An End to Kiteboarding, or a new Knee? Or Both?

caps · Since 23 Dec 2010 343 Posts Obsessed

Bummer Nak! I feel your pain. I've been nursing 2 bad hips for years now- early arthritis from banging the shit out of them after years of soccer and relentless running. After the diagnosis 12 years ago, I quit running and started windsurfing, which ultimately led me to kiteboarding. I do lots of low impact exercises such as biking, nordic skiing and ellipticals. I alpine ski in Bend where they have a ski club just for people with knee replacements, and an even more select club for the double knee replacement crew. If you want stories of people thriving with knee replacements, you may need to settle for ones from more common sports, such as skiing, biking and surfing. Kiteboarding is still a relatively new sport and I think the numbers just aren't there yet. I see no reason you won't be able to kite with a surfboard after your knee replacement with the common sense you have generously shared over the years on this forum. I have no plans of quiting kiteboarding when someday I get my hip replaced. And this comes from a person in the business- I should know. Feel free to pm me if you want more details. For me, a bad hip led me to kiteboarding. Don't be discouraged by your knees and be led away. You can overcome this and be the "story" for the rest of us. Cheers!

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Dec 17, 12 9:21 pm

Kind of off topic...but what do you think Reuben's knees are going to be like in 15 years?

Kind of scary.

Sella · Mon Dec 17, 12 11:24 pm

Okay....so no more unhooked mega loops for you but your kite skills alone will go a long way in keeping impact to a minimum.

Think of this challenge as just another fancy Nak stress test........on yourself. Rehab. Lose weight. Buy a brace. Pad up. Ride Strapless and use those air miles to seek out pristine flat water conditions. It's really no different than what we should all be doing anyway. Right?????? Exclamation

Clif · Since 18 Dec 2012 4 Posts Fort Pierce FL Kook

Attitude is more important than anything else. I had minor knee surgery in Dec 2005. It got infected. Two weeks later the doctor removed ALL the cartilage and the lining in the knee. The morphine pump was not even close to helping with the pain. Three weeks later I had a massive pulmonary embolism. In the ER I heard the doctor tell my wife he was sorry but it would be fatal. I was still there the next day, but spent 10 touch and go days in intensive care. The scar tissue in my knee grew together and I lost almost all range of motion in my knee. I spent 6 months in a wheelchair on oxygen. Two doctors told me I would never walk again. I told them they shouldn't tell people that because someone might beleive them and I was going to walk again. After a year I was still walking with a cane. Fast forward about 6 years and I am learning to kiteboard. I am 63 and I used to windsurf 18 years ago. Saturday I windsurfed in the ocean for the first time since the surgery. I had a blast. The first couple of years my knee hurt for a week after any exersize. When I was still in the wheel chair the doctor wanted to do a knee replacment. I said no. My new doctor xrayed my knee and asked me how I was able to walk. ATTITUDE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHIG ELSE! All healing is trully spiritual healing. Visualize what you want to be able to do, and ignore the naysayers.

Clif · Since 18 Dec 2012 4 Posts Fort Pierce FL Kook

Attitude is more important than anything else. I had minor knee surgery in Dec 2005. It got infected. Two weeks later the doctor removed ALL the cartilage and the lining in the knee. The morphine pump was not even close to helping with the pain. Three weeks later I had a massive pulmonary embolism. In the ER I heard the doctor tell my wife he was sorry but it would be fatal. I was still there the next day, but spent 10 touch and go days in intensive care. The scar tissue in my knee grew together and I lost almost all range of motion in my knee. I spent 6 months in a wheelchair on oxygen. Two doctors told me I would never walk again. I told them they shouldn't tell people that because someone might beleive them and I was going to walk again. After a year I was still walking with a cane. Fast forward about 6 years and I am learning to kiteboard. I am 63 and I used to windsurf 18 years ago. Saturday I windsurfed in the ocean for the first time since the surgery. I had a blast. The first couple of years my knee hurt for a week after any exersize. When I was still in the wheel chair the doctor wanted to do a knee replacment. I said no. My new doctor xrayed my knee and asked me how I was able to walk. ATTITUDE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHIG ELSE! All healing is trully spiritual healing. Visualize what you want to be able to do, and ignore the naysayers.

Lurk · Since 04 Apr 2009 355 Posts Obsessed

THE ULTIMATE HIGH IS STRAPLESS WAVE RIDING anyway!

