Coming Back from a Knee Injury

So as I've mentioned in previous threads I had a pretty bad grade 2 MCL tear and significant bone bruising on January 22nd. It's been a struggle, but I can finally walk fine and physical therapy is helping with strengthening. I went back to see my doctor today who tested my MCL and said it was "solid" and healed correctly. He told me I could pretty much do whatever assuming I could handle the pain (some from the MCL the day after but mainly the bone bruises that just hurt like hell still). He said I could try and ski and see how it felt. I asked about a brace and he said that it had healed very well and no instability so I could wear one if I felt like I need to but it wasn't necessary.

My quesiton is to those who've had knee injuries, how did you handle your first day back on the slopes? How did it go? stuff like that. I'm thinking I'm going to go locally to Mt. Baldy since I have a pass there and if I can't do it it doesn't cost me anything.

The first rule of safe recovery is that from your rehab exercise the injured leg should be as strong (lifting weights, bike riding, etc.) as the other one. If so skiing should be OK.

That said Baldy off-trail skiing is usually very demanding. I tore my meniscus Feb. 20, 1995 and returned to skiing at Mt. Baldy April 23. I did nearly all my runs on Bonanza, Robin's and Skyline, a couple on Emile's later when it softened. In your favor is that it's earlier in the season, the chair 4 intermediate runs are in great shape (when timed for mid-morning corn) and Baldy's grooming is greatly improved this year.

Thanks for the info. I'll ask the people at PT about whether they think my strength is equal on both legs. I think I'm pretty close. I made a reservation for next Friday just in case I can actually make it....trying to get my $'s worth out of that $50 pass (and I definitely would have if someone would have been a little more careful and not hit me).

Hey SoCal,
Sorry about your knee injury----Did you have any surgery? I tore my ACL five years ago, a combiniation of bad form, tricky snow, and an evil mogul. Had it patched up with a bit of nearby hamstring. It takes a few times out to get the mojo back.
I actually skiied seven days after my ACL tear, and before surgery, but was only good for short days and on very smooth groomed snow. Dr. said you don't even need your ACL for skiing, only for falling. I said some things I hope never to have to say again, such as "Yes, that foot of untracked powder does look great! But you go ahead, I'll stay right here on this freshly polished blue-square corduroy".
Six months post-surgery (October) and just after returning from the Dr. where he'd said it was ok to start running, I ran the first hole of a nearby golf course (par 4) I'd have stopped after 3 steps --my knee hurt like hell---but the Dr. had said it was ok.... after a couple more months I was back to my normal running of 5 -10 miles a week, no pain, just a slightly diferent feeling.
A year after, I skied the same run, in the exact same snow conditions (6" of heavy, wet (for CO) tracked-up snow on top of sharp, icy (for CO) moguls) on Goshawk, the run to skiers right of the Birds of Prey lift at Beaver Creek. That was scary, but an important "getting back on the horse" moment.

Primary rehab advice is to get strong with PT and the gym, and if you feel tired, opt for the baselodge brew instead of pushing for the last run, the first few times back out on the slopes. It sucked getting hurt, even after 40+ years of skiing, but I feel I don't have much to complain about as long as my knee could be fixed with $$$$ (better make that $$$$$), plus some time and pain and effort.

Thanks for the advice. I had a grade 2 tear of my MCl back in January; no surgery needed as the ligament was still partially attached (whew) and no other tears. I've been working hard at PT, espicially recently since the doctor said the MCL looked "solid" and I could push as hard as I could handle the pain. I had them test my strength at PT last week, I'm at 100% of my other leg in my quad and about 90ish% on my hamstring. The past week or so has been been pretty brutal on me, pushing during training is one thing but trying to wake up or fall asleep(or stay asleep) has been tough because of soreness. Today is actually the first day I felt OK after training (as I sit here with ice on my knee).

I'm hoping to get back to running but I think I need some time for the bone bruising to heal still before I deal with the pounding that comes with running (so I will miss the marathon I trained for at the end of the month). Hopefully Friday goes well, given the improvement I'm seeing day to day I think it will be ok. I'll be with a beginer buddy who boards so we'll take it easy; maybe at some point during the day I'll try and push it a little.

And I'll add, yeah $$$$ is fair, I didn't even need surgery but all the doctors visits, braces, and especially PT add up.