Are my meaningful ski days coming to an end?

**schindlerpiste** · 07-11-2021, 10:54 AM

I am 62. During the past 18-20 years I have sustained non-ski related left knee injuries (meniscus tears) which have required two arthroscopic surgeries. For the past year, or so, arthritis in the knee has reared its ugly head to the point where I experience left knee pain/discomfort just about everyday. Last year, for the most part I skied through it, and was able to ski hard, 4 hours/day, steeps, chop, pow, some moguls, chair to chair without stopping, climbing uphill and taking smallish jumps without too much thought. OK, so I occasionally iced my knee with my Iceman. I don't like anti-inflammatories, so my jar of 200 Tylenol-Codeine 3s remains full. Lately, even the most benign hikes seem onerous. I do not look forward to skiing like one of these old coots at Alta (or anyplace else) who meander down the blues at a snail's pace making nicely forms parallel turns. Many reputable studies, including Johns Hopkins, suggest that additional scopes offer no, or very little relief. Knee replacement is not a consideration. Exercise and strengthening is part of my routine I am bumming out.

**cat in january** · 07-11-2021, 11:17 AM

Sounds like a knee replacement is in your future. I have had friends do well skiing after

**Core Shot** · 07-11-2021, 11:19 AM

Sucks to hear that.

I’d like to think that if I live long enough, meandering down blue groomers at a snails pace is something I would do.

Road a chair at Stowe a few years ago and the two guys one 90 one 87 were teasing the 79 year old whippersnapper.

**PNWbrit** · 07-11-2021, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by cat in january

Sounds like a knee replacement is in your future. I have had friends do well skiing after

Ditto.

**North** · 07-11-2021, 11:53 AM

CBD? Not sure if it works for arthritis, but cheaper/easier to try than a knee replacement.

**ntblanks** · 07-11-2021, 12:17 PM

Maybe give tumeric/curcumin a try. That and go to Powder Mountain instead of LCC.

**rideit** · 07-11-2021, 12:20 PM

I am beyond thrilled with what a knee replacement allows me to do again. Probably going to have the other one done in a few years just for the hell of it. Life changing improvement.
But yes, not everyone has such a great outcome.

**schindlerpiste** · 07-11-2021, 12:35 PM

....maybe visco supplementation...Hyaluronic Acid injections (Chicken shots).

**rideit** · 07-11-2021, 04:18 PM

Why not a TKR?

**skifishbum** · 07-11-2021, 04:24 PM

skiing with the dog and spanser this last winter was quite meaningful to me
and way easier on my old man bod than chasing around tfw and the baker and grom on frozen chunder

it all has meaning its discerning it thats sometimes tough

**MagnificentUnicorn** · 07-11-2021, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by skifishbum

skiing with the dog and spanser this last winter was quite meaningful to me
and way easier on my old man bod than chasing around tfw and the baker and grom on frozen chunder

it all has meaning its discerning it thats sometimes tough

This is wise. We all get old and our capabilities decline

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

**easyrdr** · 07-11-2021, 05:15 PM

I am 44, ruined my ACL, MCL, meniscus all at once when I was in my mid twenties. I can ski hard 3 to 4 hours max, every other day. Visited my doc last fall and he said my options are surgery again or injections the rest of my life. I opted for splats cream and skiing every other day...........so far so good.

PB · 07-11-2021, 08:00 PM

OP - went through the phase you appear to be in now (I can smell the bitterness). Most of us come out the other side having come to terms with the decline by either walking away completely, or dialing it down. Given that dialing it down is pretty much what's required for life in general as time progresses, it turned out to be an easier choice than expected for me. 2 hours a day, groomers only (I'd like to think it's a charging 2 groomer hours, blues and blacks, but .....), followed by knee and spine ice with out fail. And it IS meaningful.

Is it financial for the knee replacement issue? If I could have back surgery that was as reliable as knee replacement, I'd tear the doors of the OR off to get it done.

**XXX-er** · 07-11-2021, 08:57 PM

still coming out of acl reconstruction

the bike is pretty slow

ordered an mtn e-bike

**SkiBall** · 07-11-2021, 10:02 PM

The chickens coming home to roost. I have been pondering if my pains were worth it and I have to believe so. I am saddened that I cannot do quite what I did before and that the pain afterwards is much greater. I guess some would stop to keep the pain at bay, but I haven’t yet figured out quite how to do that.
Thankfully.

**WMD** · 07-12-2021, 12:10 AM

I am in the middle of knee replacement recovery right now. I waited a long time to do it and have had to tone down my skiing and other activities for a decade. Skiing hasn't been much fun for a couple years now because of my knee and back (I had back surgery 2 years ago and had a great outcome) and I finally decided a total knee was my only hope to get my activities back. I'm not ready to walk away from outdoor rec and I want to go hard again.

At 3 1/2 months post op I'm not back yet but my joint pain and knee instability are gone, giving me hope for a good outcome.

Friends who have had a TKR all say they wished they hadn't waited so long.

**rideit** · 07-12-2021, 12:13 AM

Glad to hear you are getting stronger, WMD!
The only pain I have a year and a half after my TKR is from the other knee, which was overshadowed by the mangled one.

**MakersTeleMark** · 07-12-2021, 12:20 AM

My advice to you, coming from someone who has beaten them self hard and put away wet, thousands of days, is very simple.... It took me many years to get it:

OK, ready:

What is a "meaningful" ski day?

Seriously. I find that on even those best days, the hugs, grins, faceburn, smiles and people are, for me, the most meaningful.

I try to maximize those, not in terms of hucks, risk, stupidity avoided. Just honest smiles.

So, I say, you are from from your maximum. It's like calculus, you never can reach it, but you can always ride the slope to approach it.

Just my $37.

**bodywhomper** · 07-12-2021, 01:46 AM

Pee on it. A lot.

And telemark. A new challenge. Might build up the stabilizing muscles more. Possibly easier on the knee (I have read this claim multiple times).

Or ski ballet Albion lift.

**splat** · 07-12-2021, 07:58 PM

Stem cells or my cbd cream. The cream is cheap in comparison so you might try that first.

The doctor who did my stem cell injections uses my cbd cream daily.

Just sayin...

**m2711c** · 07-12-2021, 08:27 PM

time to buy yerself a skibike.....

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yep.

**JayPowHound** · 07-12-2021, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by splat

Stem cells or my cbd cream. The cream is cheap in comparison so you might try that first.

The doctor who did my stem cell injections uses my cbd cream daily.

Just sayin...

#shamelessplug

#someonehadtosayit

#getbettersoonpat

#isthishowhashtagswork?

**XXX-er** · 07-12-2021, 09:38 PM

The Tom Vu of new age medicine

**schindlerpiste** · 07-12-2021, 09:45 PM

Made an appt. with a local Ortho. I have to wait until 08/17. Iced it 2x today w/ Iceman. Did strengthening with rubber bands. Rubbed a bit of Mary's Medicinal cream in it.