Creaky Knee Brigade - 40+ skaters

[SkatingOnClouds]

I've noticed quite a few "older" skaters post in this forum, which is very encouraging to me, taking it up again at 46 after 20 years absence - I was in my 20's when I skated before.

I am interested to hear how others have overcome the challenges of age?
In my case it is my size and creaky knees. They sound terrible climbing stairs.

(I know people say "use it or lose it", but how do you get it back? I am trying to do very gentle exercises every day to improve the strength in the muscles surrounding the knees. Any tips on specific exercises I can do to improve my knee bend at this stage of deterioration?)

I have noticed some older skaters at our rink have a real fear of falling or making a fool of themselves. Me, I've always been a flat-out, kamikaze sort of skater, I figure if you aren't falling over, you aren't trying.

What have others found to be the biggest challenges to overcome as an "older" skater?


Karen

[TashaKat]

The biggest challenge as an older skater wasn't physical, it was mental. I really hate it when people say that they can't do things because of their age!!! In my opinion it really IS a state of mind. If you're physically fairly fit there is absolutely no reason that you can't skate to a decent level. If you're not fit then you will become fitter and it will take longer but you will still be able to do it. It is the BRAIN that stops us from doing things IMO :)

Since my 30's I have taken up ballet again, done Jazz, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Swing Dance, Brazilian Dance, Belly Dancing (I was crap), acrobatics, figure skating and ice dance, started horse riding again (done dressage, show jumping AND cross country) and, recently, pole dancing! I used to go to a 2 week summer school at a (then) local dance school. I was probably the oldest there but I was the fittest AND I kept being asked which company I was in :D

*Us* oldies have the advantage of being able to understand what is being asked of us, we have the finances to be able to work out a lesson schedule, we have the committment to practice, we ENJOY what we're doing. We may be further from the ground but we can still do it 8-)

[skaternum]

Quick answer before I run off to work: if your knees make noises but don't hurt, don't worry about it. Start off with a little skating and see how they do. If your knees hurt or swell during or after skating, see your doctor or a good physical therapist.

I'm 41 and have been skating for 10 years. I've already have knee surgery and was just diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both knees. To quote Arnold Schwarzenegger, "I'll be back." :D

[sk8pics]

I'm with skaternum on this one. I will also add that I had a knee injury as a teenager and as a result of that I am very disciplined about keeping the muscles around my knee strong. I do leg extensions and leg curls at my gym, one leg at a time so each one has to do the work. While my knees make noises, I never have any pain or any other issues.

Good luck and welcome back!

[Skate@Delaware]

Although I don't have a knee injury, they are getting older and sometimes bother me (especially when I land wrong on jumps). Mostly, it's just being 40+ and I just recently got in shape (this past year).

Celliste: I do know that the more weight you carry puts extra stress on your knees and back. Once I lost weight, my back felt better! You just don't want to go on any weird fad or crash diet. Putting on some muscle will help boost your metabolism and strengthen your body, and no, you won't look like some muscle-bound freak!! I think most of us skaters lift weights or use exercise bands.

Tashakat: I've been fighting the mental aspect of this sport since I started! First, it was fear of being in the open part of the rink and leaving the security of the wall. Then it was actually leaving the security of the ice and jumping! Now, I'm trying to get all my body parts to work together and do what they are supposed to do; along with not freaking out when my music plays..... 8O all this while still trying to have FUN doing it!

[Joan]

Both of my knees hurt pretty chronically now, but I keep on skating. My right knee creaks when I bend and unbend, but it hurts less than the left knee, which is the one that has to do the bending during a sit spin. I wear an elastic knee brace on my left knee. It helps to support it somewhat. I have not sought medical advice so far. I probably should - maybe there is a relatively good surgical fix that would give me another bunch of years of skating with less pain.

I started skating at age 41 and am now 53. I still fall 2 or 3 times each time I practice, because I continue to practice things that are not second nature to me yet. I am still on a "positive slope" learning curve and can see weekly, if not daily, incremental improvement in everything - so that keeps me motivated! I really do plan on having an axel before I "retire". Right now, the lutz is my highest jump.

[jenlyon60]

I'm mid-40s... I fell skiing about 6 years ago and ruptured my left ACL/MCL. Had ACL reconstruction surgery (MCL healed on own before the surgery... the ACL surgery was delayed to allow for the MCL healing.)

About 3 years ago, when I was trying to quickly learn the Rocker Foxtrot enough to compete it a month later, I tore cartilige and possibly meniscus in my right knee. Went to doc, had MRI, had Ortho referral, found out that my insurance wouldn't even cover 50% of the costs and put things off. Did some rehab on my own (gym etc.) based on my rehab experiences on my other knee.

Right knee has grinding/rubbing and every so often I have a Baker's cyst in it that swells up, but I keep skating and doing other activities (haven't skied since I did this though.) Some days it is more troublesome than others, and my coach knows that when I say it's bothering me, that we should work on something else.

I will need to get the right knee scoped at some point in the future. I am putting it off as long as possible, since every time the docs have to go in (even arthroscopically), there is the chance of scar tissue build-up afterwards, and things turn into a vicious cycle.

Best advice I can give is to try and keep all 4 major leg muscle groups as strong as possible on each leg (quads/hamstrings on upper leg, and shins/calves on lower leg). Good strong leg muscles will support the knee.

[garyc254]

I do leg extensions and leg curls at my gym, one leg at a time so each one has to do the work.

And you don't need a gym to do these. A decent pair of ankle weights and a carpetted floor will do the job.

Another good exercise is toe stands. Stand straight and rise up on one foot slowly, then back down slowly. Do this both with your knee straight and with a bent knee. After you can do 3 sets of 10 comfortably, start doing them with a weight in your hands.

I dislocated my knee many years ago and these are the 3 exercises the ortho had me doing three times a day.

