I'm out

[Mike King]

It's painful watching the reports of big and consistent snow piling up not only in California, but at my home mountain of Snowmass. I was hit in a training clinic the last day of January. We were doing medium radius turns, and the clinic participant behind me lost track of me, topped a roll and hit me -- we were both hauling ass. The long and short of it is that I wound up with a torn PCL as well as torn muscles in my shoulder -- I will likely have a permanent impairment to my knee. And that's the end of my season.

So, I'm working on my movement analysis for the rest of the season. And monitoring the reports of great skiing -- all of you stay safe out there and enjoy a really nice season! These things happen, and I will get better. Hopefully we will have a great season next year, and the work I do on conditioning (when I'm released to start any) will pay off in achieving my goal next season of passing my Level 3.

Mike

 

[KevinF]

Sorry to read this one Mike. Speaking from experience, shoulder rehab isn't exactly fun or quick. Treat therapy like it's your job and you'll be back on snow with no problems next winter. Heal up!

 

[scott43]

That sux Mike. But you certainly have a very enlightened attitude about the future. I suppose it does no good to bitch about it. Heal up quickly!

 

[Coach13]

Good luck with all that. Heal quickly!

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Will you be having any surgery, Mike?

Are you living in Pitkin now or back near the old mail route?

I’ve had both knee and shoulder damage addressed surgically, and you can come back from both.

 

[SkiNurse]

I will miss skiing with you this season.

 

[Mike King]

Will you be having any surgery, Mike?

Are you living in Pitkin now or back near the old mail route?

I’ve had both knee and shoulder damage addressed surgically, and you can come back from both.

Right now, no surgery. A PCL tear is very uncommon (the radiologist had seen only one) and the surgery does not have nearly as good a track record as the other ligament surgeries in the knee. So, the surgeon thinks that unless the knee is too unstable, I will probably be permanently impaired (a workman's comp claim) after they get me as far as they can with PT. If we decide that the surgery is needed, it is a 9-12 month recovery. That's an awful lot of skiing to miss out on...

The shoulder was initially diagnosed as a rotator cuff tear, but it is an unusual injury -- torn deltoid (only grade 1) and a strained supraspinatus. And a bit of a tear in the labrum. So, most likely just PT for that.

Right now I'm just waiting for the shoulder to become functional enough that I can transition to woodworking season!

I've got a condo in Pitkin and live down in Louisville, so camped out on the Front Range.

 

[Mike King]

I will miss skiing with you this season.

Me too!

 

[SBrown]

Right now, no surgery. A PCL tear is very uncommon (the radiologist had seen only one) and the surgery does not have nearly as good a track record as the other ligament surgeries in the knee. .

It is ... and you had no other injuries to the knee? Pretty rare! Sorry to hear. Such a good season there....

 

[bbinder]

Sorry to hear. Heal well.

 

[4ster]

Sorry to hear, heal well.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Hopefully it’s just healing time, Mike. Surgeries likely would extend that.

 

[Steve]

Mike, I'm so sorry, we've never met but I have a ton of respect from you reading what you write, not only your concepts, but your attitude.

I thought I'd torn my PCL last year as I thought I felt it pop, but it turned out it was a calf tear. 3 ½ weeks and I was back skiing.

Good luck!

 

[Tricia]

It's painful watching the reports of big and consistent snow piling up not only in California, but at my home mountain of Snowmass. I was hit in a training clinic the last day of January. We were doing medium radius turns, and the clinic participant behind me lost track of me, topped a roll and hit me -- we were both hauling ass. The long and short of it is that I wound up with a torn PCL as well as torn muscles in my shoulder -- I will likely have a permanent impairment to my knee. And that's the end of my season.

So, I'm working on my movement analysis for the rest of the season. And monitoring the reports of great skiing -- all of you stay safe out there and enjoy a really nice season! These things happen, and I will get better. Hopefully we will have a great season next year, and the work I do on conditioning (when I'm released to start any) will pay off in achieving my goal next season of passing my Level 3.

Mike

Dude, you had a reputation for getting injured during clinics back in the Epic days but I thought those days were long behind you.

Heal well.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Mike I tore my PCL almost 10 years ago along with a tibial plateau fracture. They said they don't do surgery on the PCL unless the ACL is gone too, and it wasn't. The only time it bothers me is skinning if I take too big a step or if the ski with the torn PCL slips backward. There's no impairment whatsoever when skiing. I hope it works out something like that for you.

 

[Mike King]

Dude, you had a reputation for getting injured during clinics back in the Epic days but I thought those days were long behind you.

Heal well.

Yea, this one was not my fault. Hit from uphill.

 

[Mike King]

Mike I tore my PCL almost 10 years ago along with a tibial plateau fracture. They said they don't do surgery on the PCL unless the ACL is gone too, and it wasn't. The only time it bothers me is skinning if I take too big a step or if the ski with the torn PCL slips backward. There's no impairment whatsoever when skiing. I hope it works out something like that for you.

That’s a tough injury! Thanks for the encouraging experience!

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Did you hurt the other guy?

 

[Mike King]

Did you hurt the other guy?

She came out of it with a concussion and shifted teeth.

 

[Jim McDonald]

Best wishes for fast & complete healing