Against my better judgement, I took out my 8m Unity in some all-too-gusty conditions. Long story short, I was lofted forward and came down on my knees, giving tremendous pain in my left knee. I was wearing all the protection - knee/elbow/wrist and helmet - but the impact was hard enough to take me to the hospital (the next day). I saw an orthopedic specialist who couldn't perform the PCL/ACL test because there was too much pain when he manipulated my leg at all. I'm due to go back next week to have the test and get set up for an MRI - IF needed. My girlfriend is a PT and both the doctor and she think it's nothing as serious as a ruptured ligament or cartilage. No pain to extend, but when I flex back to about 70 degrees, I feel pain. Good news is that some of the range of motion has come back in just a couple days. However, my cat let me know today that there's still a problem as I tripped over him. Could be a couple Flysurfers for sale soon.

I doubt you'll be selling them, take it easy on the healing, rest up!

Gusty and unpredictable is the killer! Sorry you got hurt but hopefully it will be a mild spanking... But knees, ouch, knees... I wish you all the best.

good luck to you, hope you are flying again soon!

I think selling your kites is a rather dramatic overreaction.
So you have some damage to your knees. Why would you sell your kites? Are you anticipating never being able to walk again? I've seen pictures of a dude who kitesurf's with a prosthetic leg. I know another guy with multiple fused discs in his back who still kitesurfs. If you have the will and the drive, nothing can stop you. Just take it slow and careful, and you'll be back out there soon enough.

Sorry to hear that

I twisted a knee snowboarding - had spent the morning jumping a tabletop, then as I was riding down to lunch, did a ollie and borked the knee on landing... couldn't walk for a few days, hobbled for weeks. Fine now :D it's the other leg's ankle that gives me grief these days...

... and there goes my theory for safe depowers

Hey guys,

Thanks. Overreaction...you're right. It was more of a joke though. But I'm still a bit bummed. Tore my MCL in university playing soccer which put me out for a full season. I still have haunting memories of that. Now, I commute to and from work over 3 hours every day and tutor a few times a week after work, so I really look forward to the weekends. Hopefully it's minor and I'll be up and running again soon...WITH my Flysurfers.

Boom! Just a knee!! WHO NEEDS 'EM!!


j/k!

Get better bud, getting hurt always sucks, but its part of doing an "Extreme" sport... accidents are bound to happen, good thing you had the proper gear... could've been WAY worse! +1 for keeping your gear, lol you'd instantly hate yourself once they sold

its the nature of the sport , accelerated mass, gravity, friction and the unbalanced animal. one of many my friend.

rest it, realize what happened make adjustment for the next time ... condition selection is one of the first weigh risk and skill so you know before you go!!

the water will have less moments like this but far more fatiguing.

Had a similar injury myself too about a month ago. X-ray showed no bone damage so I am taking medication /Meloxicam/ to get the swollen knee back to normal size. It does work! Getting better.
So do not even think to sell anything yet! Knee will get better but sure takes a long time. Have to get rid of the swelling first before anything will improve. And do some light exercise /fly a trainer?/ leg extensions as I was told.

If your knees are going to be a problem for a while now is the time to buy a buggy. SIT DOWN AND RIDE!!

Just know your not alone in the healing process......I am not planning on selling any kites.....the problem is they are all sitting in the kite room calling my name.....ohhh the temptation......just gotta wait and heal up first.....had a check up.....looks like about 6-8 more weeks for me before I can try to fly again....

be patient.....and avoid temptation....

Hey, thanks a lot for all the replies and concerns...and empathy! Sorry I couldn't write on here until now, but for some reason, there is no option to reply to these threads from my phone. Anyhow, as much as you hate to hear about other people's pains or problems, there is some comfort in knowing that you are not alone.

I'm head back to the doctor on Tuesday to get the ACL/PCL Drawer Test and another one I forgot the name. He couldn't perform it last time because of the pain when he did some simple manipulations. But a bit of that pain is gone now, and some of the range and mobility in the leg has come back before the point of pain, though there is still a bit of pain if I turn my leg the wrong way or bend it past a certain point. Very strange - extending my leg doesn't hurt at all, but as soon as I flex my leg, especially when my knee is bent a bit, it hurts a hell of a lot and feels weak and strange. I'm still hoping it's just a contusion. There is none and never was any real swelling. That's a good sign.

As far as the buggy, it looks like a hell of a lot of fun, but it's just not easy to do here in Korea. And aside from the injury, I am really thinking that focusing on water might be in my best interest. Land in Korea is just so hard to come by, especially kiteable land. The nearest spot, and it is quite a good spot, is 2 and a half hours drive from where I live, and at almost 8 bucks a gallon, and a craphole car, gas is not exactly cheap here. The season for kitesurfing is here, which is also makes getting an injury difficult to swallow. Less than an hour to some great spots to kitesurf once my knee is healed and the water warms up a bit. Just 3 weeks ago, water temp was just 6 C / 42 F. I'll be visiting back home in MN this summer, so I may pick me up a nice drysuit.

Anyhow, I really appreciate hearing the support. Sorry to hear about a couple others out there who are currently "benchwarming" due to injury as well. The time to kite will come again.

Cheers!