I didn't start skating until I was 47 (now 51) and have dealt with knee aches (including knee surgery for non-skating related problems). Started taking Glucosamine and MSN and it really helped with the aches after a couple of weeks.

Since my surgery, I'm on a maintenance dose of 4 Advil three times a day. Really helps reduce the aches and inflamation.

8-)

[skaternum]

According to my PT and ortho, the best way for a woman to strengthen the quad is with properly done squats. On women, the inner portion of the quad is usually disproportionately weak when compared to the central and outer insertion points of the muscle, which leads to instability and all its ugliness. So women usually need to work on increasing the strenth of the inner portion of the quad without increasing the other 3 parts of the muscle.

A proper squat is done so that the knees do NOT extend out beyond the feet. For those of us trained in ballet, it feels awful! It feels like you're sticking your butt out behind you. My PT described it as the same postition you get in when you're halfway down to sitting in a chair.

Also, women tend to have an imbalance between quad and hamstring strength. It's very important to keep the hamstrings strong too.

[sk8pics]

Also, women tend to have an imbalance between quad and hamstring strength. It's very important to keep the hamstrings strong too.

Not just that, but if you tend to be active in sports like, for example, basketball or anything with a lot of running, you can get overdeveloped quads and pull your knee out of whack. This happened to a male friend of mine in school, who was playing a lot of basketball at the time.

I have read that there is a difference in the way female athletes stabilize their knee on sudden twisting as compared to how male athletes do that. Can't remember if the tendency is to use their quads or hamstrings, but they seem to think this is a reason female athletes tend to injure their ACL more easily. I think there has been some research done trying to train the female athletes to use their muscles differently, or maybe it was strength training aimed at fixing any imbalance. I think your hamstrings are supposed to be able to lift something like 2/3 of the weight that your quads can do, and many people fall short of that.

[TashaKat]

I really hate it when people say that they can't do things because of their age!!!

I've just realised how awful that sounded 8O I wasn't being horrid and I didn't mean that anyone with injuries or health problems were faking it ..... sorry if I offended anyone, I didn't mean to, honest :halo:

[doubletoe]

According to my PT and ortho, the best way for a woman to strengthen the quad is with properly done squats. On women, the inner portion of the quad is usually disproportionately weak when compared to the central and outer insertion points of the muscle, which leads to instability and all its ugliness. So women usually need to work on increasing the strenth of the inner portion of the quad without increasing the other 3 parts of the muscle.

A proper squat is done so that the knees do NOT extend out beyond the feet. For those of us trained in ballet, it feels awful! It feels like you're sticking your butt out behind you. My PT described it as the same postition you get in when you're halfway down to sitting in a chair.

Also, women tend to have an imbalance between quad and hamstring strength. It's very important to keep the hamstrings strong too.

Yes, it is extremely important to do leg curls for the hamstrings and leg extensions for the inner quads. Otherwise, the outer quads--which we use the most when we skate--can get disproportionately strong and pull unevenly on the knees. Also, I find that as soon as I stop taking glucosamine, my knees start creaking when I go down stairs, so I recommend glucosamine, too. ;)

[Figureskates]

Started again after a 30 year absence at age 52..I will be 60 in March.

I have a rebuilt left near and arthritis in my back and neck and my right elbow.

A salchow is my highest jump and I am currently doing figures as well.

I always joke that I do not do spirals anymore because the cracking sound in my back annoyed the other skaters! :) :)

[coskater64]

I have horrible creaky knee on the left but not the right. My right knee just tracks very poorly and pulls on my hip flexors causing massive pain. So as the others have said if the creaking and snapping don't hurt don't worry. To fix my bad tracking I exercise my inner thigh and quad (no off color jokes please) and tape my knee to keep it in line.

At 41 I have found just keeping muscles warm is key and learning how to stretch properly is helpful. Also, learning how to fall is helpful, just relax because when you go down there's nothing you can do but try to enjoy the ride.

Leslie

[Skate@Delaware]

Also, learning how to fall is helpful, just relax because when you go down there's nothing you can do but try to enjoy the ride.

Leslie
My chiropractor says he can tell the difference as to whether I've fought a fall or not. I don't know if he can or he's just bs-in me :lol: as long as he adjusts me!

I have a congenital hip defect--my right hip (my landing leg) clicks at times and when I bend my leg up (like in the scratch spin) it "catches." I do exercises to help strengthen that joint.

[slusher]

I'm mid-40s... I fell skiing about 6 years ago and ruptured my left ACL/MCL. Had ACL reconstruction surgery (MCL healed on own before the surgery... the ACL surgery was delayed to allow for the MCL healing.)


Same thing, I only had one knee done, the other still is missing it's ACL but that's my thunder thigh leg so the muscles are holding it together. I've had multiple surgeries on the one leg (why I've never had the desire to go in for the other one :cry: ) and have a problem with scar tissue catching my kneecap. when it does, I get kneecap rubbing on bone, not pleasant. Certain skating things aggravate that so I have to watch for overuse.

Skating has been the best exercise for my knees. And keeping warm is vital!

[SkatingOnClouds]

What about stair climbing? Good, bad or neutral?

My work group is about to move up to the 2nd floor. I really struggled up and down those stairs when we worked up there in the past, my knees were agony every night.

I'm trying to be positive, and believe that the stair climbing might help my skating rather than destroying my knees and my skating.

Anyone out there use stair climbing to help their knees/muscles?

Karen

[jenlyon60]

I used stair climbing as part of my post-surgery rehab once I was done with my initial PT (I stopped doing PT fairly early, after 5 weeks, because I moved across country and started a new job.)

Stair climbing with my messed up right knee is a different story for me. Something is rubbing inside and makes it very challenging to do stairs "normally". Going up stairs isn't as bad as going down stairs "normally."

[stardust skies]

What about stair climbing? Good, bad or neutral?

