Skiing.... and knee injuries

[benno]

That'll teach the mongrels to ski! <hides skis under bed>

So anyway, I'm doing an anatomy/dissection project specifically about skiing and knee injuries (ACL, MCL, meniscal tears etc).

Not being an alpine skier (snowboard or tele only), I have a question: do modern bindings release only from the toes? No heel release? That's what this (http://www.ski-injury.com/alpine.htm) website is claiming, but I could swear most bindings I've seen have a DIN adjuster on the heel block... :confused:

[patmoore]

Ski bindings definitely release front and rear. I believe there has been some discussion that what has not been perfected is a release that saves your ACL if you fall backwards requiring your toe piece to release upward.

[tex1230]

the only ski binding I have seen that addresses the issue pat pointed out was the Line Reactor - but it was discontinued due to mounting issues...they mounted like a snowboard binding - 4 screws in the middle of the binding plate...they were sloppy as hell...but the concept was pretty good.

[BDZal]

I have released from the heel before.

Markers race bindings have a din range of 15-30 to compensate for their sensitive upward toe release. Atomic's race bindings have a mechanism which allows the user to lock the upward release, but I'm not sure how sensitive they are unlocked.

[Rob Smith]

Bert Bindings:
- early 1970's
- a plate w/ fore & aft retention (wire) cables

Along with Hanson boots & Hexel skiis I enjoyed the latest and greatest.

To the best of my memory the Bert binding was unceremoniously retired when
Orthapedic Surgeons started referring to "Bert (compound) fractures" as the worst injury on skiis...

[Neil Gendzwill]

All heel pieces release up either straight or with a twist, I don't know if any of them release straight sideways (I've never seen one). All toe pieces release sideways, and some of them release up. I think the problem is the slow rearward twisting fall which doesn't generate enough force on those toes to release but still blows up your ACL real good. Maybe they've solved that problem now, but it seems like most of the research/marketing these days is on the ski-binding interface, trying to cause minimal interference with flex when the binding comprises a significant proportion of the ski length on modern short skiis.

[OffpisteHardboots]

I think the problem is the slow rearward twisting fall which doesn't generate enough force on those toes to release but still blows up your ACL real good.

Yes those slow rotating falls hurt a whole bunch. Tear all the ligaments up real good.

Ask me how I know!!