Landing Flat > Knee injury

jonny water · 02-09-2007

2 weeks ago I landed flat off a table top on my snowboard. I was probably 20 ft in the air before landing. I was anticipating hitting the landing properly and was leaning forward which resulted in compressing my front knee. I landed the jump but was in pain.

Symptoms: Can't straighten or bend my leg completely without pain. But i don't seem to have any lateral problems. Feels like my knee is still tight but doesn't hurt when walking if i don't straighten my leg completely (or bend totally) and can actually jog on it.

Anyone have this problem? Should i wait or go to the doc?

DanOrion · 02-09-2007

If you've got insurance, use it.

I tweaked my knee a few years back in similar fashion (minor MCL damage). The doc gave some really good advice: If you're going big and over 20, you should do basic weight training to support your knees; it will protect you from injury when the unexpected happens.

COUNT · 02-09-2007

I agree completely:weightlift, weightlift, weightlift. Even if you're under 20. In years of mogul skiing competition, I have seen more blown knees landing jumps than I can count and most of these are kids 14-24. The ones who train in the gym the most and are the strongest definately go the longest without knee injuries.

I would say go to the doctor if it still bothers you.

However, I will admit, that I usually choose not to go to the doctor if I think he's going to tell me not to ski/kayak/climb/do what I want. If I don't go, he can't tell me not to have fun. That's a personal choice though

.

Heal up.

COUNT

jonny water · 02-09-2007

Thanks- I do have insurance and will go to the doc next week. The problem is that I am not as strong as I used to be, with a kid and work, i don't get out as often as i want. I usually have the attitude to just go for it, but i need to more conservative until i am strong.

DanOrion · 02-09-2007

I'm pretty sure I saw Dr. Steve Traina at Orthopedic Assoc., a shoulder and knee guy. I've seen bad doctors and good doctors; I liked Steve due to his "let's get you back out there and keep this from happening again" attitude.

AdrenalineRush · 02-14-2007

kind of along the same lines, i have knee damage from cheerleading, but over christmas break we skied everyday at crested butte. every time i stopped, my knees made a sound like a shirt tearing or something like that, and felt about the same, just with a good dose of hurt thrown in. Now I have massive bruising and cant ski without pain. My dads an ortho surgeon, but he just says its tendonitis. Of course, I do get injured a lot, but is it possible i did something else?
and any tips other than lifting? thats what screwed my knees up first...

GoodTimes · 02-14-2007

Exact same thing happened to me two years ago (although I was on two boards). My knee was swollen and sore for a LONG time. I'm talkin' six months. The strength was always there and my lateral was fine (although painful, I skied on it the rest of the day and two days after). I opted not to get it checked out......I could do ALL the things I would normally do with a little bit of pain so I figured it was just a mild sprain.

I think lifting regularly saved me from a blown out knee. Rehab it to the max and continue on a regular schedule. Even to this day, if I spend an entire day in the bumps, I'll feel it by 3pm.

I'd say cycling is huge as well. It's one of the methonds I chose to rehab and it seemed to work pretty well.

If you notice the slightest difference in strength and/or lateral movement and it doesn't improve, you better get it checked. Partially torn ligaments need special care.

COUNT · 02-15-2007

If it's as bad as you're making me think, sounds like some good ol' PT might be what the doctor has in store for you, even if it isn't a surgery warranting injury. Get a specialist if you can (I've got some recommendations for the mountain towns, but I don't know any of the good ones in your area). They'll get you doing the right lifts at the right time to keep you in skiing shape.

COUNT