My work group is about to move up to the 2nd floor. I really struggled up and down those stairs when we worked up there in the past, my knees were agony every night.

I'm trying to be positive, and believe that the stair climbing might help my skating rather than destroying my knees and my skating.

Anyone out there use stair climbing to help their knees/muscles?

Karen

I'm not part of the "40 + creaky knee brigade", but I do have sensitive knees, so I do not use stair climbers to work out. From what I've been told they really just accelerate wear and tear on the knee joints, and I really don't need any of that.

I DO think, however, that there's a problem somewhere if your knees hurt after climbing a couple of flights of stairs. It might be a decent idea to check out a physical therapist and see if you can't get on an excercise program to manage the pain...because 46 is really not old and you shouldn't be having trouble going up stairs. Plus if you have pain from a few flights of stairs, then skating is really going to aggravate whatever is wrong with your knees to make you hurt. Physical therapists are real magicians, I hope you consider checking one out in your area.

[Skate@Delaware]

I've been told if your knees are healthy and don't complain or ache later, then stair climbers are ok. As with any exercise, don't overdue it. You just have to listen to your body.

I don't use exercise bikes because my hip complains, although no problem with the rowing machine (and it's better for my weak upper back).

[russiet]

I know people say "use it or lose it", but how do you get it back? I am trying to do very gentle exercises every day to improve the strength in the muscles surrounding the knees. Any tips on specific exercises I can do to improve my knee bend at this stage of deterioration?

Karen

Karen,

My age stats: Age 50, started skating at 45 with hockey skates, started figure skating one year ago this month & I'm not looking back.

You're doing it the right way. Excersise lightly every day to regain some strength and stability. After a couple of months, Try pushing past your light work-out into something harder, but every other day or every 3 days in order to let your body rebuild. Of course, this is my opinion.

About 3-1/2 years ago I was re-tiling my bathroom and came up with a case of bursitis (shoulder muscle area....the bursis). It was so bad I was unable to lift a 1/2 gallon of milk into the fridge. I started with very light weight & rehabilitative excersises. After 3 months I stepped it up to a regular work-out. Now three years later I do a maintenance work-out & stretches every morning. It keeps me toned & feeling fit. As an extra added benefit, I eat deserts because I know I'll work them off.

So far my knees have not been a huge issue. I have bicycled most of my adult life and I think the strong muscles from that help keep my knees stabilized. You might try biking and/or a stationary indoor trainer. Use an easier setting and spin your legs faster. Try and keep your cadence up at 80 revs per minute and keep at it for 20 minutes to start & build up to at least 45 minutes. Once you get stronger at it, put in some sprints followed by recovery. You can adjust the resistance to higher levels as needed. By the way....it can get boring. If inside, play some music or something. Outside is much more entertaining, just watch out for cars & dogs.

Your legs will get stronger and your knees will have more support. Your aerobic abilities will also improve.

Good luck.

[emma]

I think age is all in your head. I am a 50 plus skater who came back to the ice after 30 years off. I did skate as a kid and was on the ice 5 to 6 days a week until i was in my early teens then stopped . I never think about my age and i am now working on adult gold moves and have some of my doubles back. Adults may have fear holding them back more than any thing else. I fall all the time and i fall hard. So far i have never been hurt, yes lots of bruises but who cares. Yes my body hurts in the morning but always feels better after i skate. I now that the kids out on the ice also have aches and pains it comes with the sport! Skating keeps me in shape and i say to any adult out there the heck with age just skate your best work hard and enjoy

[Skate@Delaware]

Start of sad biography, soft violin music plays in the background:
Three years ago I injured my right shoulder with a torn rotator cuff while sewing costumes (for my daughter's school play). Had therapy and got other exercises for my poor posture. I was 70 pounds overweight and barely able to skate (I was a wall hugger).

Last year I was rear-ended and now I suffer from whiplash and numbness in my arm. Chiropractic care is on-going. Diet also started last year when I saw myself in summer vacation photos 8O Ewww!

I also have other health problem that whack me out and knock me out every now and again, but not as bad, now that I'm healthier!

Still going to the chiropractor, added pilates class, doing band workout (using stretchy bands as weights), lifting weights, skating, still watching what I eat (lost 65 pounds to date-gone from size 22 to size 6/8).
end of sad biographical story
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Anyway, you do what you can! When I first started skating, I was too big to do much. I was out of shape. I wasn't flexible. But, I wasn't ready to make any other changes to my lifestyle. I think the car accident changed my attitude and the caring attitude of the therapists. I also had a change of workplace. I moved out of an office where "goodies" were always being served (the supervisor was really fat), to an office where the boss ate healthy snacks, worked out, and encouraged others to care for their bodies.

I started wanting to look good, but not until I saw how big I really was in my photos from vacation did it really hit home how big I really was (I was always the one taking pics, never the one in them). What an eye opener. After being depressed about it for weeks, I did something about it. Which brings me to today.

I have limitations from my health (bad ticker, migraines, bad shoulder from the car accident) which prevent or hinder me from ever being "excellent" and I'm ok with that. I can excel within my limitations. I don't compare myself to others. I can ask for their help or help them but I can't switch places so comparison isn't relevant to me. I do the best I can with the body I have and the training I can get. That's my story and I'm sticking to it ;)

[dbny]

At 58, fear is definitely the most limiting factor for me. I was a roller dancer as a kid, but I only started ice skating 5 years ago, and managed to break my wrist fairly quickly. My knees creak, but so do most of my other joints! I have intermittent pain in my knees, though usually not on the ice. I wear soft knee pads whenever I skate, because it is not worth the risk of injury to me to go without them. Of course, I took a nice splat on the sidewalk several weeks ago and was seriously wishing I had been wearing knees pads, wrist braces and a helmet :) I would love to skate with abandon as I did when a teenager, but the reality is that I don't want to be put out of commission by a broken bone or concussion, so I am more cautious than I would like to be.

