# snowboard with torn meniscus



## Guest (Jan 12, 2008)

hi all!
i am will go snowboard next months in val thorens france for my first time. i have never snowboard before. i am 28 years old and torn my meniscus last year (knee injury)
i would like to know which leg to put ahead while snowboard in order to minimize a risk for re-injured any other advices???


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## PaoloSmythe (Aug 19, 2007)

there is no way to minimise the use of your knees.

in fact i would say they are the most critical and heavily used joint of them all.

i would strongly suggest you get a doctor's considered clearance to snowboard before you try to do so.


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## rubbertoe (Aug 29, 2007)

If you have had it repaired find your natural lead foot and go for it. 
If you haven't had surgery, every day you put it off you're that much closer to knee replacement. I have way too many friends with artificial knees because they toughed it out and didn't get their knee fixed soon enough.


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2008)

*i was not clear*

let me clear it:
i did an arthoscopic surgery
i am not that stuid....
is there any specific actions i can make to defand my right knee?
is it better to let the left leg lead? (i am left handed)


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2008)

avisimon said:


> let me clear it:
> i did an arthoscopic surgery
> i am not that stuid....
> is there any specific actions i can make to defand my right knee?
> is it better to let the left leg lead? (i am left handed)


I didn't find it all that taxing on my knees unless I was falling down... I trashed my left knee doing mx... I ride goofy so the majority of my weight is on that knee.... The only thing on me that is still sore is my shoulders...


Mike


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## junglecat1971 (Jan 14, 2008)

Put your right leg in front then. Your back leg works harder, ruddering the back of the board through turns, while your front leg is more of a pivot point. Also, when you're pushing around on one leg, with one foot strapped in, the other unstrapped, it's your back leg doing the work.

That said, snowboarding is not as taxing on the knees as skiing is.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2008)

headinahole said:


> I didn't find it all that taxing on my knees unless I was falling down... I trashed my left knee doing mx... I ride goofy so the majority of my weight is on that knee.... The only thing on me that is still sore is my shoulders...
> 
> 
> Mike



I agree, when riding goofy (right foot front), the right knee tends to take a little more beating especially when you're on the chairlift trying to maneuver the board around all different angles. Whichever leg feels the best, I would recommend trying that knee. If they both feel equally fine, than go with what feels more comfortable.


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## landonk5 (Aug 19, 2007)

this is real real sketchy. knees are something
that never seem to heal back perfectly if you
seriously damaged them. i busted my knee a few
weeks ago snowboarding and its fine now but its
a different feeling when i run, and i cant straighten
my leg out fully. as the others said, i'd make sure 
i'd get a doctors opinion on it. if s/he says its
alright i'd say put your better knee at the back 
of the board. and keep in mind that if this is
your first time, you're going to be falling a lot 
your butt and knees and hands. so, in considering 
your damaged knee, would invest in knee pads.
if you worry about looking foolish dont worry.
no one can see them in your snowboarding pants 
and they will definitely be much softer to fall 
on than ice or snow. i think i might invest in
a knee brace and knee pads as well!


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2008)

*thanks!!!!*

thank u all for replying
u helped me a lot!
i will use a pad on my right poor knee and put it on the back of the board (my strong leg at front). i cant wait going snowboard....
i guess i made the right choice with snowboard rather than ski regarding my knee..... do i?


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## junglecat1971 (Jan 14, 2008)

avisimon said:


> thank u all for replying
> i will use a pad on my right poor knee and put it on the back of the board (my strong leg at front). i cant wait going snowboard....


Actually we recommend the opposite. Put your strong leg in the back. 

Also heavily agree with landonk on getting knee pads. Add wrist guards and a butt shield while you're at it


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2008)

junglecat1971 said:


> Actually we recommend the opposite. Put your strong leg in the back.
> 
> Also heavily agree with landonk on getting knee pads. Add wrist guards and a butt shield while you're at it


Thanks for clearing that up... Even though my left knee is the worse of the two I ride goofy..... I skateboarded that way for 10 years... even though it would probably be less taxing if I rode regular but goofy just feels right... The point I was trying to make though is that it's not real hard on your knees regardless... Unless you start taking diggers every 10 minutes then it's a whole nother ballgame..

