AIL "Alpine Injured List"

[Big D]

After reading through these threads I am feeling extremely fortunate for only having sprained my ankle over the last few days while riding the freestyle board. Yet another reason for me to ride the hardboots more often.

My best to all those riding the couch for awhile, get well soon.

D

[Tim W]

I am almost beyond my ability to deal. Another 10 inches of fresh this morning at MHM. On February 8th if finally started snowing on Mount Hood again. I was having a spectacular day of powder fun at Meadows until I hit that wind blown ice, lost my edge and smacked a tree. Complete rupture of my left achilles tendon. Then it kept raining in Portland and snowing and snowing on the mountain. In 6 more weeks hopefully I will be walking again. Pretty sick of life on crutches, but happy it was not my head/neck etc. To all the other wounded out there- I feel for you.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

I am almost beyond my ability to deal. Another 10 inches of fresh this morning at MHM. On February 8th if finally started snowing on Mount Hood again. I was having a spectacular day of powder fun at Meadows until I hit that wind blown ice, lost my edge and smacked a tree. Complete rupture of my left achilles tendon. Then it kept raining in Portland and snowing and snowing on the mountain. In 6 more weeks hopefully I will be walking again. Pretty sick of life on crutches, but happy it was not my head/neck etc. To all the other wounded out there- I feel for you.

Sorry to hear this Tim, this happened on Feb 8th , is that correct?
PS. The snow was wind effected! No good at all.

[Tim W]

Sorry to hear this Tim, this happened on Feb 8th , is that correct?
PS. The snow was wind effected! No good at all.

Thanks. Yes, it was 2/8 and there was lots of wind affected snow. I just happened to be in deep powder in the trees and there was a channel where the wind scoured the snow to rough ice. Hit the ice, then hit the tree. Looks like there is another 10" at meadows today. Oh, well.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Thanks. Yes, it was 2/8 and there was lots of wind affected snow. I just happened to be in deep powder in the trees and there was a channel where the wind scoured the snow to rough ice. Hit the ice, then hit the tree. Looks like there is another 10" at meadows today. Oh, well.

Yep. I am afraid I have had to "Sit out" a season or two due to injuries.
Do what you can do and accept it as a part of the process of life. Adventure has its risks. Hardships can become revelations if you look for the opportunities in them. Heal well!! Bryan

[Petrol]

via a lunch time mountain biking crash on The James River Park System trails here in lovely Richmond, VA...

I dislocated my right ankle & broke the tib & fib just above said ankle leaving my right leg all... but useless.... extraction from the scene to the ambulance took a painful hour & 45 min. Worst pain I've ever felt, by far. When the paramedics arrived & I got several shots of morphine that wore off far too quickly as I patiently awaited attention for a few hrs on a gurney in the hall of the MCV emergency room. I went to meet with orthopedic surgeon, to review action plan & schedule surgery which will be performed next week. as much as I hate to take pain meds, I've had to make an exception here.
If everything goes well, we're expecting me to be on my feet in street shoes in about.

[omskates]

So sorry to hear of these new injuries; BigD TimW, Petrol, etc. Hope you heal well. My time on crutches was 3 weeks (severe ankle sprain as mentioned before) and just now able to walk without an obvious limp, walk on uneven ground, etc. Will be going back to work at the hospital this week.

BigD sprained an ankle in softies but I managed to do mine in while wearing hardboots. I was almost wondering if softies would have saved my ankle but now I'm not sure.

[omskates]

Thanks to all you well wishers.. and your kind thoughts. yea, if it was not for Netflix it would be pretty boring around here -- thanks Carvedog for the suggestions..

Boris -- the doc told me to wait on the screws until we can get a boot on and see how it feels..

This is the first time in 64 years I have needed a cast or broken anything...my great neighbors told me the other night -- we always thought it was just a matter of time with all that crazy stuff you do..

I was going back to look at C5 Golfer's injury and just noticed the "first time in 64 years" part. You the man!!

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

via a lunch time mountain biking crash on The James River Park System trails here in lovely Richmond, VA...

