Boot top pain without break - Good I guess

**phatfreeheeler** · 02-18-2007, 05:42 PM

So yesterday I had 2 fun runs at Alta and one massive high speed crash. It was kinda like watching DH racers when they lose it. Only I was the one skipping along the firm snow. Definitely the most brutal crash I've ever had. The whole time I was just thinking please stop.

After taking a nice little air halfway down Tombstone I chose poorly to straightline out to the groomer (Main street I think it's called). I miss judged how fast the wind buffed snow would be and didn't see the avy debris until it was just too late. I was kicked airborne and back by the chunks. I hit the groomer (hard and rough groomed) on my hip trying to dig my edges in to stop, but just skipped off in a flat spin. I didn't know why yet, but I was airborne again and spinning into a pile of death chucks. It seemed like forever. As my skis hit the basketball sized chunks the force was insane. I could see my skis just flexing feet at a time as if I was watching it through a high speed camera in slow motion. I tried to keep my knees bent and strong, but I was getting pounded.

When I came to rest several hundred feet from where I lost it, I was looking back uphill and finally knew why I went airborne for so long. The groomer was narrow where I hit it and had a steep drop off the side. I had missed the main groomer complete. Rather, I had flown over the narrow section and into the old debris from either grooming or avies. I was so glad that I hadn't hit a person since the groomer was packed with people, just standing around. My neck and back felt ok so I went to stand and just collapsed instantly. Both lower legs hurt a lot, but my left one couldn't even hold up my weight. If a patroller had rolled up at that moment I might have taken the sled ride, but none were in sight and not one person asked if I was ok. They just looked at me with blank stares. It was a bit surreal.

After checking to make sure I didn't have any obvious deformities I decided I'd ski down with one leg and figure it out at the bottom. Not an easy thing with my other "good" leg in as much pain as it was. The pain was really bad so I kinda thought it might be a broken fibula. A non-Mag convinced me to go see the doc in the clinic and the AG's helped me get there.

So after lots of X-rays, the verdict was no broken bones (Although they noticed all the old breaks) and saw a few suspicious things which had me back up there today for more x-rays. The question is, why are my legs in such pain? From my boot tops to just above my ankles they are just throbbing. Anyone ever had a crash do that? I'm kinda odd in that I don't usually have much if any visible swelling and bruising. All I have a is a bit of swelling, and not much at that. (Of course I've done lots of icing).

I really hate going to doctors with injuries that aren't visable to the eye or machine. Pain alone seems like a lame reason to not do things. I feel like I'm just being a pussy, but I tried to put boots on today and there is no way I could walk in them let alone ski

We'll see how long I'm out.

Thanks AG and Mr. AG for the help getting to the clinic and down to the valley. Sorry I didn't get to ski more with all the Alta mags. Just looking forward to biking season right now.

I've skied really fast in my life, but never had a crash while doing so. I really can't recommend it. I have a renewed level of respect for downhill racers.

**ill-advised strategy** · 02-18-2007, 05:51 PM

I love that part when you're just airborne meat, no idea what's going to stop you, you're just sort of wondering how long this is going to go.

I've had boot top deals like this that have lasted for a few weeks. I bet there's just a bunch of bruising inside where you can't see.

edit: if it were me I would RICE it for a week and see how it's going. I'm definitely not a doc though.

**bklyn** · 02-18-2007, 06:01 PM

Good thing there were no trees to stop your fall.

++vibes. Hope you're feeling better soon.

**phatfreeheeler** · 02-19-2007, 08:30 AM

With 10"+ on the gauge I just had to try to get boots on this morning. Bad idea, no way it's happening today. Everyone, enjoy the pow day on me. I even have the day off work

and we only get something like 5 holidays per year.

More RICE for me

**Vinman** · 02-19-2007, 09:42 AM

yeah definitly sounds like you have some bad bruising. ice 4-5 x day for ~20min at a time. Shin bruises especially for skiers can last for a while. After ~4 days or so you can likely switch to some warm soaks/hot tub etc.

I'm trying to ski though one myself right now. But of couse I never use my own advise...... kind of a do as I say not as I do kind of thing.

Z · 02-19-2007, 10:02 AM

Bad case of shinbang is all. Could last for 2 weeks...I've had it so bad after high speed crashes/hucks that it's waken me up at night.

**SherpaStyle** · 02-19-2007, 10:13 AM

The same thing happened to me a few years ago. I couldn't ski for 10 days and when I did ski it was still really painful. After a week I got it Xrayed, but nothing showed up. I still wonder if it was a hairline fx. It continued to hurt when I ran for 4 or 5 months. I hope yours heals faster. I think I probably rushed into skiing on it before it was healed, which made it heal much slower.

**Huckwheat** · 02-19-2007, 11:46 AM

Yup, I have had something similar....never went to Doc but suspected hairline (maybe I didnt though after hearing your story). Back in the day (98 I think) I under rotated a front flip and just jammed my tails into the ground. It took me out. 1 month of no skiing, then I shaved my lower legs, would tape them up, and could only tele (because pressing the front of my alpine boots hurt too much).

No answers, just empathy.

--Obviously you know the RICE.
--Rubbing Arnica gel has helped me in recent years with broken/bruised ribs....definately worth a shot!

--You might be able to snowboard too....I have resorted to that during injuries!

**phatfreeheeler** · 02-21-2007, 08:16 AM

Thought about snowboarding but any pressure in the back of my calf almost makes me puke from the pain. I've had shin bang before, some bad, but this is the next level. Also, I haven't had shin bang since I switched to tele years ago. Whatever it is, I'm doing lots of stretches and just trying to treat it like a sprain. Continuing to use my legs right up to intense pain, icing, heat, and Vitamin I. I really need to ski on Sunday.

**altagirl** · 02-21-2007, 08:27 AM

I still don't know how in the hell we missed this. I remember you dropping in well ahead of me and guess I figured you were long gone by the time I was down. Sorry about that!

Eating fresh pineapple can help reduce swelling - might be worth trying. Other than that, I don't know if there's much you can do for a deep bruise like that, other than rest.

Although maybe some light spinning or something might help get the fluid moving, as long as that doesn't hurt (well, much anyway - sounds like it probably hurts all the time). Hope it's better by the weekend!

**Vinman** · 02-21-2007, 08:33 AM

now that this is a few days old you can move to doing some warm soaks IF: the swelling (if there was any) has begun to decrease, the pain is decreasing and it does not feel hot to the touch.

General rule : first 3 days Ice only, after that if the above conitions are in effect move to heat to promote healing via incr. oxygenated blood flow to area to fuel cells and flush out wastes.

**phatfreeheeler** · 02-24-2007, 06:17 PM

So, I skied today with some softer, older T1's. They are one shell size larger so the pressure was above my injury, sorta.

Anyways, I couldn't tele turn without screaming pain, but I did ok doing alpine turns in mellower terrain as long as I never miss judged the bumps and stayed perfectly centered. Probably a good drill in that there was no room for error. A few really painful moments, but at least I got to slide on snow again. It was a good day