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Author Topic: I want to learn to snowboard  (Read 4347 times)

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karenj_m

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I want to learn to snowboard
« on: February 14, 2009, 09:30:10 PM »
Okay...I always wanted to learn how to snowboard...but suffering over 20 years of daily bone grinding pain with a barely moving hip...of course that didn't happen.

As a person thinking about trying this out...what precautions should I take being 10 months out on my resurfacing?

Should I get a pair of those shorts that have padding all over them for snowboarders? Wrist guards, knee guards, etc...?

Thanks!
Karen
RH Biomet 56/50 uncemented / Dr. Gross (SC) 04/02/08

John C

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Re: I want to learn to snowboard
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2009, 10:28:33 PM »
Hi Karen,
Yes, pad up good :D. When my wife and I were first learning, we got some volleyball knee pads, and put them over each "cheek", which really helped with the bruised butts ::).
Wrist guards are not a bad idea, since broken wrists are some of the most common snowboarding injuries.
One thing that all the docs agree on, is that we are the most vulnerable when we are attempting new sports where we lack the skills to control sudden situations. With that in mind, I would pad up, take lessons from a Certified Instructor, and start on the easiest beginner hill that you can find. DO NOT let a friend offer to take you up and teach you how. I see this almost every day, and the results are some terrific crashes and a bad first experience, no matter how skilled the friend claims to be.
I have no doubt that snowboarding will be in your future, but you might want to check with your doc about the timing. Some docs, like McMinn, would ask you to wait until the one year point.
Have fun when you do try it!

John

John/ Left uncemented Biomet/ Dr Gross/ 6-16-08
Right uncemented Biomet/Dr Gross/ 4/25/18

wayne-0

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Re: I want to learn to snowboard
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2009, 12:17:23 AM »
Karen,
If you have or know someone with hockey pants use them the first day or two until you feel confident enough to take them off. Those pants are well padded. If you can get thru the first two or three days of snowboarding it becomes fairly easy after that. Good luck.

Wayne
11-7-08  Bilat/Dr.Ball/ASR

JeanM

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Re: I want to learn to snowboard
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2009, 01:02:44 PM »
Hi Karen,
I'm a snowboarder and also a Gross Surface Hippy.  I've been riding for about 14 years (well, except for this year!).  I'm 2 weeks away from my 6 month post-op milestone.  Woohoo!!  My biggest question for myself is whether to snowboard or not to snowboard at 6 months.  I'm still not sure what I'm going to do.  I feel great.  But, I know that my hip is still on the weak side.  So, my sense tells me that it would be smartest to wait until next season when I'm expecting to ride with no worries.  The problem is that I live in Utah and it's in my face every single day. 

Anyway, for someone starting out 10 months post-op, I agree with the others that you should get some padding for you hips,  hockey pants are one option (these are really well padded shorts, but they're expensive).  Years ago, I used to play hockey and I was able to fit into boys junior sizes which are far cheaper than adults.  Another option, is to get protective, padded shorts  from a skateboard shop.   Or, you may find that when you rent your board they can also rent you protective pads.  I'm pretty sure they usually have wrist guards and helmets.  But, I'm not sure about protective shorts.  You really need to protect that hip. 

Most beginners fall on their butts a lot on their first day, sometimes really, really hard.  I'm worried for you that this could really jolt your hip.  Are you cemented or uncemented?   I don't want to throw cold water on your parade.  But, I do have to ask, are you sure you want to do this right now?  Maybe it would be better to wait the full 12 months, just to be safe.  I'd be concerned that you may not have full bone in-growth to the device just yet.  If you catch your heel edge and go down hard on your butt, like most beginners do, I wonder if you could loosen the device if it's not fully grown in yet.   I feel terrible about saying that.  But, knowing how hard beginners fall, I want to make sure you think it through.

But, if you do go for it.  Get that padding and try to learn in more powdery conditions or soft spring conditions.  Don't try to learn on bulletproof hardpack.  Take a lesson and slowly and gently learn to figure out your edges.  Beginners who are in too much of a hurrry tend to fall the most and the hardest.  Your snowboard turns come primarily from your hips.  Especially when you're a beginner and riding very slowly, you'll find that very subtle movements in your hips translate to where the snowboard goes.  So, it should be interesting to see how your new hip feels about all of this!

One more thing . . . . always keep your knees soft and slightly bent, never rigid!

Where do you live?  Or, more importantly, where will you be going to learn? 

I'll be interested to hear what you decide to do!




Uncemented/Biomet/Gross/8-27-08

karenj_m

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Re: I want to learn to snowboard
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2009, 10:23:58 AM »
Thank you John, Wayne, and Jean for your replies....

Hmmmm, I think I will just wait for the "next" season like Jean suggests...(I am uncemented)...Dr. Gross has released all restrictions as of my 6 month mark, but I don't want to be stupid...

I'm originally from Providence, Rhode Island and moved to the northern NY area (Champlain Valley) in '92...and winters can be very boring if you don't get into something.

But being my hip was so brutal with bone on bone (see my xrays under Dr. Gross stories - Karen Mitchell), the pain was just so bad every day and ROM was gone except for putting the leg behind my other leg. For these reason, I wasn't allowed to ski, snowboard, rollerblade, snow mobiling (that was too low on the ground)...etc.