On the entirely positive side of things, after I had been skating a year, I started watching my diet, and the two together resulted in a 45 pound weight loss. I was so out of shape that the first time I got on the ice, I made it half way around and had to sit down, so I have a very clear measure of my progress re fitness. The older you get, the harder and slower it is to "get it back", so you have already done the best thing you can by starting

[Skate@Delaware]

Woo Hoo to DBNY for the weight loss!!!

It's one of those things that gets harder as you get older.

I also fight the "fear factor" but have a nice coach that understands it!

[PattyP]

Woo Hoo to DBNY for the weight loss!!!



Both you and DBNY! Congrats on your weight losses! As a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, after a 25 pound loss, I love to hear other peoples success stories.

[Skate@Delaware]

Thank you PattyP!!

[dbny]

Thank you Skate@Delaware and PattyP. Congrats to Skate@Delaware for getting in shape! I too am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, and it was after that that I gained back all I lost plus another 45 pounds. I did follow the Weight Watchers point plan when I finally lost the 45 pounds, but did not go to meetings. I lost another 12 pounds when I went on a low fat almost entirely vegetarian diet. I'm now down another 10 due to a recent illness, but I believe I will keep that off and lose more, based on my experience at a Vipassana Meditation retreat (I'll write about that when I've caught up with everything at home).

[SkatingOnClouds]

Right now I weight 216 lbs, or 98 kgs :oops:
So far I've lost 26 1/2 pounds, 12 kgs. I'm doing it gently.
But I am getting there, and I can feel my muscles getting stronger.

I laughed at the comment about getting puffed out after getting half way around the rink - our rink is so tiny, it isn't an issue - about 8 fast strokes and I'm starting to get into crossovers! :lol: :lol:

Oh for an Olympic size rink!

Karen

[dbny]

I laughed at the comment about getting puffed out after getting half way around the rink - our rink is so tiny, it isn't an issue - about 8 fast strokes and I'm starting to get into crossovers! :lol: :lol:


I think you are way ahead of where I was when I started, but it wasn't lack of breath that made me sit down. My calf muscles were killing me, especially right above the boots in back. I just had no strength at all. Oh, and crossovers were in no way an option at that point :lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

I've found losing weight (not quite, but very nearly, 60 lbs since July of 2004) has really, really helped my skating - I just wish it had helped my knees, which still play up from time to time!

[Joan]

I lost weight (almost 40 lb) very gradually over a year and a half. I've been a lifetime WW member for about 4 months now. It feels great!

[Skate@Delaware]

I used the South Beach diet because I liked the mini-meals, although some of their snacks I have to substitute-due to lactose intolerance (their ricotta whip). I was also in the right frame of mind to lose the weight, which is 80% of the battle.

Of course, losing the weight has NOT helped my jumping-still stuck in that area!!! :lol: I'm blaming excess gravitational forces...deforestation of the rain forests....lack of good coupons in the Sunday paper....

[skaternum]

In other knee news, I had my appointment yesterday with the ortho at the Duke Sports Medicine Clinic. She said there's significant cartilage loss and that the only *solution*, given the location of where the loss is, is to do a cartilage implantation. That's where they extract good cartilage from my knee, grow it in a lab with some biologic, then implant it in the right spot, where it's supposed to grow on its own. At the same time, she'll have to move one of the bones over because it's out of whack and would just grind up the new cartilage if she didn't move it. Because you have to wait for the cells to grow inside your knee, the rehab for this is really long -- about a YEAR before I could really skate again. I'd be on crutches for 2 months, then have to use a cane for another couple of months, until the cartilage grows enough to support my weight. And then maybe do the other knee. <sigh>

I'm not thrilled with the idea of being inactive and off the ice for so long (okay, so I cried like a baby last night about it), but any other type of remedy is only temporary and would, at best, stop it from getting worse but wouldn't fix it so I could skate. I'm totally bummed about it! I'm already cranky and stressed out from the lack of exercise and weight gain. But if the surgery is successful, I'd get at least another decade to skate once I heal, so I'm willing to give it a go. And if it doesn't work well enough to allow me to skate, it would most likely at least allow me to ride a bike and walk (which I can't even do now). My current plan is to do it in the Spring, after our trip to Greece. So I'm currently trying to get my head wrapped around the idea of not skating for such a long time and not getting really depressed about it. I'm trying to focus on the fact that it's a FIX, not a band-aid, and worth being patient for. :cry:

And I have a brand new pair of blades that my husband gave me for my birthday, mounted on my boots, and never touched the ice. :frus:

[Debbie S]

Oh, skaternum, I'm sorry to hear that you won't be able to skate for a while. But at least you'll get the problem fixed and (hopefully) won't be in pain anymore.

Do your docs think that skating in general caused your knee problems, or was it a specific injury or a genetic factor? I ask this b/c I've had a couple bad falls on my knee(s) and I think about the long-term implications.

[jazzpants]

http://www.cosgan.de/images/kao/traurig/d055.gif Sorry to hear about the news, skaternum.... http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/traurig/k055.gif

But the good part of the news is that at least the doctor told you that if you do this procedure that you'll be skating again after a year. It sure BEATS being told by your doctors that "you should consider giving up your sport and do Tai Chi and slow walking", right? (Those were what my old GP and second chiropractor told me to do! I was 32-33 when I was handed this diagnose. Well, my current chiro and I would like to say to those doctors... "UP YOURS!!!" :twisted: )

So chin up! Focus your efforts on doing all you have to do to work towards the day that you'll be able to set foot on the ice instead. This is your off-ice training!!! http://www.cosgan.de/images/kao/sportlich/c005.gif http://www.cosgan.de/images/kao/sportlich/c010.gif

[sk8pics]

Aw, skaternum, I'm sorry to hear about this, too, but like Debbie and Jazzpants said, at least it should fix your problems! And I have to say, it sounds like really amazing medicine and very cool! Perhaps, given your general good fitness you will rehab faster than they expect! Good luck with it!

