A ski-touring and ankle braking episode

[Harlen]

C9 wrote:

The best rehab is standing on one foot, on a wobble board.

The skiing out of Carson Pass is so good. What time were you descending this past weekend? Refreezes have been pretty ****. Got all this snow, but it's been skiing pretty poorly due to warm temps.

And Gogd writes: "Ice, ice, ice!"

Between these two pieces of advice, I am all set for more adventures in pain. Sam, I am sometimes unsure when to take you seriously-- which is a good thing. I've heard that kicking "Hacky sacks" about is supposedly great therapy for the knees, so perhaps a "Wobble board" for the ankles is not more of your mischief, trying to keep me out of your way on the slopes? And Gogd, you sound like a follower of Wim Hof with all of this ice bucket immersion therapy. I do appreciate your thoroughgoing advice for my recovery- thanks.

Sam, you mention the snow "skiing poorly due to warm temps," I wonder if there is a good lesson for me there? While at the snow park I met two experienced AT skiers, there to ski Red Lake Peak, and they described the snow surface later in the day as nice and loose, but somewhat "heavy." When I asked, they said "it can grab your skis..." and said how troublesome slightly deeper patches of that heavy, ski-grabbing snow can be. I wonder if this is what happened to me, though I was on pedestrian, "no diamond" slopes, I was going fairly fast? My other question to you real skiers, is why my ski didn't release? Though on AT bindings, set for intermediate skiing, I did not have my heels locked down. I still am in transition from free-heel skiing-- which is comfortable to me, and heels down, which I need to learn. Sam, et al., would my ski have been more likely to have released in locked-down mode? I perhaps stupidly thought that if both ends of the binding need to release, having the heel already free would allow the skis to release easier-- am I off-base here?

20230226 Best Wind Slab Photo Ever_63fc5668d20d1.jpeg

As if avalanches aren't enough to worry about!

I hate that this happened because now I have to envision the possibility of this sort of injury occurring on one of my solo winter trips deeper into the range. I love the feel of the skis, but if I am not improving my control fast enough to be safer, then I may have to consider snowshoes as my remote trip gear of choice. I've still never spent a day lift-skiing. Several friends say I'm a stubborn fool not to just invest in one season pass to do my learning.

[c9h13no3]

so perhaps a "Wobble board" for the ankles is not more of your mischief, trying to keep me out of your way on the slopes?

Not mischief, science backed. If you're gonna do any exercises for an ankle sprain, it should be that. But given the stiffness of ski boots, a fracture sounds more likely.

Sam, you mention the snow "skiing poorly due to warm temps," I wonder if there is a good lesson for me there? While at the snow park I met two experienced AT skiers, there to ski Red Lake Peak, and they described the snow surface later in the day as nice and loose, but somewhat "heavy." When I asked, they said "it can grab your skis..." and said how troublesome slightly deeper patches of that heavy, ski-grabbing snow can be. I wonder if this is what happened to me, though I was on pedestrian, "no diamond" slopes, I was going fairly fast? My other question to you real skiers, is why my ski didn't release? Though on AT bindings, set for intermediate skiing, I did not have my heels locked down. I still am in transition from free-heel skiing-- which is comfortable to me, and heels down, which I need to learn. Sam, et al., would my ski have been more likely to have released in locked-down mode? I perhaps stupidly thought that if both ends of the binding need to release, having the heel already free would allow the skis to release easier-- am I off-base here?

It is true, that your bindings are more likely to release if only the toe is engaged. However, people most often ski with their toes locked down when their heels are free. In which case, your binding won't release. Tech bindings can also have the release go wrong in a lot of ways, my ski shop recently gave me skis back where the heels weren't setup correctly.

Wet, grabby snow can definitely cause injuries. Also a precursor for wet snow avalanches. Fortunately it also sucks to ski, so usually those snow conditions shoo people back to the car/camp.

[Harlen]

When I wrote:

...would my ski have been more likely to have released in locked-down mode? I perhaps stupidly thought that if both ends of the binding need to release, having the heel already free would allow the skis to release easier-- am I off-base here?

My reasoning had one big flaw in it, that is, while in touring mode, my front binding is fully locked in! Also, reading Sam's comment, and then talking to the Skimo staff in Utah (*they are the best source of first hand advice), I recalled the advice to always lock the heels down with these lightweight tech bindings when going downhill. I have been getting away with making free-heel turns on these bindings, which the Skimo guy said was odd, and really not recommended.... so, I reckon pretty impressive skiing on my part before the crash, eh?

[Harlen]

Just got the news from the doc, and I'll have to change the Post to "...ankle braking episode." It's a Lateral Maleolus Fracture of the Fibula. Oh well, could be worse; I still don't know if it is coupled with a severe sprain, which would make it a lot worse according to the HST doctors. There is a "slight displacement" of the bone, but nothing much. I have to wonder if I get credit for the bone displacement with my self-rescue ski trip back out? It's ironic that the body is evolved to shut down pain receptors in an injury, which then allows you to cause more damage. So, should I have skied myself out, or sat on my arse screaming "Help?" I went because the weather wasn't looking too good at the time, plus I hate screaming.

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The weather had gone from this, to the image at the bottom in about an hour! Okay, enough of this drama.

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[rlown]

at least you know what it is but I bet it was also coupled with a sprain.

[Gogd]

..Gogd writes: "Ice, ice, ice!"

