ACL Recovery Log – 11 Months Post Op & Return to Skiing!

Today marks 11 months post ACL surgery. I can’t believe it’s been 11 months already. It seemed like just yesterday when I had the long road of recovery ahead of me. And now I can consider myself 100% recovered! This past weekend my friend Kait, an instructor at a small,  local ski resort, got Jordan and I passes to ski at West Mountain. I was so thankful she got us passes so I could test out my knee on the slopes without paying the hefty price tag of a lift ticket. I was concerned I’d only be able to do a few runs and waste $$$, so I was glad for the opportunity to try skiing for the first time since January 1st, 2020 at a small mountain.

It went pretty well. Aside from the huge mental challenge of returning to the sport that caused my injury in the first place, I felt great. My knee felt 100% and my legs were strong. I didn’t even feel the quad burn that accompanies the first time on skis every season. I contribute this to the fact that my legs are stronger now than they have ever been (although maybe not when I was running marathons or hiking 20 miles in a day, but I’ve definitely been doing more regular strength work than I have my in my life—I’m not sure if I could done a 95 lb back squat back then—maybe.)

My turns felt a little sluggish, especially turning left where I have to get my right ski parallel, and according to Kait, I’m not bending my right knee enough. Maybe that’s because it’s still a little stiff, even though it FEELS ok. It also could be that with every turn I was replaying my crash in my head. Hopefully with more time on skis that feeling will go away.

Even though getting back on the skis was the final challenge of this recovery, the process is never really over. I have to continue with my strength exercises  if I want my knee to be healthy for the rest of my life! And that is my plan.