hondamon - 10-7-2012 at 03:32 AM
Hey guys,
Been ages since I've been on here. Hope all is well with the kiting! I'm missing it like mad!
I have a question. I wonder if anyone in here has had a PCL injury specifically. I'm 3 months since my injury and just seems so slow going, still
painful to bend after a certain point. Almost as if it hasn't even been healing, although I know it has. No surgery required...70% tear. Any
similar experiences with knee ligament tears or has anyone even has a PCL injury?
I'll be back in Minnesota next Friday for a month. Looks like I'll be doing a bit of fishin. 
Damon
Bladerunner - 10-7-2012 at 06:32 AM
No PCL but a sprained ankle a couple of years ago made it extremely clear that as we get older we don't heal as fast.
Are you 40 + ?
PHREERIDER - 10-7-2012 at 06:36 AM
could take 6 months to be pain free, certainly at risk for complete tear with same activity. and may have permanent glitch , once pain free.
flyguy0101 - 10-7-2012 at 11:10 AM
sorry for you- i tore my acl completly in june of 2010, at same time had partial tears on both pcl and mcl as well. Had surgery to repair acl in sept
of '10 could not fly until january of 2011. I now wear full orthodic braces on both knees when kiting and really helps with the stability and
confidence. So i guess i would fgure on minimum 3 months before going strong
scott
Feyd - 10-7-2012 at 04:23 PM
Ligament tears take a long freakin time to get back. Phree is right, it could be a solid 6 months to be pain free. Repairs have alway been a solid
year to be pain free but the were pain free like clock work almost a year to the day.
It's helped me with tears to wear a brace or even wrap it with a couple wide ACE bandages while I'm using it aggressively. Ice, vitimin I and
elevation to keep the swelling down post activity.
The hard park is to get the strength back (which will protect from further injury) without prolonging the healing term.
3 months seem a long time but ligaments take a long time if no surgery is required. My first ACL/MCL partial PCL took 10 months post-op just to be
cleared to be play at 50%. I slept in a passive motion machine for the first month and was on e-stim for 3 months before I could start my PT. I
learned to be patient.
hondamon - 10-7-2012 at 06:55 PM
Yep, I am approaching 40. A young 38 I tell my students. I did tear my mcl back in college playing soccer, but no surgery needed. It was about a
50% per the doctor. I remember that was a bit more of a sharp pain and walking was difficult. The PCL has no pain unless I'm bending it quite far
(so obviously I don't do that). Feels very unstable so the brace helps. However, the brace has been wearing and wearing on my skin...that's one of
the hardest parts as well. I have another doctor visit on Saturday, and I'm hoping he tells me it's ok to go brace free. The brace has 2 purposes:
1. prevent the pcl from healing with "sag" and 2. to protect my knee from unexpected bangs.
Yeah, seems like forever! I live in Korea and am just dying for some fun activities. Been here too long ... the kiting was perfect. Until that
dreaded day! Although getting anywhere around this country takes FOREVER so at least I've saved my girlfriend from THAT pain. 
It's good [and bad] to know that others out there have gone through the joys of recovery. Ugh! And soccer was getting rough on my knees and ankles
so I went to kiteboarding. Yowsa!
hondamon - 10-7-2012 at 06:56 PM
Sounds like a few of you guys have had some doozies! Yeah it is tough growing up.
joedy - 11-7-2012 at 05:18 AM
Yeah, "Old Guys Rule" and all that muck, but getting old just plain sucks.
I'm a member of club 41 this year. While I don't feel old, I can't play soccer like I used to at 20 years old. At least kiting will keep me young (at
heart, at least.)
-joedy
sunset-Jim - 11-7-2012 at 08:27 AM
It's better to be old than to have missed the opportunity 
Feyd - 11-7-2012 at 11:01 AM
Joedy, most 20yrs these days can't play soccer like you used to when you were in your 20's. Not around these parts anyway.
And Sunset-Jim has a good point there.
hondamon - 11-7-2012 at 04:11 PM
Feyd and Scott...kudos to you guys for going through that ordeal and getting back out there. Mine is a PCL only, and from what the doctor told me,
bad tears and usually complete tears come with a few other problems in there as well - meniscus, other ligaments, etc. which can be a real bugger to
fix up.
flyguy0101 - 12-7-2012 at 05:40 AM
Honda- just give it time and again really recommend a brace- doc has told me since it is back to 100% that no need to wear my brace but i can tell you
for certain that on the rare occassions that i dont wear it my knee wil hurt for several days after a session but is never sore after a session if had
it on. As for the meniscus damage I lost 40% of the meniscus but was told by the doc what was left looked really good and healthy.......
Scott
PS Only wear the brace when i am kiting, i did for the first six months wear it when mtn biking but no more also you made a comment about the brace
rubbing - there is a sleeve you can wear under brace that helps a lot
Kamikuza - 12-7-2012 at 05:18 PM
It's my ankles that are giving me grief - right one especially. Reading wiki on the bits'n'pieces in there, look like the anterior t-something
ligament ... going to get the doctor to look at it in the hols. So long as I don't land on my toes, or lean forwards, it's fine ...!
Twisted my knee when foot slipped out of a strap and the board dangled from one leg, so that aches a little if I twist it and load it while riding eg.
trying really hard to load the kite and go as far upwind as possible.
I wouldn't sell your gear though ...