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July, 2025

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Do you ever worry about your ACLs?

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BonusNo413
Posts: 342 - Karma: 2,478
It seems the majority of freeskiers tear them by their mid 20s at least. The number of ACL tears in this sport is too damn high imo. Does it worry you when you ski?
9 years ago
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T_Sedlacek
Posts: 72 - Karma: 117
i didnt but i do now cuz its fucked
9 years ago
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Dirty_Mike
Posts: 16 - Karma: 12
I do but that's just part of the sport just about any physical sport there is a high chance of knee injury. I try to prevent it by wearing knee braces but if I took a hard spill the wrong way it wouldn't help much.
9 years ago
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Yung_Jimmy
Posts: 342 - Karma: 554
Only when I land way too deep on a jump. It worries me more in other sports like football. I play RB so I'm always worried about getting my knees destroyed.
9 years ago
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TheDoughAbides
Posts: 1319 - Karma: 4,038
every fucking time...always trying to stretch on the hilll when im not making turns
9 years ago
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Casey
Posts: 8033 - Karma: 27,135
I learned a long time ago that worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it won't get you anywhere.

Anyway if it happens to you it will probly be when your going 5 mph into the lift line or slipping on some ice in the parking lot so what are you gonna do.
9 years ago
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Dddsz
Posts: 3042 - Karma: 7,323
Not really. I'm more worried about my Achilles's.

I have chronic tendinitis in my right Achilles from skiing and it is noticeably tighter and harder to stretch than my left. Feels so good when I stretch it out though.

Tear one of those things and you are out of the game for a year or more.
9 years ago
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,494
I dont ski
9 years ago
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Rparr
Posts: 5786 - Karma: 49,470
SconnieNot really. I'm more worried about my Achilles's.

I have chronic tendinitis in my right Achilles from skiing and it is noticeably tighter and harder to stretch than my left. Feels so good when I stretch it out though.

Tear one of those things and you are out of the game for a year or more.


I have a good friend who tore his years ago. The cast you have to wear is absurd, and he said rehabbing it was harder than other injuries he's had, and as a result he never got back to 100%. The dude is a shell of the skier he once was.
9 years ago
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DominatorJacques
Posts: 11247 - Karma: 76,548
Don't set your bindings too tight. When you crank them up too much you are looking for injury.
9 years ago
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HaydenWrong
Posts: 986 - Karma: 2,165
I stopped skiing after I tore mine took TALLXTs advise
9 years ago
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jca
Posts: 4186 - Karma: 6,390
both of mine are gone so, nope! No ACLs, no problem.
9 years ago
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methscratchface
Posts: 1204 - Karma: 4,446
no worries. I drink tiger penis milk every morning.
9 years ago
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morgs_delaney
Posts: 24 - Karma: 37
It's not an if, but when type of thing it seems like.
9 years ago
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OSUSkiandBoard
Posts: 9 - Karma: 17
pretty much something that's gonna happen if you repeatadly take impacts to your knees over years and years, it's either keep skiing or take it easy, I'm always for sendy
9 years ago
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
I do. I blew one of mine a decade ago. It is fine now, but it is always in the back of my mind even though I don't think it changes my skiing. I am not the skier I was then but that is because I don't ski 120 days a year and live in the mountains anymore. I ski 30-40 so obviously my skiing has declined.
9 years ago
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3mania
Posts: 2657 - Karma: 10,907
I was a mogul skier/coach for many years, never got a even a tweak to my knees. Getting out of a truck in a drunken 2 am parking lot confrontation, not so good for the ole ACL. That was a long time ago, i've put thousands of days on the rebuild, with no real issues. Patellar replacements rule, if you got fatties that is.
9 years ago
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Skibumsmith
Posts: 5478 - Karma: 12,470
TheDoughAbidesevery fucking time...always trying to stretch on the hilll when im not making turns


That doesn't really help. Do squats instead.
9 years ago
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fortyvalve
Posts: 1442 - Karma: 1,573
RparrI have a good friend who tore his years ago. The cast you have to wear is absurd, and he said rehabbing it was harder than other injuries he's had, and as a result he never got back to 100%. The dude is a shell of the skier he once was.


