Knees & Skiing #1 — 1988: My First Knee Injury

 

Knees & Skiing #1 — 1988: My First Knee Injury

I started ski racing later than most — in my first year of middle school. Because I started late, I had to work harder than anyone. Back then, training eight or more hours a day (dawn, morning, afternoon, and extra sessions) was simply normal. My body grew strong, and my thighs became so thick that people would stop and stare as I walked to school — "Is that guy an athlete?" (My training logs from those days are still somewhere in my parents' home in Vancouver. On my next visit, I'll dig them out and share them with photos.)

The 1987–88 season and the "Silver Slope"

"At the start gate, national race, late 1980s"

That season I was preparing for the national championships. Back then, all the major races were held on the "Silver Slope" at Yongpyong Resort — the steepest slope in Korea. That year was special: with the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics approaching, the organizers wanted to give our event an international feel, so they installed a jump on the straight lower section of the course. The intention was "let's make it like an international race" — but that jump became a hazard for many of us.

30% injured — and I was one of them

About 30% of the skiers in that race — national team members included — crashed on the straightaway after the jump. I was one of them. After clearing the jump, the tails of both skis caught the slope, my landing failed in an instant, and I sat back hard. I heard a "thud" somewhere in my knee, and pain came flooding in. The race stopped immediately, and the patrol carried me to the medical room. The result: a complete ACL tear — the first knee injury of my life.

After that day

That injury was more than pain. It was the first crisis of my athletic life, and the moment I began to think seriously about my knees. From there began a long cycle of surgery, rehab, and return — a journey that would eventually include many more operations.

Next up

My first injury was a complete ACL tear — but what exactly is an ACL tear, and how does it differ from a meniscus injury? In the next post, I'll break down what each actually feels like, on and off the slope.

Next up
My first injury was a complete ACL tear — but what exactly is an ACL tear, and how does it differ from a meniscus injury? In the next post, I'll break down what each actually feels like, on and off the slope.

Next → "Knees & Skiing #2 — ACL Tear vs. Meniscus Injury"

Thank you for reading.