Now that I feel great and am having ROM like when I was a kid, I thought snowboarding is actually better than trying skiing...since your legs don't end up in a split like trying to ski if you start to go down.

I did see on the ski/snowboarding sites, you can buy those Crash shorts for under your pants...lots of padding in the vital areas (especially in the hips and tailbone areas).

So I will wait until next season, just to give a good lockin of the bone with the device....

Thanks all....I will try to post a video of me crashing and burning on the bunny slope ...hee hee.....

Karen

PS: should I be practicing any certain stretches or movements in preparation for ROM for next season? Any recommendations?
Karen
RH Biomet 56/50 uncemented / Dr. Gross (SC) 04/02/08

stevel

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Re: I want to learn to snowboard
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2009, 12:40:35 PM »
Karen,

My physical therapist has me doing lunges where I outstretch to pick up a 4 KG medicine ball.  I do this at 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 12 PM, 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM positions for each leg.  John C has referenced "The Skiers Edge" training machine which appears to be great conditioning tool.  Nobody has this machine in my local area.  Check out the website demonstrating this tool.

I have been researching returning to skiing and leading doctors vary from 3 months to 12 months.  My doctor says 6 months.  Dr. McMinn says 12 months and bases this on a bone mineral density study in Japan (Preservation of the bone mineral density of the femur after surface replacement of the hip) and results from a study group of 446 hip resurfacings (Metal-on-metal resurfacing of the hip in patients under the age of 55 years with osteoarthritis) that followed this protocol.  This group had only 1 revision after a max follow-up of 8.2 years (mean 3.3 years) as of 2003.  When I read the BMD study, bone density is at 94 % or greater for all zones except M3 (91% at 6 mos, 90 % at 12 mos & 100 % at 24 mos).  So if one was really cautious, one should wait 24 months.

Another issue is bone ingrowth for uncemented devices.  I have a cemented femoral cap and and uncemented socket (BHR) whereas you have the totally uncemented Biomet device, so I could understand why you would be cautious and wait 12 months.  In fact Dr. Gross states in an interview with Vicky Marlow to wait 12 months before doing double black diamond skiing (steep chutes), competitive soccer or hockey and skydiving.  In your case, as a beginner snowboarder, you are wise to wait 12 months as you probably will fall a lot.  In my case, I am a advanced skier and I would not likely fall on moderate slopes and I have the BHR device.  I will have 2 weeks left of the ski season at 6 months post-op at the end of March and I will probably wait until next year.

PS:  One sport Dr. McMinn never recommends is bungee jumping!  :)
« Last Edit: February 16, 2009, 01:08:21 PM by stevel »
Steve
LBHR 60mm/54mm Dr Su 9/29/08 age 55
RBHR 60mm/54mm Dr Su 11/1/19 age 66
Age 70

JeanM

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Re: I want to learn to snowboard
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2009, 01:30:41 PM »
Hi Karen,
I think it's a wise decision to wait until next season.  But, I just read your story and I completely understand how you must be chomping at the bit to do something fun!  Boy, do you have long winters!  I'm originally from New Jersey and I've snowboarded at most New England resorts, particularly in Vermont and New York.  That's why I was asking about where you live and where you would ride.  I know all about New England, icy, hardpack. 

I totally get what you're saying about choosing snowboarding over skiing due to the fact that your stay bound to the board and have no chance of hyper extending a hip outward.  This is one reason why I also chose to snowboard instead of ski many years ago.  I needed to protect my hip and couldn't risk that it would 'splay' outward.

For next season, it will important to build strength and flexibility to learn to snowboard.  Lunges, especially walking lunges are great.  You'll want to build lots of lower body strength and core strength is really important as well.  You'll also want to build some upper body strength and flexibility especially in your shoulders and triceps.  Beginners are also amazed at how much their arms hurt after their first day of learning how to snowboard.  It's from having to push yourself up from a seated position so many times during the day!   

I'm giving you all this advice on how to get fit to snowboard, meanwhile I should start following my own advice!  Honestly, it's been hard to get myself motivated.  I'm an outdoor person and it has been hard for me to get motivated to work out indoors this season.  I'd much rather play outside!

Good Luck!
I can't wait to see those videos!

Jeanie

Uncemented/Biomet/Gross/8-27-08

karenj_m

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Re: I want to learn to snowboard
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2009, 05:38:38 PM »
Thanks everyone for the advice.

Lunges, huh? Oh yeah....my favorite  ::)

I assure you I will be doing the bunny hill and learning from one of the teachers at Titus mountain...I use to take my son there for snowboarding (while I sat, watched, and encouraged...I couldn't play, then). They were great...lots of beginner types of hills...family driven...and they aren't rediclous with the lift tickets (when I eventually get off the bunny hill). Smugglers' Notch in Vermont is another area that is suppose to be very nice too....

I have to start on something for the winters here... talk about cabin fever ...jeese!

Oh....forgot one more thing, what about snowboarding and knees? I have one knee (non op side) that gets a  little fat if I aggravate it...its an old injury, plus its taken on alot of weight holding me up when the bad leg couldn't do anything.

SWOOOSH (that's me going down the bunny hil)....tumble, tumble (that's me turning into a snowball when I fall)..........


Karen
RH Biomet 56/50 uncemented / Dr. Gross (SC) 04/02/08

 

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