-
For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.
My season in injuries
^ @Monique, that is good news
One of these days I'm going to have to try hot yoga, been hearing nothing but good things about it.
I'll admit that a few of my friends HATE it. The heat is, well, heat. And it's weird, because as a rule, I hate working out in the heat. I get nauseated mountain biking when it's too hot out. But, of course, yoga doesn't have the same elements of cardio work etc.
Weirdly, Wednesday, I did start feeling short of breath and uncomfortable. I almost walked out of the classroom, but we shifted to a more open position, and the feeling went away. That was the first time I remember feeling ill from the heat. I actually think it's because I was in a corner of the room that I've never been in before, which is hotter than where I usually put my mat.
My ACL surgery recovery (one and a half weeks out) is going well. Had my first PT visit today. The therapist says skiing by next years Gathering is a realistic goal. 
My ACL surgery recovery (one and a half weeks out) is going well. Had my first PT visit today. The therapist says skiing by next years Gathering is a realistic goal.
I started skiing - easy stuff - 6 months (minus 2 days) post surgery. I started on greens and was on blues I think the second day. I skied fewer runs than I usually would (duh), and I could get more runs if I skied greens than if I skied blues. That's on peak 9 where blues are still pretty gentle. I was comfortable skiing bumps - with slooow technique -within the month (not exactly authorized, but I felt safer there). Anyway, yes, seems realistic. It's only May.
I face planted in some powder at Sugarbush this past april and neither binding released and I tweaked my right knee a bit. It hurt a little to walk and it was swollen. I iced the hell out of it and it felt 100% within a week. That freaked me out a little bit. Need to check my DIN as I felt at least one ski should have popped off.
No time like the present!
Righto. My Kenjas are the ones with the Marker Griffons on them so since I'm swapping out bindings anyway I wasn't worried about it. When we went to Banff and they told me what my recommended DIN I thought it was too high but didn't say anything. Then after I wiped in Sugarbush and my bindings didn't release and should have that got me thinking my DIN was probably too high. I now question all my DIN settings so one by one I"m getting them checked. I like a lower DIN than my Skier Type II and weigh dictate so I've realized I need to start telling them what I would like my DIN to be. I don't even want to be in a situation again where I wipe and my skis should release and don't because that's a surefire way to hurt something. I got lucky with my fall but I don't want to bank on getting lucky again.
Word of caution on skiing a lower DIN - Prerelease can be much more dangerous than no release.
I'm not a ski tech expert but I've read Look Pivot's are safe when used at a lower DIN setting. However, Pivot's may be terrible WRT phantom fall ACL concerns regardless of DIN setting, another can of worms which hopefully will be addressed with a successful outcome in 2018 - https://howell-ski-bindings.myshopify.com/
By definition, this means you are skier type 1 - you want a release sooner than the DIN of a skier type 2.
So, went to PT today, got Graston on the front and back of my knee. The upper part of my calf is like gravel - so many lumps. No wonder it's causing trouble. The quad is the same, and and and ...
The new-to-me PT decided my VMO is weak, which, like, yeah, that seems like everybody's problem. She said that there are no exercises that have actually been shown to strengthen it in isolation, so I got some quite stimulating e-stim. The usual drill - it zaps every thirty seconds for ten seconds, and while it's zapping, I flex. The internals of my knee were not happy, but I'm hoping that it's a short-term issue. Started out at maybe a 3 for knee pain, up to a 4 or 5 by the time it was done. Arbitrary numbers, of course.
The new-to-me PT decided my VMO is weak, which, like, yeah, that seems like everybody's problem. She said that there are no exercises that have actually been shown to strengthen it in isolation, so I got some quite stimulating e-stim. The usual drill - it zaps every thirty seconds for ten seconds, and while it's zapping, I flex. The internals of my knee were not happy, but I'm hoping that it's a short-term issue. Started out at maybe a 3 for knee pain, up to a 4 or 5 by the time it was done. Arbitrary numbers, of course.
Yeah that chart says my DIN should be 7 but i am starting to have them set my DIN to 5.5. 7 just seems too high given I'm not an aggressive skier.
I agree too low is bad. I've been going for a DIN of 5.5 rather than the recommended 7 so i don't think 5.5 is too low. 7 just seems too high given I'm not aggressive. I know too low can be dangerous so 5.5 seems like a compromise. Probably more like that DIN for a type 1 skier even though I'm a type 2.
What ... um, what numerical basis do you have for the estimation of what seems high or low?
Using this website and punching in the skier type and weight i should not have a higher DIN than my guy.
http://www.mechanicsofsport.com/skiing/equipment/bindings/din-calculator.html
That's all. Not looking to get into a big debate. I'm just saying 7 seems too high for a din for me when I'm not an aggressive skier. My guy who is an aggressive skier and a little taller than me but similar weight shouldn't have a din lower than me at 6.5.
On paper when you punch in the relevant data it spits out a din of 7 which considering my guys suggested din is 6.5 just seems off to me.
When i wiped in my Kenjas and bindings didn't release when i felt they should have is all I'm talking about. When I've demoed skis as of late they ask what DIN i want and I tell them 5.5.
If i'm missing something please tell me. Not trying to be argumentative, I'm just trying to be smart.
Just trying to minimize an avoidable injury by having my bindings release when i feel they're are supposed to.
That is all.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
- Posts
- 1,863
I ski Look Pivot 14s at 5.5 and have for years. I've never had a release that was inappropriate.
I think you are. The DIN calculation includes height, weight, and BSL. The BSL is actually inversely proportional to DIN - ie, the shorter your BSL, the more DIN you need. For example, my calculated BSL with skier type 3 is 6.5. But if I go up to a men's 11 instead of an 8, the calculated DIN is 5.5.
So it could absolutely be true that your S.O.'s DIN is lower than yours, and that doesn't mean anything is wonky.
5.5 is the right number for many people. The absolute number isn't my concern. Dialing it back because it might seem like someone else should have a higher DIN based on the wrong factors - that is my concern.
Question for experts (@Philpug among others) - what unit does the DIN actually represent? Is there a direct conversion between DIN and, say, newtons?
Me too, but that is also exactly where DIN calculator puts me as an advanced skier, would be 4.5 if I dial that down to intermediate skier. My Pivot 14 won't go that low, my Pivot 12 will and I would not feel any less confident with that particular binding set at 4.5 DIN. Marker on the other hand, well let's just say I'd never buy a Marker and leave it at that.
http://www.dincalculator.com/#/
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
- Posts
- 1,863
I have one pair of Nergy 90s I use for teaching that have Kneebindings. Vail and UofD are conducting Kneebinding testing. I've had those set at 5.5 too, and I've had one unexpected release in a situation (chunk of ice) where I'm positive the Looks would not have let go, but rather would have recovered from the toe movement. I don't like the fact the Kneebinding heel will only release outward. When I was run down from behind and had my tibia plateau fractured, the guy who hit me essentially did what in football is called a chop block on my leg, pushing it inward toward my other leg. The damage was from the initial blow, not the binding release. Both my skis with Pivots came off. Not sure the Kneebinding would have released in that circumstance.
Andy Mink
Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
Moderator
SkiTalk Tester
SkiTalk Supporter
Well, the crash in April has lead to surgery in June. MRI shows what appears to be a full tear with bone chip of the left rotator cuff. I was originally slated to go in July for surgery but, as we all know, it's not what you know but who you know. A friend got me moved up significantly which is good. We're doing our annual y'all come now summer trip at the end of July and I'd be attempting to pull a 36' 5th wheel using one arm to steer. Anyway, that's my story and I hope all the rest of you get better before next year too!