Kneeboard Surfing USA Community Forum

Well I jacked my knee last friday .I took off too late on a wave got to my knees then got slammed . Board went one way body the other knee made a big poping sound . As I lay here with ice on my knee waiting for tuesday to go to the doctor I 'am hoping I won't need sugery. Any ideas on rehabing without going under the knife? The worst part is it was only my third time out on my new board now it my be next spring till I can try it again

Bummer Doug, Have you tried Super Glue? Just kiddin. Lots of ice and time. Some surfers use knee braces with calf and above the knee cinch straps.

Thanks Casey swelling going down but no sideways strength . The pad worked great maybe to good !

If you heard a POP, it could be a blown MCL. Hope the news is good at the Doc's.

Like Casey said, keep the ice going.

There are stress tests that you COULD do before then, but I'd probably hold off and let the Dr. assess.

I've had both ends of the spectrum in the form of rehab without surgery and major surgery.

A very likely middle ground is getting 'scoped, which is a very small localized incisioin to fix the injury.

Rehab is pretty much a certainty. Be really good about everything thrown your way on that.

If it's a MCL and/or miniscus tear, a scope and rehab isn't too bad a recovery time. It may take a little longer to forego all surgery and just rehab.

Regarding braces, I go for the neoprene open patella with straps (no hinge) over the wetsuit. I size up a little to fit it over the wetsuit. That said, you don't want it loose, or the constant slippage will drive you nuts.

It's not so much an absolute preventative measure as it is a reminder of when it's stressing.

Good luck!

SFKneelo wrote:....Regarding braces, I go for the neoprene open patella with straps (no hinge) over the wetsuit. ...!

I used one of those w/ the velcro straps. It worked excellent.

Knee getting a bit better. MRI next week. Xray found small chip of bone in the area that still has pain? Really jonesing to get wet if doc gives the ok I 'am back in the water at least on my beater sponger.

Well it looks likes acl / pcl reconstruction surgey in my future. I hope I can get it done asap so maybe back in the water by march?

It's been almost 3 months out of the water. I did not get surgery lost my med insurance . Starting to get better but still have some pain and weakness. I am hoping it will get better with time.

GW,
Bummer that you lost your med insurance prior to going for surgery. The ACL and PCL ligaments, like all ligaments, connect bone to bone and give the joint stability. If the MRI showed complete rupture of these ligaments you will essentially have a very loose and unstable joint. The problem with this is that it can lead to damage of those structures that need stability to be protected, like your cartilage surfaces, your meniscus, your joint capsule, etc. Not to mention the pain if you move the wrong way and the joint gets subluxed or over stretched.
If not having surgery here are some suggestions: pay cash and go to see a physical therapist experienced, and knowledgeable about the knees and rehab. Get some exercises to build up quads and hanstrings, the primary muscles of the knee. Can learn in one or two visits. See a brace specialist called an orthotist for a good brace that can give some external restrictions/stability for your loose knee. If want to try knee boarding without the surgery, I would suggest going finless and just using arm power. Some of the great names in our sport do not use fins.(I do not use fins, but I am definitely not one of the greats.) The fins would add increased strain on an already unstable joint. Hope your MCL and LCL ligaments are still intact ( you did not mention any injury to them) but if they are gone too, I would seriously think about kayaking until your medical insurance is back and you can get the reconstructive surgery.
Hope things work out for you. Sometimes when one door closes another opens. Good luck.

I read this thread with sadness and concern. It's seems easy to screw up a knee sometime in your surfing career, in or out of the water. And kneelos REALLY depend on their knees, and some of the injuries can be surf-ending! I have very good knees to this point (age 58) except for one or two small miniscus tears in recent years that have healed. Since you guys are relative experts in what can go wrong, can you recommend a specific type of brace or kneepad that I might wear in the water from now on to better protect the knee health I already have?

If that's too far afield from this thread, just send me the info in a PM. I would be soooooooo grateful!

I had knee surgery, 15 years ago. ACL reconstruct. The last few years I would get tighter and tighter in the hips and knees as I tried to stay with my two sons (standups) at Blacks and the Harbor on the big days. Cramps in the calf area were a norm towards the end of almost every session. I teach indoor cycling and do Sprint Triathlons. I just thought my cycling muscles didn't like my kneeboarding muscles. Also thought that turning 50 had something to do with it.
Then about 8 mos ago I found Yoga. I go 2-3 times a week and I can now say that I have NO PAIN or issues kneeboarding to which I completely attribute to Yoga. I have been a fitness professional for over 10 years and stretched as an athlete would stretch. But Yoga is different. It takes NO athletic ability to speak of, just a desire to improve your flexibility/balance, get rid of those nagging aches and pains as well as improve life in general. Mind and Body. Really, I am not joking. Try Yoga, it will change your kneeboarding and your life!

http://youtu.be/qX9FSZJu448

that was cool waka
GW I hope you get your knee figured out soon
I believe in yoga too

Crazy video I will start looking in to yoga. Knee is getting better but still no waves yet .gonna hold off till after the new year to get wet . thanks everybody for the input Happy Holidays

Ok well my turn! I think I just blew my left knee out! In the barrel and on the way out the lip hit me in the side and my right knee slid off causing my left lower leg to stretch sideways and................POP! So what now! Ice elevation, and actually lifting my leg up just to get into my truck! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Not to mention the pain !!!