[Joan]

Good luck with the surgery, Skaternum. I like Jazzpant's idea for exercise - punching a punching bag could help in more ways than one ;) . Swimming might also be good - will this be allowed? What brought about you knee problems? Was it skating or was there some sort of prior injury?

[PattyP]

So sorry to hear that skaternum. But as others have said, at least you have a solution. One year off will be tough, but it will go by fast.

I've been whining about a injury that's kept me off the ice for 5 weeks now, but that is nothing compared to what you are going through.

Good luck with your surgery and recovery.

Patty

[dbny]

(((((Skaternum)))))

I admire your attitude, that you are willing to give up a year to gain 10 more.

[doubletoe]

In other knee news, I had my appointment yesterday with the ortho at the Duke Sports Medicine Clinic. She said there's significant cartilage loss and that the only *solution*, given the location of where the loss is, is to do a cartilage implantation. That's where they extract good cartilage from my knee, grow it in a lab with some biologic, then implant it in the right spot, where it's supposed to grow on its own. At the same time, she'll have to move one of the bones over because it's out of whack and would just grind up the new cartilage if she didn't move it. Because you have to wait for the cells to grow inside your knee, the rehab for this is really long -- about a YEAR before I could really skate again. I'd be on crutches for 2 months, then have to use a cane for another couple of months, until the cartilage grows enough to support my weight. And then maybe do the other knee. <sigh>

I'm not thrilled with the idea of being inactive and off the ice for so long (okay, so I cried like a baby last night about it), but any other type of remedy is only temporary and would, at best, stop it from getting worse but wouldn't fix it so I could skate. I'm totally bummed about it! I'm already cranky and stressed out from the lack of exercise and weight gain. But if the surgery is successful, I'd get at least another decade to skate once I heal, so I'm willing to give it a go. And if it doesn't work well enough to allow me to skate, it would most likely at least allow me to ride a bike and walk (which I can't even do now). My current plan is to do it in the Spring, after our trip to Greece. So I'm currently trying to get my head wrapped around the idea of not skating for such a long time and not getting really depressed about it. I'm trying to focus on the fact that it's a FIX, not a band-aid, and worth being patient for. :cry:

And I have a brand new pair of blades that my husband gave me for my birthday, mounted on my boots, and never touched the ice. :frus:

A big hug from me, too!!! I know I would be depressed if I was told I couldn't skate for a year (I think I'd prefer to be told I couldn't walk, LOL!). On the other hand, it is so exciting that you are being told this will FIX your knee! So many times, adults are just told that it will never get better and all they can do is to stay off it. A year ago, an adult skater friend of mine had knee surgery and now she's starting to land axels with no knee pain, so just keep that image in your head and we'll be looking forward to seeing you tear up the ice next year! :D

[skaternum]

Do your docs think that skating in general caused your knee problems, or was it a specific injury or a genetic factor? I ask this b/c I've had a couple bad falls on my knee(s) and I think about the long-term implications.
Thanks for the kind thoughts and words, everyone. It helps knowing that other skating addicts appreciate how difficult this is. You guys are so great!!

To answer this question, it wasn't a specific injury. I danced (classical ballet) for years when I was younger, and that did a heck of a job on my knees. I eventually had to give it up because of my knees. Also, the way my knees and hips are structured is probably a contributing factor.

To answer some other questions, swimming won't be allowed for several months after the implantation. I'll be doing a lot of swimming between now and when I have the surgry, since it's the only thing I can do consistently that won't kill my knees. Sadly, I HATE swimming, so I have to force myself to go. I did a couple of water aerobics classes, where it was just me and the old ladies. (Even the instructor was much older than me.) :lol:

[skaternum]

So many times, adults are just told that it will never get better and all they can do is to stay off it.That's really true. I went to see an ortho who specializes in knee & shoulder problems for female athletes. She told me that if I was 71, rather than 41, she'd never recommend this type of surgery. She thinks that at 41, you should have decades of sports activity in front of you. I really liked her attitude!

[Skate@Delaware]

Ok, here's my "fat" pictures. We went on vacation to Orlando, FL, and Charleston, SC in July 2004. The fat ones were taken at Bubba Gump Shrimp in Charleston. Look at the size of that dessert! Yum!! Actually, my son and I ate all of it :oops: .

http://www.sk8rland.com/users/tkahline/pictures/?s=Weight+Loss+Photos

The "skinny" photo was taken this fall when I was "auditioning" a dress to wear for our exhibition skate. I don't have a good mirror with enough light, so my daughter took the picture for me (don't mind the mess in my room).

I started at 200 pounds and am now down to 137 (as of this morning). My goal is to reach 135. I weigh less now than when I graduated from high school in 1980 and am in better shape than I've ever been (notwithstanding all my health problems---grrr!).

Slow and easy does it! Crash diets just do that-crash!
Terese

[NoVa Sk8r]

I'm not thrilled with the idea of being inactive and off the ice for so long (okay, so I cried like a baby last night about it), but any other type of remedy is only temporary and would, at best, stop it from getting worse but wouldn't fix it so I could skate. So I guess our plan of me relocating back to NC and eloping on the ice to skate pairs is on hold?! :??

Seriously, best of luck 'num for a speedy recovery.
Your attitude and sacrifice are quite admirable. 8-)

[SkatingOnClouds]

Thanks for the photos Skate@Delaware. I think I need to lose a heck of a lot more before I post any before & after photos.

Skaternum, it is a difficult decision to make. Having rediscovered the joys of skating, I would be devastated to be facing a year off the ice. All the best with your recovery.

It is inspirational knowing so many others out there are facing similar issues with their skating.

