Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Just wondering if anyone can give any advice on returning to ski...? I`ve been skiing in Pamporovo for 6 years and 2 years ago had an accident that resulted in me coming home in a cast...after treatment and physio returned to skiing the following year....result another injury!!!!! I am having an operation to reconstruct the ligaments soon...just wondered if anyone else had suffered from this and how long before they can ski again? My family and i are returning to Pamporovo in feb, I know skiing is out of the question for me but kids and hubby love it and i will get the chance to meet up with friends.

I snapped (yes, snapped!) my knee ligaments in a mountaineering accident about 5 years ago, had the operation to reconstruct my knee and was back mountaineering and skiing again within a year. HOWEVER, be extremely careful to stick to all the rehabilitation and physiotherapy after surgery to get the flexibility, agility and most importantly, the muscle strength back to your hamstring, quads and calf muscles before attempting to get back on the skis. I worked day after day in the gym and went through physical as well as then mental agony to get back to 100% fitness again but do stick to it and you will be glad that you did. Merely going to the physio twice a week is never going to be enough, you HAVE to do most of the excercise yourself at home and at the gym. Listen to your consultant and phsiotherapist.

Skiing is probably one of the most stressful activities on the knees that is possible. All the twisting, bending, jumping and doing all of this at high speeds over mixed terrain is a combination of punishment for the knees. So, the stronger and more flexible your leg muscles are, especially your hamstrings, the better you will ski but, also, the less the risk will be of rupturing those ligaments and muscles should you have a fall. Also, learning to fall in such a way as to "protect" your knee is also worth practicing. Of course, this isn't always possible.

After years of abuse I have inflicted on my knees mountaineering (mostly) and skiing and the reconstructive surgery, I now only have less than 50% cartilage in my left knee. However, whenever I am in shape and working hard to maintain fitness, especially, in my legs, I am able to climb and mountaineer at serious altitudes and ski anywhere for long periods at a time.

Keeping your legs fit and strong is the key I believe.