knee injuries

Hi everyone,

So I had just recovered from an ankle sprain and yesterday was my first day back on the water after a 6 day rest. I had an awesome wakesurf set to take it easy and test out my ankle and then I felt good so I decided to go for a short wakeboard set. On my second jump into my run, I simply did a hs w2w jump into the flats, which is something that I do regularly except this time I felt a pop in my knee as it bent in a way that knees aren't supposed to bend. I got super scared and let go of the rope and pain started coming into the knee. Got out of my bindings and off to the hospital I went.

I don't have a real diagnostic...since the knee was too swollen and painful to assess. I'm seeing a sports Dr. on Monday. I've been icing and elevating.

I just wanted to see who here has gotten a knee injury, surgery, and who wears a hard brace? As a precaution? or after you've injured your knee. The Emergency Dr. recommended a soft brace for sports....but I'm not sure whether this is enough for wakeboarding. ?I just don't want this to happen again.

Well, I'm doing alright in bed and on painkillers right now with a ginormous knee.

What is the ratio of wakeboarders with knee injuries and that wear hard braces? I know a lot of pros have them....is it 1 in 10 riders or more?

Tell me your stories......since all I have to do now is lie in bed I can't walk.

Doesn't sound too good. I injured my ACL MCL and Meniscus playing basketball in Oct last year and had it repaired in Nov. I wear a CTI brace that was prescribed to me by my doctor. It's not something I really notice once I am behind the boat. The biggest thing for me is mental. I can go wake to wake all day, but as soon as I realize that I am going out into the flats, I let go of the handle thinking I am going to hurt myself again. Really crazy because I am going to land either way. Just something I have to get over in my head.

Hope everything turns out O.K. for you.

knee injuries suck! I wear soft braces on both knees, but I just dislocated my knee caps a couple times.

For ACL type injuries, hard braces seem to be the most popular. Try and get in to see an orthopedic, they see lots of knee injuries and know whats up. Also if you can, physical therapy speeds up the recovery time a bunch, and helps your confidence.

hang in there! hope you heal up quick

I tore my meniscus on my left knee and had surgery in March 08. Rehabed for 8 weeks then got back on the water and by the end of the 9th week had my confidence back up to try some 180's, which i was learning at that time. 2 months later in July I tore my right knee meniscus. Had surgery Aug 08, and 8 weeks later after rehab I was back on the water building confidence again.

After I got back on the water the second time I had a huge mental block for few weeks and wore knee braces. After going through 2 surgeries within 5 months and no water time I was scared i would hurt myself a 3rd time. But after a while they felt too bulky and in the way and got the confidence up to shed those things.

Now after going through rehab twice and learning so much about my muscles in my legs and knees, I spend 2 days a week in the gym on legs alone to keep my legs and knees strong. My knees have never felt so strong and my confidence has never been higher. I also changed my stance a little for my knees which helps a lot too.

The main thing with knee braces is if you wear them all the time for preventative reasons then your knees become dependent on them. If your completely healthy then get in the gym and get them stronger twice a week and you should be fine unless an accident occurs, which happen. But at least your doing everything you can to prevent injuries by working out and having a good stance. Another thing I concentrate on more that anything else is riding with good form. I make sure my riding is solid and I dont huck anything, thats when injuries happen. I am building a strong foundation and it is helping me progress a lot faster now.

Mf Noel- Did you hurt the knee that is above your sprained ankle?

If you mess up the alignment or posture of an ankle, it directly translates to the knee and forces it to bend abnormally.

lots of swelling immediately after the injury=ACL (usually)

I ruptured my ACL and partially tore my meniscus doing a w2w 180 in the summer of '06.

Since I live for snowboarding, I pleaded to my surgeon to allow me to try to snowboard and put off the surgery until after the coming winter. He strongly discouraged it but basically said it was my knee and he prescribe a Donjoy hard brace for me to wear. I made it through the winter (but with ALOT of swelling and stiffness after everytime I rode) and had the surgery in April '07. After the surgery was intense rehab for the first few months. I hit it very hard early, possibly did a little too much, but have slacked off quite a bit since.

My surgeon (who is a very well respected knee surgeon) said I would not need to wear a brace for sports after the surgery. He explained that the reason you have surgery is to fix the knee so you don't have to wear a brace. Every surgeon is different and has different beliefs pertaining to braces.

Since the surgery, I have been snowboarding and wakeboarding without a brace and with no real limitations. I am not the greatest rider, but I am not the worst either. The first few times out riding, both on the snowboard and wakeboard, I had to overcome some real mental obstacles. I soon learned that the knee was in good shape and I didn't have much to worry about. I just listen to my body and if/when the knee starts screaming, I stop. Each season my knee seems to get stronger and stronger.

Good Luck and hopefully your injury is not an ACL.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the stories. My injured knee is the left knee and my injured ankle is the right ankle.... here I am on crutches jumping on a weak ankle to save my painful knee.

I was pretty much like a vegetable last night, it was so painful. Pain get worst as the day goes on. I'm going to see the Sports Dr. on Monday. Hopefully she'll be able to assess it.

So whats the ratio of riders that have had knee injuries/surgery?

MF Noel,

Good luck, doesn't sound good at all. I have been riding for about 8 yrs and just injured my knee for the first time. Doing a tantrum off a kicker (done this over 100 times before) came down and felt a quick pop. Knee swelled up like a balloon and now im one month out of ACL reconstruction and a removed meniscus. Working hard to get back on the water for next season.

Hope your luck is better.

Sucks Im sorry to hear. I tore my ACL in January, had surgery in Febuary and will be cleared to ride in a couple weeks. It's quite an ordeal and not a lot of fun but it is part of the game we play I guess. I don't know the ratio of riders who tear their ACL's but it is quite common, especially for us girls. Here's a thread from earlier this year that you will get a better idea of how many riders go through this.

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/655683.html?1234980637

Good luck!

I suggest someone submits the question to the wakeworld poll!

Then you can get a percentage break down of say

Have you ever had a knee injury from wakeboarding?

yes

no

or

Do you wear any braces while wakeboarding

yes

no