Karen

[skaternum]

So I guess our plan of me relocating back to NC and eloping on the ice to skate pairs is on hold?!Yep, I think loops is stuck with you. ;)

Seriously, best of luck 'num for a speedy recovery.
Your attitude and sacrifice are quite admirable.Thanks. I'm trying not to see it as a sacrifice -- just a necessity.

I will be at Easterns, of course, taking pictures and working, so don't think you're rid of me that easily!

[Moto Guzzi]

Skaternum, I'm sorry to hear about your upcoming surgery and wish you the best for a full recovery. A year seems like a long time, but you'll find the time passes quickly once you start doing rehab. I was off the ice for 9 months after my first knee surgery, and it was an opportunity to learn new crafts and go to auctions and antique shows--things I didn't have time for when I was skating a lot.

If this operation will allow you to be pain free, it will be worth every minute of the year you are off. It's good that doctors can do this type of surgery rather than telling you that you need a knee replacement. I've often wondered, though, why if they can teflon coat a pan they can't teflon coat the inside of a knee where the cartilege has been shredded.

Terese, thanks for posting your before and after pictures. You look great! :bow:

[Terri C]

(((( Skaternum))))
What a bummer, but it's only a year!!
You can channel your energies towards *other projects* :twisted:

[Skate@Delaware]

Skaternum,
Your prognosis sounds very positive! Even though the recovery sounds like a long time-maybe the doctor is conservative in his/her estimate based on the general population (we all know skaters are above the general population as far as fitness goes). We tend to recover faster!!!

I'm sure with a good therapy team, your recovery will be fast and it sounds like you will be back better than ever! I didn't know medicine had advanced so much.

I think if I had that sort of prognosis, I'd surely catch up on all my sewing, scrapbooking and crafts and all the movies I haven't been able to watch (about 5 years behind on the movies-don't think I'll ever catch up :giveup: ).

[dbny]

Ok, here's my "fat" pictures. We went on vacation to Orlando, FL, and Charleston, SC in July 2004. The fat ones were taken at Bubba Gump Shrimp in Charleston. Look at the size of that dessert! Yum!! Actually, my son and I ate all of it :oops: .

http://www.sk8rland.com/users/tkahline/pictures/?s=Weight+Loss+Photos

The "skinny" photo was taken this fall when I was "auditioning" a dress to wear for our exhibition skate. I don't have a good mirror with enough light, so my daughter took the picture for me (don't mind the mess in my room).

I started at 200 pounds and am now down to 137 (as of this morning). My goal is to reach 135. I weigh less now than when I graduated from high school in 1980 and am in better shape than I've ever been (notwithstanding all my health problems---grrr!).

Slow and easy does it! Crash diets just do that-crash!
Terese

Way to go! You look fantastic in that skating dress. What courage to post the fat pic too! I know I would never be able to do that.

[Skate@Delaware]

Way to go! You look fantastic in that skating dress. What courage to post the fat pic too! I know I would never be able to do that.
Thanks!! Courage was getting away from the wall for my wimpy waltz jumps!! :lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

Way to go! You look fantastic in that skating dress. What courage to post the fat pic too! I know I would never be able to do that.Indeed, me neither, although there are one or two fat pics of me on my website.

[icedancer2]

I resurrect this thread not because of bad knees (although my old "sit-spin knee" sometimes gives me problems), but I was wondering if any of you have problems with your back.

I have been having a really rough fall/winter -- I don't know if it's from skating, or falling a few times or ????????? but I have a constant backache in the mid-portion of my back (lower thoracic) that extends around my ribs to my xiphoid process (lower sternum). It is worse from sitting down, better standing and lying.

I have been to my regular internist, an osteopath, chiropractor, PT and acupuncturist. All of their treatments give me some relief for a few hours and then it's back to being somewhat intolerable. I took some time off from skating and work for a while to see if I just needed a rest... no real change.

The osteopath told me I should skate everyday. Well, that sounded like a great prescription but after 5 days I noticed that my back hurt when I was skating and especially anything to do with checking my arms (which I do all the time when I skate, so it makes it hard...) --

Anyway, just wondering what sorts of back issues you guys might have encountered -- maybe from skating, maybe not...

[Joan]

=

I have been to my regular internist, an osteopath, chiropractor, PT and acupuncturist. ..

Have you gone to a doctor who specializes in sports medicine? These specialists know the correct exercises to recommend for strengthening the muscles that are needed for support.

[icedancer2]

Have you gone to a doctor who specializes in sports medicine? These specialists know the correct exercises to recommend for strengthening the muscles that are needed for support.

I hadn't really thought about that, but it is a good idea. I am starting to "think outside the box" as it were and thinking of asking some of my skating buddies (the younger ones) who they see -- I tend to go to a certain group of people who I know in my area -- holistic practitioners that I study yoga with, etc., but no one knows a thing about skating and what it does to your body...

I think I also need to learn to stretch more before skating, but not hurt myself. I would appreciate any and all input on this one! (Maybe I will start a new thread).

Thanks.:)

[sexyskates]

I started skating at 37 and when I started learning the loop I had pain on the inside of my knees. It turned out that I was not bending my knee straight out over my 2nd toe, instead my knee bent inward. I went to a physical therapist to learn exercises BEFORE damaging my knees (they have always been a little creaky from too much skiing anyway). I now bend my knee straight on landing and if I keep up my exercises and use ice when sore (and some glucosamine daily) they are pretty good. Leaning forward on jumps hurts the knees, good technique doesn't. Also women do tend to have a weak VMO (the little quad on the inner side above the knee). Leg extensions holding the weight when in full extension strengthens it. I can do this at home with leg weights (heavy ones), or the gym is really good.
In addition I always wear soft volley pads on my knees during practice. It only takes one good trip over the toepick to crack a patella and I don't even want to go there. Who wants to get injured in practice?