How seriously did he take rehab? My almost 60 year old father tore his Achilles in the spring and was back out charging the next winter
9 years ago
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Rparr
Posts: 5786 - Karma: 49,470
swordsandpensHow seriously did he take rehab? My almost 60 year old father tore his Achilles in the spring and was back out charging the next winter


pretty seriously, but now that I think about it, it was the way he tore it. He liked to do tricks on razor scooters. Fucking retarded, I know, but he was pretty good. One time he was whipping the scooting around, like a tailwhip on a bike, and the thing chopped him right in the back of the ankle at full swinging speed. Not only did it sever his achilles entirely, but the skin was busted so wipe open that it was basically falling out. It looked horrible.
9 years ago
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Yung_Jimmy
Posts: 342 - Karma: 554
SkibumsmithThat doesn't really help. Do squats instead.


Stretching is the best way to prevent any type of muscle or ligament injury.
9 years ago
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Skibumsmith
Posts: 5478 - Karma: 12,470
Yung_JimmyStretching is the best way to prevent any type of muscle or ligament injury.


explain
9 years ago
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Yung_Jimmy
Posts: 342 - Karma: 554
Skibumsmithexplain


Better flexibility, range of motion, and blood flow. Much more prone to injury if your legs and knees are stiff and not warmed up. You're definitely not wrong tho in saying that squats help, strengthening is another great option for prevention.
9 years ago
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fortyvalve
Posts: 1442 - Karma: 1,573
Rparrpretty seriously, but now that I think about it, it was the way he tore it. He liked to do tricks on razor scooters. Fucking retarded, I know, but he was pretty good. One time he was whipping the scooting around, like a tailwhip on a bike, and the thing chopped him right in the back of the ankle at full swinging speed. Not only did it sever his achilles entirely, but the skin was busted so wipe open that it was basically falling out. It looked horrible.


Alright yeah that sounds pretty nasty, my fathers was a clean snap when he jumped out of a boat so I'm sure your friends was much harder to repair.
9 years ago
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Rice
Posts: 311 - Karma: 2,230
Yung_JimmyBetter flexibility, range of motion, and blood flow. Much more prone to injury if your legs and knees are stiff and not warmed up. You're definitely not wrong tho in saying that squats help, strengthening is another great option for prevention.


you have to be careful with what type of stretches though.

Dynamic stretching instead of static stretching. If you do static, you'll increase the chance of injury (stretches you would have done in school in like 10 years ago).
9 years ago
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Skibumsmith
Posts: 5478 - Karma: 12,470
Riceyou have to be careful with what type of stretches though.

Dynamic stretching instead of static stretching. If you do static, you'll increase the chance of injury (stretches you would have done in school in like 10 years ago).


Thank you for clarifying.
A torn ACL happens when you put your knee in a position where it's vulnerable: being in the backseat and twisting or trying to save a fall. Good balance and strong legs keeps you from putting your knee in a mechanically week position.
Stretching is beneficial for preventing muscle injury, but you can't exactly stretch your ligaments before hitting the slopes.
9 years ago
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arnie_grape
Posts: 3459 - Karma: 11,913
no need to worry man if. just try your best to stay safe and in control, if you get hurt it's just the inherent risk taking effect and hopefully it's not too bad.

when I was 18 (3.5 years ago) I destroyed my knee completely out of the blue. just coaching with a buddy and we got to hit the course on the lunch break. went a little big on a cork 3 and thought I was going to land fine but my knee just buckled, extended and popped. totally fucked acl and both menisci, and minor mcl and pcl damage

but though it was awful going through the process and not being able to ski, being injured forces you to find other stuff that makes you happy, and I believe that blowing my knee kind of changed me for the better. and I'm certainly far more cautious with my body now when I'm skiing but now that I'm healed up I rip harder than ever before.
9 years ago
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humpty
Posts: 1190 - Karma: 3,162
i try not to worry when im skiing. Worrying will just prevent me from going full send and boosting off of everything. If it happens it happens i guess
9 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
Riceyou have to be careful with what type of stretches though.

If you do static, you'll increase the chance of injury .


whys that?
9 years ago
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Rice
Posts: 311 - Karma: 2,230
californiagrownwhys that?


Basically dynamic stretching warms up the body properly.

Although your muscles may be stretched and feel loose from static stretching, they will actually be less elastic and not as powerful.

