Snowboarding with a torn ACL?

[kw909]

I fully tore my ACL about 2 months ago in soccer. I have been doing therapy since then and my knee feels perfectly fine except for the occasional (but rarely) weak feeling. Snowboarding season just started, and I just got a new board and new bindings and I'm dying to use them! It's torture thinking that I wont be able to board this season! My surgery is in a couple weeks and I've been thinking about giving snowboarding a try at least once or twice before my surgery so I'm not so so miserable lol. What do you guys think? Its pretty strong right now from the PT, and I have a hinged knee brace. I wouldn't do any jumps or rails or anything, just probably carving and basic turning. (I'm teaching my friend how to board so I would probably be on the small hills most of the time anyways. I havn't had my surgery yet...Is it a bad idea to do it? Also, I tore my ACL in my left leg which is also the leg use in front. Stories on past experience is much appreciated. Thanks in advance! [:

[doughboyshredder]

Stupid. You could easily tear your meniscus, and then be really fucked.

[Soft Booter]

Stupid. You could easily tear your meniscus, and then be really fucked.

this........

[Edgnar]

Ask your doctor or PTist, but waiting is probably the smartest thing to do. Better to lose one season instead of two.

[shredtastic]

I don't know if my post count is high enough to say this, but.... Gimp Forum?

[UrMomsKneePads]

I had my ACL reconstructed in 2009. Stay off the snowboard. Focus on pre-op PT and lots of icing (3x per day). I know it's maddening to think about losing a season, but I know people who have problems for 3-5 years post surgery. Keep your leg as strong as you can pre surgery, you'd be surprised how quickly it can atrophy.

Take the post-op PT very seriously and don't push it. Ice it often, healing can be impaired and complications can result from extended inflammation. No bravado on this one trying to get back too quickly. Give it the time to get strong again. It's hard now but in hindsight will be well worth it.

[bigdude2468]

I tore my ACL 10 years ago, had no other damage, meniscus or patella and did not have it repaired. I ski with a Don Joy brace and have never had an issue. I started PT just a few days after the injury. Btw, no such thing as an ACL spontaneously reattaching. I am an avid runner, marathoner and it has been fine. If you play tennis, racquet ball, lots of quick starting and stopping with lateral movement then maybe you have to have surgery. If you give the PT a lot of time, train the surrounding muscles to compensate and take over you might get lucky like I did. If you do it your season is over for sure, the recovery is 9 months. See how you do and if you have issues have it done after the first of the year and you will still be fine for next year

[UrMomsKneePads]

Bigdude, glad to hear your approach worked. How old are you now?

The reason I had mine done was because I was in my early 30s and the doc (a very good one) said at that age or younger you later become at risk for early onset arthritis if not repaired. Ironically enough, I had mine repaired and have some early onset arthritis setting in. I think given the activities we participate in (skiing, running, etc.) we're all at risk for it anyway, injury or no injury.

Glad to hear it has worked out for you, definitely something for the OP to consider.

Regardless, stay off the snowboard this year and really commit to the treatment option chosen.

[Bosco]

Stupid. You could easily tear your meniscus, and then be really fucked.

A +100 on this. I tore both ACL's skiing, but was lucky not to have any meniscus damage. I think more post op problems are due to meniscus damage than the damage to the ligaments.

Oh, your knee may feel perfectly fine, but it ain't. You're missing some vital parts. Been there, done that.

[Scree Shredder]

Rode a whole season with a torn acl and a donjoy knee brace. I'm no doctor but I think snowboarding is a little more forgiving when riding with a torn ACL than skiing. I took it easier but was still able to hit some cliffs and jumps with no pain when the snow was good. Pow turns were no problem, even riding chop was no big deal. Then every once in a while some weird tiny little cat track hit would make it twinge with pain if I landed kinda weird. Had it fixed the following summer with no damage to the meniscus. Maybe I'm stupid, but this was my experience and I didn't have to miss a season. Was back out hiking backcountry lines 4.5 months after surgery the next fall. before I had it fixed my doctor actually gave me the go ahead to ride and take it easy with the brace. He probably wasn't saying go hit drops and jumps, but really they didn't seem to bother me much other than the occasional awkward landing. If your gonna be riding groomed blue and greens and sticking to carving I'd say you're just fine.

[doughboyshredder]

Don't have to be smart to be lucky.

[charles martel]

I've been a snowboard race coach, alpine and BX, over the past several years. Everyone here is right on the mark when they tell you to take the season off and get it fixed properly. You're young enough that the long term prospects of a lifelong participation in snowboarding, which it sounds like you love, will work out better if you get the knee fixed.

Remember that when you ride and balance in your stance, even if you're only carving on simple hills, there is a slight rotational movement your natural balance has to fight against. (This has to do with how the body has evolved to move easily in any direction quickly.) This rotational movement translates into the lower knee and upper knee grinding against each other, which will damage your meniscus, without the added tightness supplied by your ACL. Get it fixed, do your PT and live to fight another season down the road.

[1000-oaks]

What everybody else said. You have your whole life of outdoor activities ahead of you, don't screw it up over a day or two of fun.

Would you knowingly have unprotected sex with someone with HIV, because the chances of you catching it from just one hook up are pretty slim? Not worth it. Same goes for your knees.

[splat]

I don't know if my post count is high enough to say this, but.... Gimp Forum?

Yes, it is. Thank you for noticing.

[georgio]

Pick up sitsking ... either now for this year, or long term if you mangle your knee this year snowboarding

[bigdude2468]

The trick is intense PT that can train the surrounding muscles to take over. I have never had the knee give out, feel weak, hurt or ache. While I do not huck much I do ski 50% of my time in the BC, ski everything in LCC without problems. I am 55, so injury occurred at 45. If anybody finds an ACL on Stone Crusher give me a call, its mine.