[dbny]

In addition I always wear soft volley pads on my knees during practice. It only takes one good trip over the toepick to crack a patella and I don't even want to go there. Who wants to get injured in practice?

Me too, but I fell off ice twice in the past two months! Maybe I should wear those kneepads all the time!:lol:

icedancer2 If you can tolerate ibuprofen, I suggest trying up to 600mg a day (one 200mg OTC tab three times a day with food) for at least two weeks. It has to build up in your blood, so you do need to keep it up for those two weeks. Also, even though you feel better when lying down, I highly recommend a memory foam mattress or 2 1/2" topper. Since I got my topper ($99 at Costco), my shoulders no longer hurt, and I'm able to sleep on my back for the first time in about 20 years. If I had a standard sized bed, I would spring for the big bucks for a tempurpedic mattress.

[icedancer2]

icedancer2 If you can tolerate ibuprofen, I suggest trying up to 600mg a day (one 200mg OTC tab three times a day with food) for at least two weeks. It has to build up in your blood, so you do need to keep it up for those two weeks. Also, even though you feel better when lying down, I highly recommend a memory foam mattress or 2 1/2" topper. Since I got my topper ($99 at Costco), my shoulders no longer hurt, and I'm able to sleep on my back for the first time in about 20 years. If I had a standard sized bed, I would spring for the big bucks for a tempurpedic mattress.

Thanks -- these are good ideas. I tried Tylenol, but it didn't do much. I've taken some advil in the last couple of days, and things are starting to feel better. Also thinking about the memory foam topper. I will have to find that thread where we discussed the pros and cons of these and which were the best -- I remembered that you liked the Costco one -- we're not Costco members but I could probably borrow someone's card.

Since I wrote this, I tried just lying on my back on the floor on the pad with a heating pad -- placing tennis ball and spikey ball under my pelvis, sacrum, thoracic ribs and spine for a hour -- I felt much better when I stood up. I tried it again this morning and my skating session went better. I'll do it again this afternoon.

I think I just need to learn to REALLY relax and quit pushing myself so much -- life has just been pushing on me and I have to really learn how to do things differently. Strange, I've been meditating for 30 years and now I REALLY have to learn how to relax...

Life's odd like that I guess.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

[dbny]

I'm glad to hear you are feeling better. I hope you can resolve the problem completely soon. In just the past two weeks, I've had two six year old beginners in group who were so scared that they had completely stiffened up. One kept complaining that her chest hurt, and I realized that it was all muscle tension! Poor little things!

[wisniew]

I used the South Beach diet because I liked the mini-meals, although some of their snacks I have to substitute-due to lactose intolerance (their ricotta whip). I was also in the right frame of mind to lose the weight, which is 80% of the battle.

Of course, losing the weight has NOT helped my jumping-still stuck in that area!!! :lol: I'm blaming excess gravitational forces...deforestation of the rain forests....lack of good coupons in the Sunday paper....

You guys are awesome!:bow:
I started skating about a year ago (at 49) in an Adult Pre-Alpha Plus, mostly to get out and do something different with my daughters. They come and go but I have stuck with it, really starting to get serious the last 2 months. Up till then it was just crawling around in the over-populated group lessons. I've dropped 22 (from 240 to 218) in the last 6 months.

It hasn't been just the skating though, per se. For me, "just" skating" isn't anywhere near enough. The skating has given new meaning and "cause" to off-ice workouts in the gym. It has made the aerobic workouts "meaningful" and lower body workouts, to some degree tolerable.

It has been very satisfying to have folx at work (and even my kids piano teacher) notice how much better I was looking. But, the most interesting "side effect" has been feedback that I have gotten over looking "taller". I am already 6'2". Then I realized what they were referring to ..
improvement in posture. (I have a tendency to lean forward a bit while stroking.) I fully expect to go down another 25 in the next year.

wrt muscle soreness ... my calves were the 1st to go also; with the lower back a close 2nd. But again, over a couple of months of consistent off-ice aerobic and lower body work, that is long gone ... and the knee bend is getting better and better.

Keep up the great work!!!

Joe

[Skate@Delaware]

wisniew: Congrats on your progress!!! I bet you feel a whole lot better!

icedancer2: If anything, maybe try Pilates to strengthen the core muscles-it has really helped me after my auto accident. I still have the muscle spasms (upper back and shoulders), but not as bad (I keep putting off those massages, even though it would feel wonderful:roll: ).

[wisniew]

wisniew: Congrats on your progress!!! I bet you feel a whole lot better!

icedancer2: If anything, maybe try Pilates to strengthen the core muscles-it has really helped me after my auto accident. I still have the muscle spasms (upper back and shoulders), but not as bad (I keep putting off those massages, even though it would feel wonderful:roll: ).

skate: Hope that this isn't off topic but your reference to "core control" is as you know, oh so critical. Somewhat along those lines, does anyone know where to get an "ankle rocker". I am not talking about the circular piece of wood. It is a square (3 in X 3 in or so) metal "platform". I saw it in Carl Poe's "Conditioning for Skating ..." book. I have not been able to find it anywhere on the web, etc.

Joe

[Skate@Delaware]

skate: Hope that this isn't off topic but your reference to "core control" is as you know, oh so critical. Somewhat along those lines, does anyone know where to get an "ankle rocker". I am not talking about the circular piece of wood. It is a square (3 in X 3 in or so) metal "platform". I saw it in Carl Poe's "Conditioning for Skating ..." book. I have not been able to find it anywhere on the web, etc.

Joe
Did you try http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000E71EOK/sr=1-1/qid=1138048923/ref=sr_1_1/104-8209817-1559924?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

I searched under the term "ankle stretcher" at Amazon.com but you could google or yahoo it also.

[wisniew]

Did you try http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000E71EOK/sr=1-1/qid=1138048923/ref=sr_1_1/104-8209817-1559924?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

I searched under the term "ankle stretcher" at Amazon.com but you could google or yahoo it also.