I dislocated my right ankle & broke the tib & fib just above said ankle leaving my right leg all... but useless.... extraction from the scene to the ambulance took a painful hour & 45 min. Worst pain I've ever felt, by far. When the paramedics arrived & I got several shots of morphine that wore off far too quickly as I patiently awaited attention for a few hrs on a gurney in the hall of the MCV emergency room. I went to meet with orthopedic surgeon, to review action plan & schedule surgery which will be performed next week. as much as I hate to take pain meds, I've had to make an exception here.
If everything goes well, we're expecting me to be on my feet in street shoes in about.

Tough break. Heal well. Pain is no fun.

[C5 Golfer]

via a lunch time mountain biking crash on The James River Park System trails here in lovely Richmond, VA...

I dislocated my right ankle & broke the tib & fib just above said ankle leaving my right leg all... but useless.... extraction from the scene to the ambulance took a painful hour & 45 min. Worst pain I've ever felt, by far. When the paramedics arrived & I got several shots of morphine that wore off far too quickly as I patiently awaited attention for a few hrs on a gurney in the hall of the MCV emergency room. I went to meet with orthopedic surgeon, to review action plan & schedule surgery which will be performed next week. as much as I hate to take pain meds, I've had to make an exception here.
If everything goes well, we're expecting me to be on my feet in street shoes in about.

Petrol --Hope your Surgery goes well... please see if you can post photos of your ankle after the Doc fixes it. it would be interesting to compare what he had to do. See mine in an earlier post in this thread.

I am 8 or 9 weeks post-op, with stiffness of the Achilles being the most difficult issue right now. Takes a few steps in the morning to get loosen up but very quickly am walking normally. been golfing for 2 weeks now and went on my first hike in the woods today. Pretty happy where I am in the recovery process- knowing full well you younger guys heal quicker.

let us know how it goes.

[Kimo]

That makes mine seem like a hobble in the park. Heal well.

[bonzo]

via a lunch time mountain biking crash on The James River Park System trails here in lovely Richmond, VA...

I dislocated my right ankle & broke the tib & fib just above said ankle leaving my right leg all... but useless.... extraction from the scene to the ambulance took a painful hour & 45 min. Worst pain I've ever felt, by far. When the paramedics arrived & I got several shots of morphine that wore off far too quickly as I patiently awaited attention for a few hrs
as much as I hate to take pain meds, I've had to make an exception here.

Definitely a painful injury. You have three injuries at once. It's tough for the EMT's and medical control to judge how much juice to give you, too little and you are in agony, too much and you are so deeply snowed that the orthopedic surgeon can't perform a full exam.

Take your pain meds as needed. Rest, ice, elevation. Eat healthy, try to get some sleep. Heal quickly, heal well. Start PT as soon as the doctor allows it.

[davekempmeister]

Back from a few days in the lovely VT and a season ending hike to the top of Pico - about 6 inches of fresh fell on the way up, making for an awesome float down on my Tanker. Anyway, got home and started to do the ritualistic take it all apart and put it away and............... my Kessler (185) is trash. When I removed my Catek polycarbonate spacers and OS1 discs, I discovered a fissure running between a few of the inserts and out toward the tail of the board. Looking at the board from a profile view, it's ever so slightly raised in the same location. I don't think I'll ever ride it again, as I 'll have no confidence in it. The money is less the cause of pain than the fact that for the next 8 months I'll not have that magical ride to look forward to.

Hope I am not offending anyone with real injuries but, this hurts. Really hurts.
I'll still love snow, but for the first time in 30 years, I don't want to think about it.

[Kimo]

Hope I am not offending anyone with real injuries but, this hurts. Really hurts.
I'll still love snow, but for the first time in 30 years, I don't want to think about it.

I will allow it because, aside from breaking my tibia, I only got one half run on my season pass and had to give away a 4pak. I think that hurt more than the tibia fracture.

[davekempmeister]

Thanks Kimo. I know I don't really belong here - I have much to be grateful for. Hope you are healing well and all the best to you.
Always wanted those Litespeed salt and pepper shakers.

[C5 Golfer]

Back Hope I am not offending anyone with real injuries but, this hurts. Really hurts.
I'll still love snow, but for the first time in 30 years, I don't want to think about it.

Besides the fracture of the ankle what hurts here is when I got home - after hobbling up the stairs with crutches - there was my new Coiler AM - it now waits for the 2011-2012 season to be mounted.

