New ACL and a case of the mentals...

[crons]

At the risk of sounding like a whining little punk, I'd love to hear what people have to say regarding this sort of thing.

I'm about 13 months out from ACLr (hammy). I've really been concentrating on rehab and gym stuff, trying to get my legs back under me. So far everything feels good.

However, I'm about 2 weeks out from a trip to Big Sky. I live in the midwest, so I only put in about 10-20 days a year. Anyway, I have to admit, I'm totally amped about the upcoming trip, but I'm also scared as hell at the same time. It's strange having this underlying feeling of dread about a trip that I used to get so excited about. In the past, these annual trips to Montana were what kept me going the rest of the year. Don't get me wrong, I'm still super excited about getting back out there, as I was laid up this time last year. But I definately have a wicked case of the mentals.

Anyway....if anybody has any advice/words of wisdom, I'd love to hear about it. This board has been a life-saver for the past year, and I continuously check it for nuggets of knowledge.

Thanks in advance.

[Shepherd Wong]

You'll be fine. Maybe take half your first day alone and feel it out without any pressure. Ease into it take a mellow groomer and go slow your first few runs.

[Vinman]

the hardest part of rehab is trusting your knee again. Just ease into it and step up gradulay as you gain confidence. The biggest thing is to not think about getting hurt. If you think you'll get hurt you prolly will. Just try to turn your brain off and let your body take over. It will remember what to do.

[crons]

Cool. Thanks for the good words, fellas. I appreciate it.

[Buzzworthy]

9 months out now on my ACLr, allograft. I got real mental. Stuck to groomers the first day and by lunch started to "feel" it again. A few more days out and I am riding like I did before it happened (braced).

Keep to your comfort level and it will go away in time.
Trusting the knee is the key and easier said than done.

[Tyestik]

After I tore mine I didn't ski for 14 months, I ended up skiing in Austria for the first time after the surgery. I was super tense about going and remember the whole train ride up from Italy I was scared.

I def took it easy the first few runs. It seemed like I was waiting for something bad to happen only my leg was reacting and working just as I remembered. I was skiing steep black diamond piste's by lunch time. Now 6 years later I'm skiing just as hard as I used to. I avoid "stupid" stuff like terrain parks and anything with a flat landing not saying terrain parks are stupid just not worth the risk to me. If you have been rehabing you shold be fine.

Good Luck, I'm headed to Big Sky in a month so let me know how your trip goes?

[Fuzz]

I'm almost exactly 10 months post-op from my ACLr (hamstring auto). Been skiing since the 8-month post-op mark.

Second pretty much what others have said. Take it easy your first few runs/days. Don't get pressured by friends to ski stuff you don't feel ready for (especially at first). And as Vinman said, don't think about the knee -- just ski. The first day I was focusing too much attention on the knee -- everything else was flailing, I sucked, and felt like I was skiing for the first time again. Once I stopped thinking about it and just skied, it all came back surprisingly fast. Skied (w/ brace) my first post-op double-black bowl (w/ cut-up pow/crud/bumps) last weekend without any physical problem (although there's still that mental hesitation).

[montanagirl]

The mental thing will end after a fall and everything stays intact. Could be skiing, ice in the parking lot, tripping over the dog, etc. Had same fear first day on the slopes and it held me back. Fell about 15 feet off of the top of the haystack when I was feeding my horses the other day, could hardly catch my breath and in a panic grabbed my knee, and then got up laughing when I realized knee was okay and had that "holy shit not again" thought when falling. Went out and ripped some turns the next day. Was at PT and this came up- almost everyone has a "falling story" and you'll get to a point where you trust that surgery worked and the fear of re-injury slowly disappears.

[Fuzz]

One thing that helped with overcoming my mental block are jump practices. My PT gave me a bunch of jumping exercises to work on (starting with little standing jumps, progressing to one legged hops, deep squat jumps (which I can't yet do), bounding jumps, etc.). The one-legged hops especially gave me confidence that the knee would be okay.

But like montanagirl said, I don't think I'll be fully confident until after I have that first fall and (hopefully) still be okay!

[Fritz]

Got the doc's clearance after exactly 5 months with my new ACL. First day was really sketchy as I tended to baby the shit out of it. Did this for about 4-5 days until I felt somewhat normal again (aggressive skiing, 10-15ft hucks, etc). If there is anyway you can get some local skiing in before you go, even if it's midwest 200ft verticals, do it.

[SheSkisTrees]

I had minor ACL and major miniscus damage, so clearly not as extensive as what you're recovering from, but the "case of the mentals" hits home because they said if I fell again and damaged that ACL, I'd have to have it replaced. The thing that amazed me is that because of all the rehab and gym work after surgery, my knee was stronger than it had ever been. I skied BETTER my first day back than I did before the injury. Stuck to groomers and smiled the whole day. Hopefully, you too will be pleasantly surprised.