Close, but that reference doesn't appear to have a lateral (edgework) "degree of freedom" to it.

[Skate@Delaware]

I have the book by Poe but I don't do that stretch. I would imagine that you could improvise with a piece of wood or a phone book so it runs the length of your foot and have your foot 1/2 way off of it and stretch it that way.

[sexyskates]

go to www.fitterfirst.com
there is a ton of sports training stuff (wobble boards, ankle rockers, balls, therabands etc.).

[icedancer2]

icedancer2:[/B] If anything, maybe try Pilates to strengthen the core muscles-it has really helped me after my auto accident. I still have the muscle spasms (upper back and shoulders), but not as bad (I keep putting off those massages, even though it would feel wonderful:roll: ).

I know I should be doing some Pilates, but at this point the Drs. and therapists are just recommending some very light yoga and stretching, plus skating (!) -- I would like to find a Pilates teacher who is into "Pilates therapy" and not just the hard-core "get in shape now" type.

Then of course there is all of the $$$ I'm spending -- yikes! Even with insurance, this is not cheap, folks!

Thanks for the suggestions, I appreciate the input.:)

[Skate@Delaware]

The Pilates I do isn't hard-core, although at first my abs were sore.... it felt more like a yoga class, though.

We haven't had it since Christmas break though and i miss it. I've only done the moves sporadically (I'm lazy unless $$$ has been spent).

[Rusty Blades]

Well this thread deserves to be revived! I didn't see it when i joined - too far back in the pile!

I've posted elsewhere but I'll post here again to join the ranks of returning old timers and late beginners 8-)

I'm 56 years old and skated from14 to 19 fairly seriously. An injury, marriage, and a career took me away from skating until last month. Like so many, I was carrying too much weight, out of shape and had simply grown lazy :cry:

Following my spill in 1968 my knees had bothered me for years but in January I was watching figure skating on TV and realized I hadn't had a knee "go out" in many years. "So why aren't you skating?" I asked myself - and I didn't have an answer! 8O

So, being a "Type A" personality, I bought skates (Jackson Competitor boots and MK Pro blades) and hit the ice again (yes, in more ways that one). I skate 3 days a week with 2 different clubs and have about 10 hours ice time since my return 3 weeks ago. Things are coming back slowly but I still don't have all my edges back yet - it's coming. On non-skating days I do exercises to improve my balance, knee stregth, and flexability. I haven't lost as much weight as I'd like but it's coming. Those HUGE thighs and calves from my youth ("skater's legs") have certainly toned up :D and I can start to feel some of the power again.

I have lined up spring and summer skating and dearly hope to start working on my "skills" (moves in the field) before next fall. Although I didn' t go through the testing program when I was young, I intend to have a shot at it now!

Welcome back everyone! I am proud to be in such good company! GREY POWER!

[Sooky]

As a returner after 20+ years to skating, and a new-comer to the boards, I'd really like to say a very (unBritish!) 3 cheers for this thread. As I wrestle with the challenge of taking risks (undoubtedly my biggest problem) on ice and fitting in this redisovered passion with the rest of my life, I shall recall all your contributions - so thank you muchly!

I don't have much to add to the details of creaking knees, backs etc because mine don't so much creak as refuse to bend the way they did and yes, that is almost certainly because aforementioned joints are carrying a post-children figure these days. I do struggle a bit with another challenge - MS. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in my early 30s and it is very variable in its effects. So far, so good with limited impact on skating except when I'm mid-relapse. But the temptation to explain a bad skating day with reference to the MS is huge - maybe as we get older we all are all too quick to be all doom and gloom and try too hard to explain what we just accepted as an 'off day' when we were young and carefree?!

[SkatingOnClouds]

We certainly are a mixed bunch.

The way I look at is this; I'm grateful to skate again. If I dropped dead from a heart attack on the ice, my only regret will be that I didn't get to skate better before it happened.

I'm determined to enjoy every skating minute I've got left before something stops me doing it.

[Sooky]

What a great attitude and I love your signature!

[Mrs Redboots]

Sooky, are you in the UK? Where are you skating?

Yes, there are plenty of us 50+ skaters around. The other day, Husband commented as he got on the ice before our practice that, "He had thought this was a sport for young girls, so how come the only people on the ice were middle-aged men?"

[Sooky]

Hi Mrs Redboots, yes I am in the UK - skating and having lessons at Guildford Spectrum but quite often practising at Streatham. Though I'm not nearly good enough to deserve private ice time, so I only show up in the public sessions at Streatham on weekday mornings - I am guessing you're so good that you're only there in the earlier private sessions?!:bow:

I'm a bit sad actually because this coming week is half-term so that means packed rinks and no opportunity to practise properly outside of my lesson - do you think it'll be back to square one when I return to the ice in about 10 days time? My skills feel so tentative and new that I reckon the smallest thing could steal them from me!

[Mrs Redboots]

Hi Mrs Redboots, yes I am in the UK - skating and having lessons at Guildford Spectrum but quite often practising at Streatham. Though I'm not nearly good enough to deserve private ice time, so I only show up in the public sessions at Streatham on weekday mornings - I am guessing you're so good that you're only there in the earlier private sessions?!:bow: I'm not that good, but I do train at Streatham so I can use the teaching ice. Which can be a bit scary with several elite dance couples also training, but it is their off-season so fairly quiet just now. And yes, I've usually gone by around 10:00, don't often stay on until 10:30. Some of the adults do, though, so you may have met some of them.

I'm a bit sad actually because this coming week is half-term so that means packed rinks and no opportunity to practise properly outside of my lesson - do you think it'll be back to square one when I return to the ice in about 10 days time? My skills feel so tentative and new that I reckon the smallest thing could steal them from me!The funny thing is that first day back one often skates better than ever - and then it all goes to pieces next day. Hope you find some ice, though.