AIL "Alpine Injured List"

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Let's hope this thread recieves very few posts. However , I think it is important to provide help where and when we can. So many of you came to my aid over the past few years. It really made a big different. My thinking is it helps to alert folks of injuries sustained to BOL members, giving us a chance to provide help even if it is long distance.

I would caution those posting to be careful about providing personal information. Please check with the member before posting for them.

Providing links to other threads that include details about an injury would make sense. A way to bring it to the larger groups attention perhaps?

With that, I wish everyone a happy new year and an injury free season!!!

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Yesterday , Christmas Day , posted by John Gilmour while at Mammoth California

[SEJ]

Yes Bryan, I agree, let's hope this is a short thread. Good idea though. Lets the community know who they can help.

[Bullwings]

http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulleti...ad.php?t=32396

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulleti...ad.php?t=32396

Knarly!! Heal fast!! Damn!!!

so i've broken my left wrist. yesterday was a so-so day until i found a really quiet and grippy run to play on. i'd been getting some really hard turns in all morning and was having more fun than, with the benefit of hindsight, was maybe safe. the board was working, the boots were working, and the smile was working. then i found a strange bit of terrain while heelsiding, and BOOM, i'm crossed-up, flipped over and punching the ground.

turns out my wristguards don't protect against this sort of impact. my helmet had some odd marks on it, and it doesn't knock true anymore. in the bin it goes.

i'll be getting stretched and pinned tomorrow, looks like i'm out until early feb. oh well.

[John Gilmour]

zero progress on the calf.... its been a week- but I discovered I hurt both ankles the left one really badly and jammed my big toe too...

The bruising that is coming out is pretty wild looking.

Another surgery???? perhaps uggghh.

So at this point I think January is a complete loss...

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

John, thanks for the update. Wish the news was better. Hang in there. Bryan

[John Gilmour]

Last few days I slept with my foot up and toes pointed downwards to make the calf as relaxed as possible ..after 18 days of no progress.. it seems to be sealing up like a paper cut taped properly.

Saw the Ortho yesterday and he downgraded my tear to a Grade 1, and MCL sprain grade 1. (didn't even realize the MCL had been hurt because the calf was so painful. ACL is now intact. Bizzare since I could feel a huge grand canyon on the calf muscle that I could put three fingers into.. two days ago... as if by magic ----.... it just sealed up. ?????

So I might be on snow sometime in February...

[Allee]

Out for a couple of weeks at least ... third degree frostbite to my big toe. That's what I get for wearing new socks.

[Seraph]

Last few days I slept with my foot up and toes pointed downwards to make the calf as relaxed as possible ..after 18 days of no progress.. it seems to be sealing up like a paper cut taped properly.

Saw the Ortho yesterday and he downgraded my tear to a Grade 1, and MCL sprain grade 1. (didn't even realize the MCL had been hurt because the calf was so painful. ACL is now intact. Bizzare since I could feel a huge grand canyon on the calf muscle that I could put three fingers into.. two days ago... as if by magic ----.... it just sealed up. ?????

So I might be on snow sometime in February...

John,

just catching up on this thread, by chance did you have an MRI done on your calf/achilles tendon? I'm assuming that an Ortho would have that done basd on your description of the incident. After reading the initial description of the injury it sounded like you tore your achilles tendon. I had done the same thing a few years back and I needed surgery to fix it. Just curious if that has been ruled out.

Heal quick.

[kieran]

Out for a couple of weeks at least ... third degree frostbite to my big toe. That's what I get for wearing new socks.

losing a toe would not be good.

[two_ravens]

Uuughh! Allee take care of that toe! How can you kick my butt next time we ride together if you're missing toe parts?!? OK, sending warm thoughts....

[colintkemp]

Out for a couple of weeks at least ... third degree frostbite to my big toe. That's what I get for wearing new socks.

Yikes, Allee - get better soon. Dumb question, but how did that happen? Was it, for example, a day of riding?

[Puddy Tat]

Yikes, Allee - get better soon. Dumb question, but how did that happen? Was it, for example, a day of riding?

NES day one. Temperatures -24C ish. With 15 to 28cm of powder. No one really wanted to quit riding. Most of the crew out riding got a bit of frost nip on their cheeks below the googles. Nothing like Allee's toe though. Yikes! Get better soon. I'll be down riding at Nakiska a few more times this season I'll let you guys know when I'll be making it.


Dave

[Allee]

Yikes, Allee - get better soon. Dumb question, but how did that happen? Was it, for example, a day of riding?

Dave was right - the conditions were so epic that nobody was going to quit riding! New, thicker socks in already very tight boots, and I guess it was just enough to restrict the circulation to my big toe. Cold temperatures, blood stops, toe freezes ... voila. I don't have the best circulation anyway, and my toes frequently go numb, so I wasn't overly bothered during the day ... but when the feeling hasn't come back after a couple of beers, you know you got problems.