[!MaineCarver!]

I am sad the season is over, but I finished with bang. And by bang I mean that I dislocated my shoulder at the 2011 USASA nationals at Copper Mountain Colorado.

[Petrol]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes.
I've been following Dr. orders to the T...
excepting I went to work today & will again tomorrow (need the $$$ And to save any PTO days I can for fun)
Golfer, I saw your PICs & I'm inspired to hear you're up stompin around so soon. I'm "hoping" this 50 yr young body can heal that quickly but I'm being told that 16 wks is "realistic" and that 12 wks would be fantasic.

I have several post crash foot contorted/boneout/gore PICs on my 'dumb'phone taken as I sat watching the poor parimedics fight their way down the trail towards me with the travel chair.

I got about 15 x-rays on a cd too but I'm stuck with this crappy lil netbook for a now so it'll be a while before I can post anything up.

[C5 Golfer]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes.
I've been following Dr. orders to the T...
excepting I went to work today & will again tomorrow (need the $$$ And to save any PTO days I can for fun)
Golfer, I saw your PICs & I'm inspired to hear you're up stompin around so soon. I'm "hoping" this 50 yr young body can heal that quickly but I'm being told that 16 wks is "realistic" and that 12 wks would be fantasic.

I have several post crash foot contorted/boneout/gore PICs on my 'dumb'phone taken as I sat watching the poor parimedics fight their way down the trail towards me with the travel chair.

I got about 15 x-rays on a cd too but I'm stuck with this crappy lil netbook for a now so it'll be a while before I can post anything up.

if it is any help here is how my past 9 weeks have gone.

Feb 7 had surgery where they added the plate and 7 screws
Feb 22 was 2nd fiberglass cast and x rays to check alignment of foot.
Mar 15 removed fiberglass cast and went to removable Aircast but still used 2 crutches with light weight bearing.
Mar 18th went to one crutch with 80% load on new foot in my regular shoes
Mar 25th went to cane to help walk but 100% load on foot
April 1 or so -- no cane for help - walked as much as I could normally

What helped me in all this the most was 3-4 work outs a day starting Mar 15th on an ankle board or wobble board that allows you 360° rotation stretches of the ankle. Google ankle board and you will see many styles. I then progessed to doing stair steps up and down. soon as I could do that I loaded the clubs in the car and went golfing. I do use an ankle brace when golfing.. it is a Active Ankle T2 model I use.. it is a good one.

Heal fast my friend... snow will soon fly again and we'll be out there again.

I am curious as to what the 16 weeks or so estimate is for -- is that when you can walk or start using it or what?

[Petrol]

if it is any help here is how my past 9 weeks have gone.

Feb 7 had surgery where they added the plate and 7 screws
Feb 22 was 2nd fiberglass cast and x rays to check alignment of foot.
Mar 15 removed fiberglass cast and went to removable Aircast but still used 2 crutches with light weight bearing.
Mar 18th went to one crutch with 80% load on new foot in my regular shoes
Mar 25th went to cane to help walk but 100% load on foot
April 1 or so -- no cane for help - walked as much as I could normally

What helped me in all this the most was 3-4 work outs a day starting Mar 15th on an ankle board or wobble board that allows you 360° rotation stretches of the ankle. Google ankle board and you will see many styles. I then progessed to doing stair steps up and down. soon as I could do that I loaded the clubs in the car and went golfing. I do use an ankle brace when golfing.. it is a Active Ankle T2 model I use.. it is a good one.

Heal fast my friend... snow will soon fly again and we'll be out there again.

I am curious as to what the 16 weeks or so estimate is for -- is that when you can walk or start using it or what?

it WILL be a help, thanks for sharing!

my surgery went well, from what I can tell. followup in about 10 days

I'm trying to post an x-ray... I suck at the internet... oxycon helps w/ pain, not with skillz

[Kimo]

Ouch!

[bonzo]

it WILL be a help, thanks for sharing!

my surgery went well, from what I can tell. followup in about 10 days

I'm trying to post an x-ray... I suck at the internet... oxycon helps w/ pain, not with skillz

I wanted to wait a little bit so you are hopefully feeling better, but that looks most uncomfortable. Start your physical therapy as soon as you are allowed. Regaining your range of motion in your ankle may take some time, but it will recover.