Sorry to hear that but I know lots of guys who overcame thier Doctors prognostications and kite all the time.

Docters ALWAYS give the worst case, scariest possibilty. Covers thier ass and makes you work harder.

Ryan · Since 14 Jul 2005 536 Posts Oregon Addicted

Nak, never met you but appreciate your contributions to the forum. Really sorry to hear about your knee. In addition to your docs I would find some good PT. My experience has been that docs know alot about how to fix it with the knife, not so much about other options and the recovery after the knife.

I rid myself of straps 5 years ago and have never looked back.

motivation.....http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-28321.html

Be well

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

Nak - I was told about 2-1/2 years ago that my knee is gone (bone on bone), and that I need a TKR, but that I should put it off as long as possible. You only get two TKRs in your life and they only last about 10-15 years.

I've been using a skim board ever since and I'm more than happy. Kiting with a skim is easier on my knee than walking! I don't miss twin tips.

Good luck!

jperry · Since 07 Nov 2008 188 Posts Stoked

Just get a knee brace take an easy. limit your sessions. maybe take a year and come back to it. Enjoy the family. kiting is not everything.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

Another comment to add, I remember Elliot Leboe saying "A knee can only handle so many jumps" ... Its like the idea is there is a counter on your knee and each time you jump it ticks down one.

There are other factors for sure but I think that is mostly true.

Pick your days and your jumps and make them count!

D-Krep It Kiter · Since 18 Jul 2011 417 Posts Obsessed

Nak · Wed Dec 19, 12 11:15 pm

Thanks to everyone again for all of your support, inspiration and advice. I have my post-op appointment with my surgeon tomorrow, and I'm far better equipped to get the most out of that appointment than I was a few days ago--thanks to you guys. Thumb's Up

niknas · Since 18 Sep 2006 181 Posts North of OR, South of WA Stoked

My story: In 2005 the year I started kiteboarding I had a pain in my left knee aggravated when windsurfing, Mt biking, or most any impact sports. I saw a Doc in Portland who repaired my wife's ACL with good success and who came with great recommendations. This Doc checked my knee and said I needed a "clean up". No big deal, he also said my right knee was suspect. Trusting his opinion I told him to go ahead. I won't say this Doc was a quack but he totally f***up both of my knees. Long story short, after I went through rehab I was able to function up to a point. I still kited over 150 days per year, Mt biking, dirt biking and some windsurfing. However I was unable to walk any distant, hiking was out, skiing was out. Four years later I couldn't even walk around the block. Gave up windsurfing, still kited (directional) for short sessions. I had to land my kite as soon as I got out of the water. My buddies knew this and grab my kites asap, almost before I was out of the water, they never expected me to land their kites.

I had both of my knees replaced on May 18, 2011 at the age of 66. I was back on the water (at the Gorge) on Aug 20, 2011. I kited all winter in Los Barriles, close to 100 days on the water. It hurt but the pain was manageable. I was in muscle, ligament, type pain for the first year after the operation.

I now have NO PAIN in either knees.

Don't get me wrong, real knees are still best if they don't hurt. You will give up some flexibility. (I can't touch my ass with my heel anymore.) I get funny popping in my knees sometime. I can't crawl on my knees yet. But I am out of pain and I can walk. I did give up dirt biking on my Doc's advice.

Go to a Doc and clinic in a large hospital that does a lot of replacements. Go to Doc who specializes in knee replacements and does a lot of them, 200 plus per year. We are lucky that there is clinic in Vancouver (Rebound) that is great. My Doc has a part time home in the Gorge. He bikes, windsurfs, and KITES. He knows what we do and how to treat us. We also have a great PT in White Salmon. I will stack these guys up against anyone, anywhere.

PM me and I will give the information for my Doc.

Cheers,
Nik

consumer · Since 28 Nov 2010 406 Posts banned Obsessed

This is absolutely not to be meant as medical advice, but interesting:

read up on Kartogenin, it is drug recently discovered that is thought to direct the development of cartilage from stem cells. I have my doubts -- primarily theoretical-- in that it stimulates the cellular pathways that certain cancers employ to colonize bone , but assuming it has very little carcinogenic potential this could be a hopeful candidate.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

Pepi · Fri Dec 21, 12 9:08 am

Strapless.

Mark, Gman, Steve and I'll put you through bootcamp this Spring and give you a gold jersey for extra mojo power.

Nak · Fri Dec 21, 12 9:45 am