Yet another knee story

I sprained my knee in Big Sky back in early February.  I thought it was just an MCL, but that healed and my knee still hurt. An MRI showed a torn medial meniscus, and some arthritis on the medial side.  Based on how my knees felt before the sprain, I'm pretty sure I have arthritis in both knees.  I am seriously bow-legged, and I think that puts more pressure on the medial cartilage, and that's what caused the arthritis. The arthritis is more of a concern than the meniscus.

So it looks like I'm in for arthroscopy, and eventually knee replacements if I live long enough.

mm  

Ouch. Live long, prosper and get new knees.

You an get a lot of good insight into skiing-related injuries and other medical topics on the TGR "Gimp Central" threads. If nothing else, you can commiserate with fellow sufferers. It was my introduction into the wacky world of TGR:

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/16-Gimp-Central

Milo Maltbie wrote

I am seriously bow-legged, and I think that puts more pressure on the medial cartilage, and that's what caused the arthritis.

mm

Being bow legged forces you use a much higher degree of knee angulation to get your outside ski on a high edge angle. That is what causes the issues with your knee as the angulation should come from your hip for the most part with only fine tuning in your knee.  Given your body that is not possible.

What have you been doing as far as boot fitting and cants?  If nothing you need to see a top notch boot fitter before skiing in the fall.  I recommend Gary and Richard at Sportspage in Queensbury.

Also what width ski are you skiing. Width makes your issues much worse so I’d suggest going to something narrow in the carving to race ski widths to lessen the impact on your knees.

For those guys swearing by fat widths on hard pack you are doing to your knees what a bow leggedness does to them from you ski choice.

I had a bucket tear over 20 years ago, had it nibbled out by a good surgeon. Been skiing ever sense. I can’t even remember which knee it was. Have to look for the tiny scars. I have no arthritis, but I keep my knees & quads strong. Get the knee fixed before other issues arise and the keep them strong. Maybe you will outlive the arthritis.

Milo Maltbie wrote

  The arthritis is more of a concern than the meniscus.
   

 

I share your same pain --- I can live with my knee sliding out every once in a while but the arthritis is the killer. I too am bow-legged.

New knee for me as well but not until I can't take it anymore. The thought of another knee surgery and the recovery that comes with it makes me want to cry.

SBR:  Thanks for the link.

Z: I agree with you about fat skis.  It's almost a joke among my friends that I always have the skinniest skis in the group. Knee angulation is not my issue. My joints are so tight I can barely get any hip angulation.  I think a lifetime of running and 10 years of heavy squats are way more responsible for the condition of my knees than skiing is.
A lot of my friends like Gary, but Marc Stewart (at Windham) is the best boot fitter I've ever met.

PeeTex wrote

Maybe you will outlive the arthritis.

I wish.

Thanks for all the replies.

mm

Milo
Do you either have your boot soles planed or cants under your bindings?  That would allow you to have a more neutral stance to be able to tip the ski on edge easier.  

Depending on the degree of your lower leg tilting out there is a limit to how many degrees you can sole plane.  Cants under the binding can do more but then you have to use a flat ski and not a system binding.

This would take a lot of pressure off your knees and allow you to ski better.

Z wrote

Do you either have your boot soles planed or cants under your bindings?  

I've got all that covered, but skiing better is part of my past, and my knees are the least of my problems.

mm

Milo Maltbie wrote

skiing better is part of my past, and my knees are the least of my problems.

Milo, if you care to share, what does this mean?

Harvey wrote

...if you care to share, what does this mean?

No, it's just all age related stuff, and I'm feeling sorry for myself.

You'll understand soon enough, if you're lucky.

mm

Dude you are not getting any younger. Go get two new knees. 8 months later you are back in business with no pain.  

tjf1967 wrote

Dude you are not getting any younger. Go get two new knees. 8 months later you are back in business with no pain.

I have a friend who did both knees in her early 60s.  Had put off the surgery for at least 10 years for assorted reasons.  Took a 3-month medical leave but was getting around just fine after about 4 weeks.  Not a skier, but she was a runner before the knees weren't up for it.  She was very happy with the outcome.

Skied with the creator of Floskis at Mammoth in May.  Just happen to come across him.  Adrian is mid-70s.  Has two replaced hips and a partial knee replacement.  Happy as can be to be pain free.  Skiing way better than most people half his age.  My ski buddy and I skied with Adrian for a couple hours, mostly on black terrain with plenty of soft spring bumps.  We demo'd his skis for kicks.

Milo Maltbie wrote

Z wrote

Do you either have your boot soles planed or cants under your bindings?  

I've got all that covered, but skiing better is part of my past, and my knees are the least of my problems.

mm

Look me up next season
There are probably some small things you can do to your skiing that will make an impact

TJF, Marznc:  Thanks for the advice, but I'm not a replacement candidate yet.  Except for the meniscus tear, I don't have any serious symptoms at all.  I have at least 8 friends who have had knee replacements, and only one of them was as healthy as me after a double replacement.  Five of them resulted in serious infections, and three of the replacements had to be redone.  I'll wait until I get much worse and the technology gets better.

Z: Thanks for the offer, but I'm the best coached skier in North America.  Old age is a bitch, but mostly I'm feeling sorry for myself.

mm

Milo Maltbie wrote

 

Z: Thanks for the offer, but I'm the best coached skier in North America.  

 

Damn! that's quite a statement right there --- good on ya!

campgottagopee wrote

Milo Maltbie wrote

 

Z: Thanks for the offer, but I'm the best coached skier in North America.  

 

Damn! that's quite a statement right there --- good on ya!

I've had the opportunity to ski with some of the best coaches in the US.  One of them was Ned Crossley, who was the AD and gymnastics coach at West Point for a long time.  He told me that other coaches thought of him as a "turd polisher," meaning he could take guys with limited ability and make them competitive, but he would never coach a champion.  Maybe he was trying to tell me something.

mm

LOL --- that's great. Thanks for sharing that.

I would avoid the dr and hospitals they went to.  I know dozens of people that have had the replacements done with only one complication.  Just met another one this morning.  He is getting his hip done in august.

tjf1967 wrote

I would avoid the dr and hospitals they went to.

I'm definitely gonna avoid those hospitals, at least for a few years.

mm

I’ve skied with Ned.  He is an awesome old dude and great coach