutches for 5 weeks is not fun -  But do all the rehab and you'll be fine.  You know, i think i had one of my best nationals the year of my first achilles rupture - so you are right, think positive!  I understand our achilles are as good or better than new after repaired and rehabbed.

scott 

[Old MS Accout]

Scott,

I heard about it on the web cast, sorry to hear.

No dought that you will be back up and running by next spring. In the end, you end up getting stronger from the rehab. It gives you a chance to work on the rest ofthe body while you rehab the injury. Good luck with everything.  

 

[skicoug]

Sorry to hear of another Achilles victim Scott.  Is this the same side as your first rupture? What kind of fall did it rupture on? Was it your back foot?

My e-mail is craig4900@comcast.net  ...........what is yours?  We could compare rehab notes.  (probably to boring for this forum)

Best wishes back at you for your surgery and recovery!!!!!

 

[scott thompson]

skicoug -

not the same achilles as last time, its the other one - so yes, 2 "new" achilles now!  this one was the front foot , front reflex hardshell with rear toe plate.  Went over the front a bit at one ball @ 39, stuck it - ski stopped, and the binder didnt release.  had the tension spring set on the recommended setting - it released once in practice in the 4 weeks i had been using it - so it seemed like it was set right.  maybe my achilles was just weak???  the other one ruptured on just an easy jump up and landing playing basketball - nothing unusual.  Hope you are doing well - looks like its been 3 weeks since surgery for you - still on crutches i assume , those are a pain!  Touch base with me:  sthompson@taxproscpa.com

 

MS - thanks man! - that's the only good thing, its put my "skiing misery" to rest for a while!  hopefully 6 months off, rehab, etc. will get rid of whatever was causing me to regress this past year or so!!  ha ha - 

[RichardDoane]

Scott - What bindings were you wearing when you hurt yourself, and did they realese ?

[scott thompson]

reflex front hard shell, and just a rear kicker.  front boot did not release.  i'm hoping to see the video of it sometime, cuz of a couple comments i heard from other skiers at the tourney that saw it happen: 1) the rope never came tight to really yank me forward, and 2) there was not a lot of upward momentum from my body in order to cause the binder to release - it was more just downward and forward direction of my body.      so............   i.e. - it might have just been a real fluke thing - not the binder's fault -  not enough pressure to cause a release, and maybe just some "weak" achilles.  I've only had the binder about a month and the only time in practice that it should have released, it did, so i was confident the release mechanism was working fine.