Post Injury Skiing Question

[Jenny]

I've been idly wondering - what are the chances that I might want/need different skis this year while I figure out how my ankle (or my head!) works again? Will it be easier to start out on something narrow/wide, soft/firm, short/long, etc.? I have been skiing the 2016 Kenjas in a 163, and even before the injury wasn't entirely sure they weren't too stiff for me and how I ski. I also still have my old Nordica Victory skis, which are narrower (78 vs 87) but still kind of stiff, I think. But I don't recall ever thinking they were too stiff for me, like the Kenjas, so maybe the width has something to do with it, too.

And it's certainly going to be interesting to see how my boots fit, since I have no idea whether/how much my foot will still be swollen and my calf still undersized when the time comes. I DO think that I'm not going to have much of a defined ankle bone on the outside of that ankle anymore - it seems kind of hard and blobby down there, like the kind of thing that won't subside. Luckily I'm not a foot model!

Never having been injured before, I don't know what to expect . . .

 

[Philpug]

We are not doctors, we do not play doctors on TV and we didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. With that disclaimer out of the way. What is yoru body telling you? Is if ready? Try your boots on, see how the feel. When a baseball player comes back from a serious injury, they go back the the minors. Start easy, in greens..then easy blues...work your way back up. With the skis, which ever give you more confidence, either the Victory's or the Kenjas.

 

[Bad Bob]

Start with the boots. Put them on with your typical socks you ski in. Wear them for a while around the house and see how they feel. If they are painful around your ankle, or anywhere else, go visit your friendly neighborhood boot-fitter. Let them do their voodoo on the boots so your feet don't hurt anymore. Everything starts with the feet.

If you think you will be more comfortable on the Nordicas you probably will, start out on them until your head is convinced that you still know how to ski. Would recommend that you get a tune and a wax on them before using them the first day to increase your confidence factor in them.

I have broken my head and shoulders knees and toes skiing over the years (and a few other things). Think that many of us are a little concerned getting back on the hill the first time after the injury. Spend some time getting the most important equipment ready, your body, that will instill more confidence than anything else you can do.

 

[Ron]

my .02? don't change anything yet until you have a better idea of what changes (if any) have occurred, then you can assess if you need anything different. Now, you may just want something new and I encourage this but especially in the case of boots, don't do anything yet. Is the ankle fully healed yet? I don't know what you have been doing for PT but have you been strengthening and working on agility? As a recovering fat skier, (similar to a former smoker I encourage folks to get on a 75-78mm ski and work on skills so regardless of injury, I would look to going to a ski in this range, they aren't all super stiff or require a speed suit.

 

[cantunamunch]

my .02? don't change anything yet until you have a better idea of what changes (if any) have occurred, then you can assess if you need anything different. Now, you may just want something new and I encourage this but especially in the case of boots, don't do anything yet. .

^This right here.

We are not doctors, we do not play doctors on TV and we didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

But we can pronounce prophylactic compensation temptation.

 

[luliski]

@Jenny, I didn't have an acute injury, but I did have chronic damage to my foot resulting in foot surgery in July. My foot is also still swollen. I already wanted to get some narrower skis (I'm more of a one-ski quiver person), because I skied 98 mm skis all last season, even when there was little snow. The skis I got are not that much narrower, but I think they will be good..

As far as boots, my plan is to wait until as close to the season starting as possible, then go to the boot shop. I'm hoping that in a couple of months the swelling will be down even more. My current boots are Lange LV boots and I want a little more toe room. When was your surgery?

 

[Jenny]

Oh, I'm way too early to be thinking about this yet - but I am anyway. I think everybody else's anxiousness to get started (snow threads, ski sales, etc.) is a factor!

I am still in PT, and he says I am doing well with both strength and joint movement. That said, I still have a hitch in my giddy-up but we're working on it. Starting to do some balance exercises now, and he seemed pleased with that, too. There was only one so far that I was pretty bad at and that one involved a large springy tether that I was working against while standing on one foot and having it pull me sideways.

My husband happened to mention last night that my calf is showing a little bit of roundness again, which will help with the boot fit. Even filled out, they're on the skinny side. I've been noticing in my shoes that my toe seems to be hitting the end of the shoe, but I think that might be because I'm walking around with that one untied and stretched out to its widest width, so I figure the heel isn't in the right place. That probably also made me wonder about getting my heel seated in my boot properly. I also was starting to think about new boots last year, but this definitely (now) isn't the year to do it until I know everything has settled into its final size/shape. That could mean some fiddling around with my other one, to make it fit a bit more snugly, but I'll worry about that a little closer to the actual season.

As for the skis, I don't really know which one will make me feel more comfortable. It's been at least a couple of years since I skied the Nordicas, but they were the first ski I actually LOVED so maybe they have some good mojo. Local shop will be having their half-price tuning month soon so I'll take them in to make sure they're ready. And they're not the ones I was injured on, so there's that. I don't honestly expect to be paralyzed by my head, but I'd like to allow for the possibility so I'm not surprised if it happens.

I've already committed to myself to plan on greens/blues this year - also groomed only, since I'm not so great on the ungroomed, anyway. Was happy to see Taos added to the Ikon pass, as maybe I could do a ski week somewhat early in the season and get back to things in a supervised environment.

It's been an interesting event so far - with still more to come.

ETA - @luliski - Surgery was June 8th. Also a one-ski quiver person, except that I still have the Nordicas because I loved them and couldn't bring myself to get rid of them. Guess that might come in handy! Seems like we have the same boot idea, too . . .

 

[Dwight]

I am still in PT, and he says I am doing well with both strength and joint movement. That said, I still have a hitch in my giddy-up but we're working on it. Starting to do some balance exercises now, and he seemed pleased with that, too. There was only one so far that I was pretty bad at and that one involved a large springy tether that I was working against while standing on one foot and having it pull me sideways.

