Skiing

[mamandcrm]

Hi there,

Has anyone's child learned to ski while wearing a hard brace (and been able to ski with it after learning)? My daughter is 7 and we would like to take a skiing day trip and have the kids learn to ski. If they like it, it would be great if she could ski with the brace on so I don't have to worry about all that "out of brace" time (she wears it 22-23 hours a day). Her orthotist encourages her to do anything she can in the brace as long as she's physically comfortable. I don't know enough about skiing (or kids' skiing) to take a guess as to whether it will be uncomfortable for her. She wears a Rigo-Cheneau brace which so far she has had no comfort problems with at all.

Thanks, Chris

[titaniumed]

Hi Chris

I delayed my surgery in 1974 due to skiing. I was skiing 4 days a week as a child without a brace. I had a brace made in 1994, and I skied with that brace for a few seasons. It did not have any effect with "normal skiing" at all. One of the things that happens is that the sweat will be retained and she will get cold.

Im a 47 year skiier, you know what my answer is.
Go fot it!
Ed

[Carmell]

Hi Chris,

I know many kids who were skiers before having braces or surgery, and went back to skiing after (much better body balance after, etc.). However, if she's never skied before (or is still a novice) skiing with a brace on may be more frustrating than it's worth. She won't know how to "fall" correctly, and it may hurt her body more when she falls hard with a rigid brace. I'm just speaking from my own novice experience - skiing takes LOTS of balance and flexibility in the beginning. You must be able to twist your back, hips, knees, etc. to the right alignment, or you fall. If you fall, you fall to the side (twisting if needed) to have the impact of the fall on your side rather than square on the back. In a brace, this is much more difficult. Maybe consider giving her a "free day"? Check with the doc first, for sure. Hopefully something will work out so she can go. Otherwise, come up with some good bribing so she won't feel bad about not going... ugh Good luck.