Good news is, I have at least some feeling all over the toe. Bad news is - today I can see a big, fat blood blister forming under the skin. I'm guessing in a few days, that's gonna be kind of gross.

[kieran]

today I can see a big, fat blood blister forming under the skin. I'm guessing in a few days, that's gonna be kind of gross.

picture diary.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Kiwis are SOOOOO cool! In a tough , no nonsense sort of way.

Heal quickly young lady!

[Allee]

picture diary.

For sure! I've already threatened my Facebook friends with instalment 2! Of course, I'm well aware I have nothing on you ... that torture device on your arm looks gnarly.

Kiwis are SOOOOO cool! In a tough , no nonsense sort of way.

No use crying about it once it's done. Just hoping it doesn't turn into a "freeze in January, amputate in July" thing ... but apparently I have a queue of friends who would happily throw me an amputation party!

[kieran]

No use crying about it once it's done.

Just hoping it doesn't turn into a "freeze in January, amputate in July" thing ... but apparently I have a queue of friends who would happily throw me an amputation party!

if it does, i suggest a half-size wine carafe and some formaldehyde! you'll probably get away with it though.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

No use crying about it once it's done. Just hoping it doesn't turn into a "freeze in January, amputate in July" thing ... but apparently I have a queue of friends who would happily throw me an amputation party!

My first thought was "I wonder where she was climbing?"

Yep, my hands and feet do not hold up very well in the extreme cold. Sorry to hear about this. Time to get the leeches out?

[Paulk]

Kiwis are SOOOOO cool! In a tough , no nonsense sort of way.

Heal quickly young lady!

+1


p.s. the amputation party wasn't MY idea

[John Gilmour]

John,

just catching up on this thread, by chance did you have an MRI done on your calf/achilles tendon? I'm assuming that an Ortho would have that done basd on your description of the incident. After reading the initial description of the injury it sounded like you tore your achilles tendon. I had done the same thing a few years back and I needed surgery to fix it. Just curious if that has been ruled out.

Heal quick.

The ortho checked my leg 21 days into the injury... he said my achilles was intact... passed the Thompson squeeze test for instance.. He did not think a MRI or X-ray was needed.. which did surprise me. But 19 days into it suddenly I am able to Dorsey flex and calf flex a bit. Anterior tibialus seems fine. Slalom Skateboarded a tiny bit ..I can pump lightly but not push off..

I did tear my PCL... left leg (it's a complete PCL tear...gone I ahve extra mobility- he says it won't screw me up... but I notice it in some movements which might bug me in moguls ).. Left MCl is slightly resprained, sprains to both ankles, some sort of trauma to the left shin- he thinks is related to the calf tear in terms of bruising, torn left medial calf. I also jammed the left big toe (fixed now). Also slight lateral calf tear to right leg.. Might have some tiny fracture in my left ankle... but will need an x-ray.. sharp pain on lower instep.. wearing my hardboot orthotics in my sneakers greatly eases this pain.

He said the muscles were clearly torn... but surgery on muscles would not work as stitches don't work (they just tear).. he said tendons were different.

He thinks February is possible.. but I do wonder if he had inspected me the day of the injury if he would have said take the year off.


Bright side.. I've been hitting the gym since my wings are clipped.

[Mike T]

I did tear my PCL... left leg (it's a complete PCL tear...gone I ahve extra mobility- he says it won't screw me up... but I notice it in some movements which might bug me in moguls )

Welcome to the "missing PCL" club. I lost mine to a tree 23 months ago. Riding w/ a brace now, don't really notice the brace or the fact that the PCL is missing at any time while riding. The one time I do notice the PCL missing is while doing yoga. Surgeon was pretty much dead-set against a reconstruction, thought I'd be fine for the sports I do as long as I keep the quads in shape. Personally, I think upper calves are even more important, as the amount of unnatural movement seems to decrease as I build calf mass.

Heal well!

[John Gilmour]

great advice about the upper calf and PCL....that would seem to make sense since it is close to that area... do you do calf curls with the last 10 degrees of rom to hit that? When I tore my PCL the first time they said not to get surgery on it... I would..however like to have it repaired if they ever have to go in there again anyhow. In Boston there is a guy who does great PCL repair.. has anyone had it done?