Sounds like you are on the right track. This is what will get you comfortable, strengthening everything. Once you feel strong enough, then worry about gear.

 

[luliski]

One thing you could do, if you think your boots might work, is take them to your boot fitter to see if they think the boots need adjustments. But wait until the swelling goes down more. Maybe you just need a new liner? Didn't you break your ankle IN YOUR BOOT? That just occurred to me. Maybe you do need at least a new liner so that they are snug enough.

I keep my old skis too, even though I don't ski them. I think my Nordica Conquers are the wider version of your Victorys. They are very heavy and like to go fast. I don't know if they would be better than your Kenjas.

 

[Jenny]

One thing you could do, if you think your boots might work, is take them to your boot fitter to see if they think the boots need adjustments. But wait until the swelling goes down more. Maybe you just need a new liner? Didn't you break your ankle IN YOUR BOOT? That just occurred to me. Maybe you do need at least a new liner so that they are snug enough.

I keep my old skis too, even though I don't ski them. I think my Nordica Conquers are the wider version of your Victorys. They are very heavy and like to go fast. I don't know if they would be better than your Kenjas.

Yep, did all the damage while wearing the boot. Good part about swelling - it will make the boot fit more snugly! (Working on finding the silver lining in all of this. )

 

[Ron]

that ankle will take a solid 9 months (maybe closer to a year) to feel more normal in that time, you will still have changes to your walk, gate, its functionality, some swelling so don't go and make a lot of changes to anything right now!

 

[Jenny]

that ankle will take a solid 9 months (maybe closer to a year) to feel more normal in that time, you will still have changes to your walk, gate, its functionality, some swelling so don't go and make a lot of changes to anything right now!

Thanks. Can't believe how long it takes to get back to the new normal!

 

[Jerez]

I've broken my ankle, partial tear of MCL and ACL and tibial plateau hairline fracture. (not all at once) My husband also went through 3 back surgeries and we have both come back from all these to ski and love it like before.

Most here have dealt with the body recovery and it's all good advice; but I'd like to address the head trip.

It was hard at first for both of us. There's this fear and need to baby yourself that seems to take some of the joy out of it. I did the greens and blues, but I was worried at the end of the day that I'd lost my love; just didn't feel the same.

What worked really well for both of us after recovery was to take a private lesson with a really good instructor. Doesn't have to be a long lesson or more than one. There is something about relinquishing your decision-making to someone you trust. And it really worked. I wasn't thinking about "can I do this?' "what if...." etc. I was just doing what he said. And before I knew it, I was having fun again!!!

PS: after the ankle break, I used a neoprene brace inside my hiking and ski boots for a year. Not sure it did anything, but it helped with confidence. Also, there really isn't a better cast than a ski boot, so the chance of you re-injuring you ankle while skiing is mitigated.

Good luck. You will do fine. Promise!

 

[Ron]

expect some swelling when you get back on the snow, that's to be expected. another reason to hold for a little while but all means, buy new skis

 

[Marker]

I broke my right fibula in my boot at the end of January, but didn't need surgery. It healed well and quickly according to my doctor. My final 6 month visit was in mid-July. I was told to resume normal exercise before that and had even earlier where I didn't put any pressure on that ankle, so kept a lot of fitness. But the ankle was still too swollen to think about putting on my boots. I finally did so last weekend! The doctor warned that the swelling would take a lot longer to subside than the bone knitting together, and it still swells some with activity. But it gets better with each use and recovery. I'm sure there was some ligament damage as well. Lunges are great for skiing, but I still lose my balance some on that ankle as I get ready for the season. I'm also worried a little about the mental recovery in the early season, but I still bought some new powder skis!

 

[Jenny]

Also, there really isn't a better cast than a ski boot, so the chance of you re-injuring you ankle while skiing is mitigated.

Good luck. You will do fine. Promise!

Thanks for the vote of confidence! I think the biggest part of the head trip will be that I managed to injure it this severely in the boot in the first place, so now I know it can happen. Before that I could pretend that it wouldn't ever happen to me because I don't take chances doing crazy stuff. You know, except for skiing in a straight line at the bottom of a blue hill . . .

 

[François Pugh]

The skinnier skis will be easier and less problematic on hard snow; the wider ones will be easier and less problematic on snow you can sink into.
Be prepared for the swelling to make your boot uncomfortably too tight, and have plan B (sloppy rental boots) ready for day 1. If that turned out to be the case I would get some adjustments done to the boot to compensate, but wait a good 12 months before buying new boots or liners (unless spending money again and again on the same thing is no object).

 

[Jenny]

The skinnier skis will be easier and less problematic on hard snow; the wider ones will be easier and less problematic on snow you can sink into.
Be prepared for the swelling to make your boot uncomfortably too tight, and have plan B (sloppy rental boots) ready for day 1. If that turned out to be the case I would get some adjustments done to the boot to compensate, but wait a good 12 months before buying new boots or liners (unless spending money again and again on the same thing is no object).

OMG I haven’t worn rental boots in forever! How on earth do I make that work with my other scrawny, narrow heeled foot? And what kind of adjustment could be made to the boot so it's wearable at the beginning and the end of the day? Or should I start with thicker socks and then change to thinner ones as it swells? Likely to swell enough that taking it off is painful?

So much scope for overthinking and worrying the months away . . . These are some details that I knew in general (ankle will swell with use) but wouldn’t even begin to have come up with some of these specifics.

Thanks everyone - these are the kinds of thing I need to know could happen.

 

[luliski]

If you wore compression socks to ski, that could keep the swelling down.

 

[cantunamunch]

ZipFit laceups.