[Jim J]

One thing that helped with overcoming my mental block are jump practices. My PT gave me a bunch of jumping exercises to work on (starting with little standing jumps, progressing to one legged hops, deep squat jumps (which I can't yet do), bounding jumps, etc.). The one-legged hops especially gave me confidence that the knee would be okay.

The jumping drills gave me a lot of confidence as well. Get your physical therapist to show you some jumping drills. After you do a bunch of those you will realize your knee is really stable.

[crons]

This is all great stuff!! Thanks a bunch for all of the advice!!

Jumping drills have been a big part of my trips to the gym. After starting off with small stuff, I've graduated to more "arduous" stuff. Lots of one-legged stuff, and lots of pivot stuff. Indeed, the confidence seems to come with time. As you all have mentioned, it seems like I just need to get out there and chill on some groomers for a bit. And I'll do so with a huge grin on my grill!!!

Thanks again for all of the advice and tips. Happy healing to everyone else!

[Fuzz]

Well what'd you know? We talk about that first crash giving you confidence -- and what do I do? Why, go and have my first post-op crash!

Went out for a few runs yesterday afternoon. A boarder passed very close on a narrow catwalk and no sooner was he 6" in front of me then he crashed. I had nowhere to go, so down I went. The right ski (on the injured/repaired leg) came off thankfully (I was wearing a brace). Other than seriously shaken nerves, I was okay. Skied a few more runs and headed home early. Knee is just a little sore today, but feels "intact".

I dunno if that first crash has really given me any more confidence though!

[Woodlandclown]

Well what'd you know? We talk about that first crash giving you confidence -- and what do I do? Why, go and have my first post-op crash!

Went out for a few runs yesterday afternoon. A boarder passed very close on a narrow catwalk and no sooner was he 6" in front of me then he crashed. I had nowhere to go, so down I went. The right ski (on the injured/repaired leg) came off thankfully (I was wearing a brace). Other than seriously shaken nerves, I was okay. Skied a few more runs and headed home early. Knee is just a little sore today, but feels "intact".

I dunno if that first crash has really given me any more confidence though!

its the other people that you have to worry about too!

I've skied twice on my torn ACL with a brace and I have to tell you its a bit nerve-wracking. i feel like i want to ski how i normally do, but then i get nervous and then i start gaping it up. And i worry about the other people. My head just really isnt into it like it would be normally--I am debating going this weekend--i feel like XC is more my style for now.

hopefully i will feel better next year after surgery. The more you get out the better you'll feel--i am sure (i hope!)

Good luck.

I just re-scheduled my surgery for April 7--two days after my birthday and hopefully after i have skied a few nice soft spring days!

[montanagirl]

Well what'd you know? We talk about that first crash giving you confidence -- and what do I do? Why, go and have my first post-op crash!

Went out for a few runs yesterday afternoon. A boarder passed very close on a narrow catwalk and no sooner was he 6" in front of me then he crashed. I had nowhere to go, so down I went. The right ski (on the injured/repaired leg) came off thankfully (I was wearing a brace). Other than seriously shaken nerves, I was okay. Skied a few more runs and headed home early. Knee is just a little sore today, but feels "intact".

I dunno if that first crash has really given me any more confidence though!

We should have talked about this last night. Guess that's what happens when you're on opposite ends of the table. You had the first fall, everything is in tact- now have faith, be like the Nike ad and "Just Do It". It will be okay, your knee is stable and healing. When the mental thing creeps up, enjoy the views around you or anything else to get your mind off of the apprehension. Making fun of tourists helps also, seeing someone else fall and bend their bodies in positions one would not think the human body was capable of is sometimes enough to get your mind off of the negatives.

[crons]

hey everyone,

just an update for those who care.

i had a great trip to big sky. took it easy the first couple of days and got comfortable again. after that, everything just sorta clicked, and i mostly forgot about the knee.

thanks again for all the encouraging words. nothing beats getting back out there again!!

oh, and tystik, the conditions were sick-o!!! over 2 feet of fresh during the 8 days i was out there. you're sittin' pretty my friend!! enjoy!!!

[SkiBrain]

That's great crons. Glad you had a good trip and everything was fine.

Lots of good advice and positive messages here. Definitely going to come back to this other similar threads after I have my surgery. For now I'm struggling with confidence issues and being overly cautious while skiing with a brace, no acl, and other partially torn ligaments.

[SheSkisTrees]

So glad to hear you had a great trip and your knee is doing fine!