Mike


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## jegnorge (Feb 15, 2010)

just wondering, how people people usually hurt their meniscus or other parts of their knee when snowboarding?


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Riding and masturbating for 90% of the members on this forum.

For the rest of the world, awkward falls, going too big, putting your board on one side of a tree/object and your body on the other.


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

jegnorge said:


> just wondering, how people people usually hurt their meniscus or other parts of their knee when snowboarding?


The miniscus usually gets damaged from impact (weight-bearing) with a twist motion that causes a tear. It is actually pretty hard to do on a snowboard unless you really f-up on a jump. I managed mine from overshooting a jump that tore my ACL and medial and lateral miniscus. Since I landed into the flat I had major impact and my knee twisted enough to cause a tearing when the joint was squeazed together.

Meniscal Injuries | eorthopod.com


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

True, generally speaking knee injuries are pretty low with snowboarding. Especially when compared to skiers. You can do it, but it's not as regular an occurrence as say breaking a wrist, knocking yourself out cold.


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## jegnorge (Feb 15, 2010)

gjsnowboarder said:


> I managed mine from overshooting a jump that tore my ACL and medial and lateral miniscus. Since I landed into the flat I had major impact and my knee twisted enough to cause a tearing when the joint was squeazed together.


wow. how big is the jump? the vertical drop must've been what? 50 ft? but then again, i saw a video of how shaun white torn his meniscus. it happened when he was riding the pipe. he was just craving and getting ready for the transition and suddenly he just drops down in pain.


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

With shaun white he most likely started the tear from an earlier fall. When he started his transition he was buiding up forces increase the interaction between his body and ground. That pressure created pain in his knee which then caused him to drop to instantly decrease the physical force causing the pain. I can tell you that tearing a meniscus doesn't really hurt as much as the swelling in the knew and bone on bone bruising that usually comes with it.


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## Cavman (Mar 1, 2010)

Ok, as a 45 yr old boarder who shattered my left knee in a motorcycle accident years ago and have had 4 ops on my knee I can tell you this. Your knee will ache and bitch and moan and generally tell you when you have done too much.

I have found by doing extensive leg muscle building exercises that support my knee I have reduced the knee aches almost completely.

Beware of using knee supports because that can cause your knee to relax and rely on the brace and eventually this will cause muscle decline. I do leg extensions, leg curls, bicycle riding, gentle weighted squats. My all time favourite... lunges with a medicine ball.

Build the muscles that support your knee, ride only when you feel strong. The minute you start feeling pain...stop. By pain I mean PAIN.. not just the odd ache. Occasionally my knee will swell a bit if I ride too hard for too many days, it pinches the nerves that run through it and my foot goes numb. That lasts for about a week after I stop boarding. 

I manage my knee like people manage asthma. I was supposed to have a knee rerplacement years and years ago. I can still run 3 miles in 25mins every day if I want, but after 3 weeks it will tell me to stop and start aching on me. So I stop.

Get 4000mg of Glucosamine into you daily. Take 1000mg x 4 daily and it will start rebuilding the cartlidge. Don't take it all in one dose, you body can only absorb so much at one time.


Lastly, the more you board and the better you become the less stress you will place on your body.... unless of course you start jumps and super fast bombing runs.

Good luck


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## SpecialBlend01 (Oct 6, 2009)

yeah I've been snowboarding for 10 years and only just recently injured my front knee this february while snowboarding. Knee injuries are rare on a snowboard, but I had been doing a rail and as I came off weird the tip of my snowboard dug into the snow and my momentum launched my body forward and hence the twisted knee injury. Odd enough I felt barely any pain, I knew something was wrong though. Finished the rest of the run and decided to get it checked out instead of riding on it. 

I have doctors/physiotherapists saying I may have a partial ACL tear and/or minor meniscus tear. Unfortunately I have to wait till april 12 to see a surgeon to learn the verdict. I've been told to strengthen the knee and avoid running/jumping/leg extensions. Quite inconvenient to wait from february 3rd till april 12. This is what Canadian healthcare is like...

Being a 20 year old active male I'm going nuts from trying to play it safe. I go to the gym often and have been slowly getting back to my routine of front squats, deadlifts, lunges, biking, hamstring curls. is it good as long as no pain? will I worsen my possible injuries with heavy weight lifting?


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