For sports such as sprinting and soccer, you will definitely do dynamic as explosive speed is required. Static stretching may actually cool down the muscles before the activity, meaning they are literally not warmed up.
9 years ago
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galardogod
Posts: 1716 - Karma: 5,336
GORILLAWALLACEno need to worry man if. just try your best to stay safe and in control, if you get hurt it's just the inherent risk taking effect and hopefully it's not too bad.

when I was 18 (3.5 years ago) I destroyed my knee completely out of the blue. just coaching with a buddy and we got to hit the course on the lunch break. went a little big on a cork 3 and thought I was going to land fine but my knee just buckled, extended and popped. totally fucked acl and both menisci, and minor mcl and pcl damage

but though it was awful going through the process and not being able to ski, being injured forces you to find other stuff that makes you happy, and I believe that blowing my knee kind of changed me for the better. and I'm certainly far more cautious with my body now when I'm skiing but now that I'm healed up I rip harder than ever before.


Did they remove your meniscus or did they repair it?
9 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
RiceBasically dynamic stretching warms up the body properly.

Although your muscles may be stretched and feel loose from static stretching, they will actually be less elastic and not as powerful.

For sports such as sprinting and soccer, you will definitely do dynamic as explosive speed is required. Static stretching may actually cool down the muscles before the activity, meaning they are literally not warmed up.


For how long after static stretching is a muscles explosiveness and elasticity affected? Seconds? Minutes? Hours?

How exactly does static stretching cool your muscles down?
9 years ago
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Lemuel
Posts: 14544 - Karma: 11,165
Tore mine twice. Now I don't ski, not worth it.
9 years ago
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arnie_grape
Posts: 3459 - Karma: 11,913
galardogodDid they remove your meniscus or did they repair it?


repaired. it gets a little achey from time to time
9 years ago
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galardogod
Posts: 1716 - Karma: 5,336
GORILLAWALLACErepaired. it gets a little achey from time to time


My tear was irreparable so I lost 50-60% so I am just praying I'll be able to ski
9 years ago
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arnie_grape
Posts: 3459 - Karma: 11,913
galardogodMy tear was irreparable so I lost 50-60% so I am just praying I'll be able to ski


invest in a proper custom brace. I don't know a lot about meniscus injuries but since they're not stabilizers you might be fine if you avoid impact. if you can get your leg really super strong and use a brace it will make a big difference I reckon.
9 years ago
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Pegel18
Posts: 76 - Karma: 83
after tearing everything in my right knee. and 6.5 months and surgery later im just starting to skate, again, i think about it alot and will for a long time im sure. been like 2 weeks and im too scared to ollie anything. SKIING IN 3 months!
but as has been said, work out outside of skiing, stretch(Correctly), make sure your bindings are set correctly, (i.e. dont go to chrispy shorts.) and youll be fine.
But if it happens, more than likely youll tear it on some dumb dfd rail that youve hit 1000 times, doing something "easy." then $25000 and a whoooole load of pain later, youll be back on snow.
9 years ago
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arnie_grape
Posts: 3459 - Karma: 11,913
Pegel18been like 2 weeks and im too scared to ollie anything.


don't even dude. not worth it. it takes a very small fuck up on a skateboard to put you back in the cripple bin.
9 years ago
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kbrando
Posts: 1208 - Karma: 904
When I was younger, I did not worry at all, but over the past few years it is something that definitely crosses my mind. Now that I have a job I need to go to every day and I am the one paying for health insurance, I take way less risks. I would rather just cruise around and have fun then keep sending it and risk a big injury, not just a blown knee. Call me old, but I am now much more interested in cruising around or skinning than hitting the park.
9 years ago
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Pegel18
Posts: 76 - Karma: 83
GORILLAWALLACEit takes a very small fuck up on a skateboard to put you back in the cripple bin.


yeah good call. after pushing around for a full day, its fucking soore, and swollen, now i gotta take days off from even walking far...
9 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
Pegel18yeah good call. after pushing around for a full day, its fucking soore, and swollen, now i gotta take days off from even walking far...


Offense intended, you're an idiot.
9 years ago
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Pegel18
Posts: 76 - Karma: 83
californiagrownOffense intended, you're an idiot.


lol, the urge to go fast was just too real. but i know, im not going to end up couched again.
9 years ago
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