Knees

[lucky7t]

So I guess I'm getting old. I'm 39 and my knees feel the impact while wake boarding. Yesterday I noticed I couldn't walk without a limp for a while.

Hurts when landing

Can someone give me some tips?

[SkiTower]

trade the wakeboard for a ski???

[bhectus]

Ditto. And a 3-event boat.

[scott resick]

I noticed this year I can no longer long line barefoot without a 2week sinus infection. I will trade my 3 event boat for your wake boat to begin a wakesurf lifestyle.

[perry386]

My son has tendonitis in both knees and he sometimes comes off big landings in a crouched/seated position all the way with his butt almost in the water which he says cushions it a lot. Might could give that a try.

[sja]

This may not work for everyone but I am 57, an avid snowboarder and a long time ( but less expert) wakeboarder. Four years ago I was having new problems with knees on snowboard trips. I freaked out (as I don't like golf or knitting). I worked on sstrengthening the muscles around the knee joint. I did a lot of leg extensions and curls up to three days a week. Slowly building weight over time. Haven't had any problem since. Specific to wakeboarding it is all about the landing. An extra 5 or 10 pounds body weight can make a difference in landing force. A bigger factor is board shape. I went with a Ronix William this year which is one of the softest landing boards I have had. Demo a bunch of boards if you can. I think the biggest factor affecting landing force ( as with snowboarding jumps) is the angle on the wave ( hill) you land at . As I have become more ancient I am taking fewer jumps out into the flats and more on the downslope of the wake.

[scott resick]

This may not work for everyone but I am 57, an avid snowboarder and a long time ( but less expert) wakeboarder. Four years ago I was having new problems with knees on snowboard trips. I freaked out (as I don't like golf or knitting). I worked on sstrengthening the muscles around the knee joint. I did a lot of leg extensions and curls up to three days a week. Slowly building weight over time. Haven't had any problem since. Specific to wakeboarding it is all about the landing. An extra 5 or 10 pounds body weight can make a difference in landing force. A bigger factor is board shape. I went with a Ronix William this year which is one of the softest landing boards I have had. Demo a bunch of boards if you can. I think the biggest factor affecting landing force ( as with snowboarding jumps) is the angle on the wave ( hill) you land at . As I have become more ancient I am taking fewer jumps out into the flats and more on the downslope of the wake.

Lucky7t it sounds like you (and myself) need to quit the whining! I hope I can tube @ 60 let alone wakeboard or foot. Your an inspiration sja.

[bsb4fsu]

I'm with you. I am 44 and feel the impacts on my knees when wake boarding as well. Like sja, I dont like golf and am addicted to watersports. I just hope I can still walk when I'm 60+.

[lucky7t]

Hahaha love the responses.

I phoned a friend that's a doc and he took a look at my left knee. He said its a minor sprang. Whatever that means.

Here's how it happened....

I was learning to progress a bit more and cleared the wake a few times. Soft landings with tail first .

Then I decided to go big and impress my friends in the boat. Well i cleared the wake and landed straight down with no angle. It fell like someone just dropped me straight down. I felt the knee hurt actually both knees. I continued for a few more shorter jumps and came in to notice extreme pain in left knee and minor in right knee. The pain was focused on the outer portion and down to my calf.

Later that evening I consumed some barley pops and didn't notice until this morning that the pain continues.

[AirTool]

Later that evening I consumed some barley pops and didn't notice until this morning that the pain continues.

I'm thinking you need more liquid bread.

[northwestwater]

hey lucky 7! i agree with sja. i'm turning 50 next year...ouch! started wakeboarding at 40. i have been a long time snow skier and had a bad lower back injury when i was a teenager. up until i started wakeboarding, my back would flare up about every 3-4 months to the point where i couldn't stand up straight. once i started wakeboarding, i became an addict. i wakeboard year-round today. one of the things i've noticed, is that the high-impact exercise has strengthened my joints and surrounding ligaments. my lower back pain has never come back and i attribute that to wakeboarding a few times a week. there of course is a fine-line. i broke my ankle 4 years ago doing a simple toeside 360 (well obviously not simple for me). but, today, i stick to tricks i know i can do and just try to have fun without pushing it too hard.

wakeboarding is great exercise and you have no competition for flat water in the winter!!! keep it going. wakeboard till you die!

[OKWAKEBDR]

I've had 2 knee surgeries. ACL in both knees as the result of wakeboarding.

Two recomendations...

I switched to a flex board with a continuous rocker (although only a moderate amount of flex - I ride the Slingshot Whip which is the stiffest board in their lineup.) I also try to take most of my tricks wake to wake - although bombing one way out in the flats occasionally is lots of fun - but I only do that after my knees are sufficiently warmed up.

On a side note, the Slingshot Whip is advertised as a cable board - but I find it to be a terrific boat board also. It's not as poppy as some of the others, but the continuous rocker is a better fit for my riding style and a MUCH better landing. I can't ride the hard-core 3-stage rockers (like the Ronix One) anymore.

[sja]

Ditto on the board endorsement. I switched from the Ronix ibex ( aggressive three stage stiff ) to the continuous rocker flexy Ronix William.

[jguanciale]

Don't do it

[swankster]

I'm just glad to see there are others over 50 on this site. I was beginning to think I was the oldest. I was pounding the streets running three miles per day 4 days a week and my knees started to complain. The doc asked me how much time I spent stretching and I said what is that. I now spend 15 minutes a day stretching my knees and my problems have gone away.