..Gogd, you sound like a follower of Wim Hof with all of this ice bucket immersion therapy. I do appreciate your thoroughgoing advice for my recovery- thanks.

Actually I HATE the cold! I usually have the warmest sleeping bag, gloves and warm head and body layers among my fellow campers. Ironically I love snow camping, the mountains are so pretty in white, and peaceful. Despite my ire for being chilled, I also tend to wear less warm gear than others until the temps dip to the mid 30s. As for Wim Hof, I convulse with shivers just seeing pics of full body ice soaking. When I used to do stupid stuff (wife says used to?) I tried ice baths under the advice it would toughen me up for a high altitude Alaskan winter trip I was planning, back in the day. NOPE! Tried twice - never got past 5 minutes, the cold was very painful, and thought I was going to break my teeth from such violent shivering. Truth be told, there is no getting around the suffer fest of trekking in such conditions.

Two interesting asides, having to do with feeling warmth when the actual conditions are very cold:

• Have you ever done a hot tub or sweat lodge, then rolled in the snow or took a dip in freezing cold water, wondering why the cold feels warm? It has to do with how we sense the temperature of our surroundings. Google "paradoxical warmth".
• It is not uncommon for deceased hypothermia victims to be found in various states of undress. Why do these people get naked in the freezing cold? As hypothermia advances, we eventually go into shock. One of the shock reactions is the peripheral (skin) capillaries dilate, sending a lots of warm blood into the individual's skin, causing an intense, warm sensation. By the time this occurs the subject has lost the capacity for situational awareness, so they illogically strip down to cool down, causing a sudden loss of whatever body warmth remains. This plus insufficient blood flowing to the brain and plummeting blood pressure causes the subject to coma so quickly they don't even have time to stow away the clothing they just removed.

Ed

[michaelzim]

Crikey and bummer Ian!...Sheeesh, I hope the outcome is as good as new as look forward to many more of your intrepid adventures to come.
Ummmmm, the pee bottle is long overdue. A gallon freezer ziploc is du jour for freezing nights in a tent...or other confinement.

Take good care ~ M.

[Love the Sierra]

Hi Ian,
So sorry to hear about the injury.
I agree with everything Ed says. I have always had sloppy ankles prone to sprains and need to always have good ankle support. I have to wear heavy, beefy boots with high ankles after more lifelong sprains than I can count. However, I also cannot count the number of times my boots have prevented injury. Enough background.
About 4.5 years ago I went trail running and it was just so cold and wonderful that I did not want to spend time armoring myself with ankle wraps and the like. We were running Canicross (mushing dogs tied to your waste and pulling.) at a great, fast pace. …And then my old nemesis appeared! A half buried rock! This one was angular and I stepped on it. My ankle wobbled back and forth and before I could gain my stability, I heard SNAP. I had broken the bottom tip of my fibula.
I walked back over 2 miles. Here is what useful info I can tell you.
My break was the tip of the fibula. I was told to walk on it because, as the doctor described, the larger piece needed the gravity to help it connect to the broken fragment. At the emergency room, they had given me a boot and crutches. The doc took away the crutches but said to use the boot.
Lesson 1, no support is better than I’ll fitting support!! That boot fit poorly and it inured the UNBROKEN side of my ankle by inflaming one of the tendons. I ditched the “boot” and began wearing my hiking boots, which worked great. Now, if that ankle gives me problems, it is the unbroken side that was hurt so badly by that I’ll fitting boot.
Lesson 2) Get an X-ray and a good orthopedic doc to read it. There are some breaks that heal better with walking.
Lesson 3) Naisids, Ice, and heat as Ed describes works magic on soft tissue injuries.
My ankle functions exactly as it did before the break. As mentioned above, the unbroken side sometimes gives me a problem. It looks bigger but it works.
Wishing you a quick recovery.
Aura

[Love the Sierra]

Hey, you have EXACTLY the fracture that I had, She did not tell you to walk on it? My orthopedic said that if I did not walk on it enough in the beginning the tip of the fibula will not fuse properly with the main portion of bone but rather will fill in with cartilage. That may be why mine looked enlarged but functions, he said that it never quite fused but filled in with cartilage. (I had seen an emergency room doc who told me to stay off of it. Due to it being Christmas time, it took two weeks to see an orthopedic doc and, by then, I guess it had been to late to walk on it and get the pieces to mend properly.

[tweet][/tweet]Couple more pointers that I forgot:
The orthopedic docs have a wide variety of braces that you can wear all day comfortably and will give you great support all. These are not the typical ones you can get in the pharmacy. I had to ask my doctor to give me something and then he said, “Oh sure, that is a great idea!” The one I have is sturdy fabric that laces all the way up the foot and goes higher on the ankle than the tallest mountaineering boot. Careful though, it will destroy the lining of your shoes or hiking boots so wear old pairs that ar nearing their end.

[Harlen]

Thanks a lot Aura. Your advice is very timely, as I will be seeing the othopedic doc this morning. I almost had your same experience of having to wait for more than a week for the appointment. Your advice to be walking on it is both fascinating, and appalling at the same time. I can't see my walking on this hideous foot for some time-- not without a lot of unseemly shreiking and cursing. I thought I had a nice ability to tolerate pain, but you put me in the shade Aura, with your own 2 mile walk out, and then you start walking to town, and all around?! You're an Animal, and that's a great compliment from me.

Thanks for the advice, though I may have to suffer for it.