What I didn't mention in my First Foiling Experience post was that I was out there with a tweaked left knee. "Tweaked" is a technical term I learned from old time ABK instructor Scott Kreiser, which means "put out of whack". It can apply to individual body parts or the entirety of the windsurfer (as in "Doc, I'm tweaked!")
So I was out there with a tweaked left knee. But it wasn't THAT tweaked, and I'd never tried foiling before, so to heck with it I went out and pumped the board with my tweaked knee...foiled a bit...and left very happy. But by the end of that day I was in limp mode, and a week later wasn't improving. So I reached out to the major sports medicine centers in the city for an appointment, and NYU Langone said they could see me "tomorrow". Went in, got examined, was told I'd probably torn my meniscus, and that the question of the need for surgery and so forth would be resolved by MRI. Got the MRI and Lo, I did not have a torn meniscus...no surgery! Instead I had sprained the MCL and "medial patellofemoral" ligaments (plus a whack to the knee bone for good measure.)...all I needed was a knee brace and a good attitude about four weeks of pain. "Pain shmain" I said, "no surgery YES!!!!"
They brought me to the Brace guy who set me up with the hardware pictured. I walked home in it, thinking it really wasn't doing anything and it felt slightly annoying and maybe I would skip the brace. Until I got home, removed it, and took a few steps. Where did this wobbly less than secure knee come from? Back on went the brace. For the last week I've been wearing it for any walking longer than a block, and I
A: feel good.
B: am aware of my knee improving.
C: walk around with impunity.
I love my knee brace. Looking forward to not needing it though!
Good luck with the rehab Michael. Knees ain't to be messed with.
I'm nursing a titanium plate and six screws this fall and hope to be back in the game by spring.
Posted by: Brian S | October 04, 2018 at 07:47 PM
Good luck Brian! Me I'm hoping to be back on the water in a week or three.
Posted by: Michael | October 05, 2018 at 09:32 AM