What to do after ski injury in your lower body, the most exposed region to ACL

The knees bear the brunt of any skiing accident. Being the most abused body part when sliding on the slopes, this sport is not kind to your knees, which is a fact you come to terms with in the pursuit of the snowboard’s adrenaline. 

Numerous studies point to the outer knee as the body region most harmed when skiing, with 43% to 77% of injuries occurring there. Youngsters are not spared by this truth either. In fact, grade 3 ligament traumas and knee sprains represent between 39% and 77% of ski injuries in adolescents and children. And if we were to risk money on the most common injuries, those would be as follows: an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a medial collateral ligament (MCL), and meniscus tears. Or, the damage could be a combo of these three simultaneously. 

Whether you catch an edge or pivot, you must deeply understand the types of knee injuries to determine your specific case and know the steps you must undertake after such an unprecedented mishap. Here, we’re addressing the most common injury and recovery facts associated with damaged lower bodies in both competitive and recreational skiing. You will be equipped with expert-approved tips and the necessary knowledge to deal with such possible accidents with a clear and calm mind and vision.

Determine who’s at fault 

The situations in which you must bear the responsibility for your slope accident are pretty straightforward to grasp. For instance, you could fail to change your direction properly when avoiding a tree and fall sideways. However, numerous accidents occur due to someone else’s fault, and even if it seems daunting to point fingers at first, successfully separating the wheat from the chaff will save you a lot of trouble later. Whether you’re involved in a collision with another skier or fall due to uneven snow on the ski resort’s slope, the truth is that determining who’s liable for your injuries isn’t that straightforward.

Ski resorts could go on admitting that you’re at fault for your accident, while slope participants could argue that you failed to avoid them as you needed. Numerous times, innocent skiers endure accidents caused by faulty gear, poor inspections, or dangerously prepared terrain where the ski resort is at fault for failing to keep users safe. The truth is that when conflicts arise and the innocent party is wrongfully found guilty, the best thing one can do is reach out to a seasoned lawyer to do justice to the guiltless. This is, even more, the case when ski resorts are involved, for they have experienced lawyers who generally back them and do all that’s in their power to come out clean, even if it means abusing liability waivers. 

Stay ahead of the curve and make justice for yourself if you’re ever unlawfully blamed for accidents, no matter their causes or types.

The most common skiing-specific knee injuries 

Skiing, despite triggering dopamine production in a way that not many sports do, brings a range of risks for your knees. Here’s your roundup of the common forms of knee injuries to build your essential knowledge, mainly if you’ll deal with skiers or entities who won’t own up to their mistakes. 

1.                   Anterior cruciate ligament injuries most commonly occur when you change the speed or direction abruptly, land a jump incorrectly, or pivot 

2.                   Medial collateral ligament injuries take place in collisions or falls most frequently, as your knee gets pushed inwards and can range from a strain to a definite tear. 

3.                   Meniscal tears typically happen when weight suppresses your knee while it twists, leading to pain, impossibility of bending your knee painlessly, and swelling.

4.                   Fractures of the kneecap, also known as patella, can result from falls’ direct impact on your knee.

5.                   Tibial plateau fractures affect the upper region, alias shinbone, and commonly occur in high-impact falls and crashes, possibly leading to grave cartilage and ligament damage.

6.                   Poster cruciate ligament injuries aren’t that frequent, but while they’re still a probability, they’re usually not compelling you to reside. Studies show that from 53% to 88% of TPF victims get back on the slope after recovery. 

Now, focus on your ACL recovery 

If you’ve witnessed a noisy pop or popping feeling in your knee, followed by swelling and pain or the impossibility to keep skiing, you may have torn your ACL. Since this is the most common knee injury incurred by skiers, it’s important to determine whether you need an X-ray. This procedure isn’t sufficiently sensitive to disclose soft tissue affections, but some hints are discoverable this way. Plus, if you have a fracture, your physician will spot it and recommend the proper follow-up treatment. Moreover, they’ll establish if you need an MRI, the best test to instantly disclose the ACL and its consequences, enabling your physician to determine the full extent of the damage.

It’s recommended to contact the ski patrol or get any other type of assistance as soon as you feel something is wrong. Numerous patients fail to report the impact, postponing the healing process and the moment they return to their skyboards.

Lastly, ACL victims may sometimes need surgery, depending on the gravity of their trauma and the assessment of the physician (or, by case, the surgeon). While a few specific tears can pass with some physical therapy, if the ligament is completely ruptured, you may not be able to bypass the surgery.

Seek treatment 

After any injury, you may feel like brushing it off with some reassurance expressed through words. However, the best you can do to ensure a smooth recovery and safe return is to get your injury assessed to prevent additional damage. An injury may not be caused entirely by a single mishap, but by numerous consecutive strains, poor skiing techniques, and so on. Whether it’s a knee pop, stiffness, swelling, soreness, or lower back pain, these red flags mean that you must be professionally checked to ensure your correct recovery.

Worst-case scenario, you’ll need surgery before returning to the slopes.

In some situations, like knee replacement surgery, which is among the worst you can experience, you may need to sit on the fence for a few months, while recovery can take up to a year. Generally, the things you will do after receiving the green light from a surgeon or physician involve:

• Placing pain-relieving ice compresses on your knee.
• Elevating it a few times a day.
• Undergoing incision care thoroughly. 

Home exercises are recommended in most situations, and fortunately, they’ll help you recover faster and better, helping you get back on your snowboard when it’s completely safe to do so.