[k2slopesurfer]

First day of the season on softies in fresh snow (and new manmade) I was having a lovely day on nearly empty midweek slopes. Or so I'm told, I don't remember driving to the mountain, the day at the mountain, and only bits and pieces of the next 4 days. (I think some of that is due to percocet.)
Apparently, I hit a roller on a trail that we had gone down many times before, landed a little forward in a pie of new manmade, and did an endo onto my face. Thankfully my goggles and helmet took the brunt and I didn't end up with a fractured skull. I did end up hitting the ground so hard that I split the skin on my left temple. My ski buddy realized something was wrong when I couldn't remember who he was, or even what year it was.
$150 copay for er in BFE. cat scan, sent on 4 hour ride back home with buddy. (don't remember the ride)
Get home, intractible vomiting, $150 copay for er in the city, 2nd cat scan. (out of network, $232 extra for that) sent home with drugs. Slept most of the next 4 days, follow up with Doc 1 week later, still having short term memory issues, told that I am out for at least a month, valentine's day possibility.
So, as a certified ski and snowboard instructor who isn't allowed on snow, I guess I'm SOL. But hey I'm alive, and I ordered a new helmet so I'll be ready when I can get back out.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

1 week later, still having short term memory issues, told

About that 500$ I loaned you last week?

Take care of the mellon. No more thumps for a year!!
Glad you can walk and talk!!

[k2slopesurfer]

About that 500$ I loaned you last week?

Take care of the mellon. No more thumps for a year!!
Glad you can walk and talk!!

Nice try... luckily, my better half knows my finances better than I do, and has a nice medical insurance policy...

[kjl]

Welcome to the "missing PCL" club. I lost mine to a tree 23 months ago. Riding w/ a brace now, don't really notice the brace or the fact that the PCL is missing at any time while riding. The one time I do notice the PCL missing is while doing yoga. Surgeon was pretty much dead-set against a reconstruction, thought I'd be fine for the sports I do as long as I keep the quads in shape. Personally, I think upper calves are even more important, as the amount of unnatural movement seems to decrease as I build calf mass.

Heal well!

I tore my PCL many years ago, maybe 16 years ago now. For the first ~6-7 years I didn't really notice it, but the unnatural motion (shin shifting backwards) slowly got looser and looser and looser until it really started messing stuff up (my knee would lock up, I'd get pain for days after sports, etc.).

Quads help some, I guess, but you're right, the calf is probably more important; I noticed a long time ago that flexing my calf muscle would pull my shin into the correct place. Having better, stronger calf muscle tone made it less shifty.

However, my knee degraded to the point where I needed the full reconstruction, and I have to say, the rehab sucked, but it was worth it to not have to think about it any more. Now I don't have to concentrate on holding my knee together every time I fire my hamstrings.

BTW, I think snowboarding (alpine or otherwise), is probably one of the least stressful sports to your PCL. So that's a good thing. Even cycling, on the back stroke, stresses the PCL when you fire that hamstring.

Watch out for bending your knee with your foot poked out to the side (like standing with duck feet and squatting). It won't hurt anymore because you have no PCL, but it'll be stretching stuff apart in there that's not supposed to stretch apart.

[John Gilmour]

First day of the season on softies in fresh snow (and new manmade) I was having a lovely day on nearly empty midweek slopes. Or so I'm told, I don't remember driving to the mountain, the day at the mountain, and only bits and pieces of the next 4 days. (I think some of that is due to percocet.)
Apparently, I hit a roller on a trail that we had gone down many times before, landed a little forward in a pie of new manmade, and did an endo onto my face. Thankfully my goggles and helmet took the brunt and I didn't end up with a fractured skull. I did end up hitting the ground so hard that I split the skin on my left temple. My ski buddy realized something was wrong when I couldn't remember who he was, or even what year it was.
$150 copay for er in BFE. cat scan, sent on 4 hour ride back home with buddy. (don't remember the ride)
Get home, intractible vomiting, $150 copay for er in the city, 2nd cat scan. (out of network, $232 extra for that) sent home with drugs. Slept most of the next 4 days, follow up with Doc 1 week later, still having short term memory issues, told that I am out for at least a month, valentine's day possibility.
So, as a certified ski and snowboard instructor who isn't allowed on snow, I guess I'm SOL. But hey I'm alive, and I ordered a new helmet so I'll be ready when I can get back out.

I got a helmet for this season.


The guys at Troy Lee said they did not want to submit it for DOT testing (higher costs because of insurance) ...and likely with so many vents it wouldn't pass but they felt extremely confident about it not being any lesser of a helmet.

[John Gilmour]

It's a pretty big Lid... but my feelings were that if I hit my head.. it would be hard enough to warrant a lid like this.

At 47 years old and 33 years of riding and NOT hitting my head... (20 mph faceplant once ..) I just figure I might have just about used up my luck.

D3 Carbon Fiber (nice layup too!) about 1 kilo. The full face does block a tiny amount of my lower vision perhaps just 1/2 inch more than my goggles (still not used to it) but I am trying to manage.