anyone go back to snowboarding after TKR?

[rookie1213]

hello!

i'm new to this board but have posted this same request on other boards, with limited response

please share your success (or other) stories -- i'm looking at having a TKR as a last-resort in the not-too-distant future but i first would like to know if i'll be able to return to intermediate-level, recreational snowboarding which i've done the past 10 seasons in Colorado (10-14 days each time)

thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Josephine]

Well, lots have returned to cycling, running, surfing and ski-ing so can't see any problems with snowboarding. Good on yer, Rookie and welcome to BoneSmart!

 

[Surfsister]

I think you will return to snowboarding. I was back to surfing three and a half months after surgery. I think it will take longer to return to snowboarding since that sport requires so much of your legs. However, people told me of others who had the surgery and were back on their snowboards with no problem. You just need to make sure you strengthen your leg muscles as much as possible as they'll be doing all of the work to support the knee.

Get your surgery. It shouldn't be a last resort. If you're to that point, it's what you need to live your life to the fullest. It's the only option. It's also the best option.

 

[verno]

3 month after Surgery I was back to playing Ice Hockey. My surgery was Aug 5th 2008. June 25th 2009 I rode my bicycle across the country with my two sons in 44 days. Im playing competitive hockey at the highest level three days a week. I'm now training for a triathalon. Snowboarding will be a piece of cake.

 

[ship4]

Welcome rookie 1213,
If you are an accomplished snowboarder and do not spend too much time on your knees, I don't see any reason why you could not go back to it. However, if you are still spending lots of time on your knees and jumping around rather than carving the board in the snow and sitting on your butt, you truly will have to think about it.
I was an athlete in HS & in college. I was a PE teacher and womens coach of softball and basketball. I was also a ski instructor for 7 years. I had my BTKR over a year ago. I was skiing in February of this year. I will be staying away from the bumps and crud. I will be more of a groomed hill skier in the future.
So, it is only you who can judge how proficient you are at the sport........ However in snowboarding I would be staying off my knees in the resting position! Were you a proficient skier before you took up snowboarding? If so, consider going back to skiing........

 

[Kimgrif]

I used to ski in my younger years, but i wouldn't even attempt it now. i'm happy to just be able to walk "without wobbling" as my 15yo son puts it. I still cannot kneel on my right knee and I'm one year out from that surgery. my surgeon told me I may never be able to kneel on it. now that the left knee is done also, not sure how i'm gonna handle doing tasks such as scrubbing out the bathtub, etc. hmmm...

 

[Texas]

Hi And welcome i think you will e able to do pretty much what you want to I have heard on here alone horse back riding, snowboarding, surfing lots of things and if your in pain it will be worth it................I hope you let us know when you are having it and keep us updates love to know how it turns out for you and have some pics of you snowboarding afterwards....lol.............good luck to you........)

 

[rookie1213]

in response to Crystal (ship4), i am an accomplished boarder (my friends tell me that skiers will sometimes stop to watch me and comment how "graceful" snowboarding looks to be)

every year, i take at least 1 lesson from a professional instructor so i don't get into any bad habits -- the last couple of years, those have been carving lessons

i don't like my board to ever leave the snow so jumps and airplay are out -- i like your call about not doing bumps or crud (i've always hated moguls -- in Colorado, we savor those days of fresh powder)

the trouble is, i do like to rest on my knees (even though both knees have had surgery, the Right one had an ACL reconstruction) so i can take off on my toeside (while i look up the hill to see who's coming down) -- sitting on my butt, my knees flex more when trying to stand up onto my heelside and i have to almost throw my upper body forward (down the slope) to get my (big) butt/hips up off the snow, being a typical female with more weight in my lower body

 

[rookie1213]

in response to Kim (Texas), i had a f/u appt w/ my OS yesterday -- we talked some more about the need for a TKR but i elected to try to hold off for a couple more months, to get me through the end of sailing season and maybe to snowboard one more (last?) time this winter -- i also go thru an intense conditioning prep leading up to my snowboard trip in Jan/Feb and am usually in the best shape all year, when i return from Colorado

in the meantime, to control the pain, i had been on hydrocodone but stopped that after a week (narcotics worry me about addiction) -- OS gave me Rx for Lidoderm 5% patches, and told me it would be stretching it but we could also try 3 other things -- Voltaren gel, more PT (i already know all the exercises by rote), and/or another form of viscosupplementation (Flexa, Supartz, SynviscOne?)

so (fingers crossed), my RTKR would be mid-Feb 2010 -- OS said he typically does 3 TKRs on a Monday and would release me to go home on Thursday, if everything goes ok

 

[Texas]

Hey would love to see pics of you snowboarding always wanted to , but chicken but I did tell myself my this was all over I sure wanted to try as much as I could just dont want to wrap around the tree....lol.......I think that is great the you do that a class to be on the safe side thats pretty great........I hope you have a great winter and have alot of fun............When do you go next ?..(snowboarding)....)

 

[Jamie]

Hi, Rookie....welcome to BoneSmart! Glad you joined us. As you can see from the posts you have already, we have a group of very active folks who have resumed a normal life after knee replacement. Everyone heals differently. It should help that you are in excellent physical condition prior to your surgery. Just be prepared that recovery can take a while and you may need to work back into some of the things you are used to doing. I have faith you'll get there, though. You sound VERY determined!

 

[rookie1213]

here's a couple of pics of my snowboarding in Colorado last season

it's actually "okay" form (i'm relaxed/comfortable on the board) although my knees could be bent a little more and i probably would have carved this turn more cleanly -- i'm going pretty fast on this 15- to 20-degree slope, aiming straight for the photographer :evil:

i hope to get back to Colorado next Jan/Feb for 10-12 days, come back home for a week, then have the TKR

thanks to all of you for your kind words of wisdom

 

[Josephine]

Looking good there, rookie!