Heal fast

[colintkemp]

Petrol -- I hope you recover/PT goes well. Good vibes your way.

[Petrol]

Thanks! the healing, it's coming along, Still plenty of bruising & tenderness but nothing compared to just two weeks ago. Next appointment is tomorrow, where I hope to learn that all is well and that I can begin placing a small portion of my weight on it... that and I'll be lobbying hard to regain my driving privleges via removing removable boot/cast


(I can't seem to upload x-ray showning all the bling )

[SunSurfer]

....oxycon helps w/ pain, ...

Take care with the oxycodone, and taper off your doses as soon as you feel able. It seems to have more potential for addiction than other oral opioids. People seem to get a pleasant buzz from it that leaves them wanting, and seeking, more.

Make the most of the simple stuff. The advice that follows is essentially from the World Health Organisation Pain Treatment Ladder.

1/ Use regular paracetamol (a.k.a. acetaminophen), 4 doses per day, as the foundation for your pain relief.
2/ Next layer is regular doses of an e.g. diclofenac/ibuprofen/celecoxib (NSAID or COX-2 inhibitor) type drug.
3/ Then on top use what you need of the oral opioid (morphine, oxycodone, buprenorphine, whatever). Alternatively, Tramadol is a kind of intermediate between 2 & 3.

The different drugs from 1,2 & 3 all work in different ways so it's OK to use them all together. The aim is to make the pain tolerable, not to be able to take it away entirely.

As you recover and the pain gets less, taper off the opioid. Stop taking the level 2 drug regularly, now only as you need it, until you don't need it. Then do the same with the paracetamol/acetaminophen until you don't need it.

If you are in any doubt, consult your own doctor.

SunSurfer (anesthesiologist/specialist anaesthetist in New Zealand)

[bonzo]

Take care with the oxycodone, and taper off your doses as soon as you feel able. It seems to have more potential for addiction than other oral opioids. People seem to get a pleasant buzz from it that leaves them wanting, and seeking, more.

2/ Next layer is regular doses of an e.g. diclofenac/ibuprofen/celecoxib (NSAID or COX-2 inhibitor) type drug.

If you are in any doubt, consult your own doctor.

SunSurfer (anesthesiologist/specialist anaesthetist in New Zealand)

Can't tell from the one xray angle if you have any fractures. NSAIDs delay bone healing (prostaglandin inhibitor). I suggest that you consult your orthopedic surgeon if in doubt.

I will agree strongly that oral opioids have a likelyhood of creating a dependency issue. Fortunately, they make me nauseated, so I only take them when nausea is the lesser of two evil.

[Petrol]

Can't tell from the one xray angle if you have any fractures. NSAIDs delay bone healing (prostaglandin inhibitor). I suggest that you consult your orthopedic surgeon if in doubt.

I will agree strongly that oral opioids have a likelyhood of creating a dependency issue. Fortunately, they make me nauseated, so I only take them when nausea is the lesser of two evil.

oh yea... I had fractures...

typically, I don't do pain meds but made an exception in this case.

the opioids are out, and I'm down to one Norco 10-325mg before bed, and every now & then another mid-day if it really bothers me

I have consulted my orthopedic surgeon & modified my diet to reduce red meat while increasing fish, poultry, fresh fuits & veggies, etc.

[kieran]

Alternatively, Tramadol is a kind of intermediate between 2 & 3.

they gave me a ton of that to take home after i had my ex-fix put on. i tried ONE, and that was an evening wasted. SNRI's are not for me.

oldsnowboards and i concur; the world needs freeer access to fentanyl!

[SEJ]

It saddens me to report that Gretchen just suffered 1/2 of a tib/fib. (Just the tib) While carving some really wet stuff, G generated a TON of speed and ultimately ended up going out the front. Rear released, front didn't.
Luckily, the bone did not displace, and the fib is still intact. NO surgery, just a cast. (That's easy to say if you're not the one wearing it all summer.)
It's just a shame to see her out of action when she really wants to be IN ACTION!

[two_ravens]

Oh no!!!!!! So very sorry to hear Gretchen is out of action for awhile!

Give her a hug from me & tell her I hope she heals quickly & well.