While I was assiduous about rehab from a tibial plateau fracture I went to the USA with an unrealistic view of what a return to skiing would look like. What were the issues likely to be? What management plan should I follow? The simple answer was I had no plan. I simply went out and tried to ski. No stretching , no icing and when my knee swelled up I didn’t stop and have a day off.

Outlined below is a possible skiing management plan or programme which could be followed by someone coming back from a TPF and surgery. It has 4 rest days in a two week skiing programme with the first day also classed as a recovery day. This may not be enough. My daughter Catherine who has also returned to skiing after a TPF and surgery, favours a one day on/one day off regime. This is just a suggestion but it does give about nine days skiing out of a potential 14 so its not a bad place to start.

The schedule with the first day off, is aimed at Australian skiers who have to recover from long haul flights when travelling to Europe or the USA to ski.

A SKIING PLAN

Day 1

No skiing. Recover from flight, get a good night’s sleep
Stretching

Day 2

Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ski for 1-2 hours
Ice for one hour
Stretching
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 3

Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ski for 2 hours
Ice for one hour
Stretching
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 4

Rest day no skiing
Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ice for one hour
Swimming if possible
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 5

Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ski for 2-3 hours
Ice for one hour
Stretching
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 6

Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ski for 2-3 hours
Ice for one hour
Stretching
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 7

Rest day no skiing
Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ice for one hour
Swimming if possible
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 8

Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ski for 3 hours
Ice for one hour
Stretching
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 9

Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ski for 3 hours
Ice for one hour
Stretching
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 10

Rest day no skiing
Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ice for one hour
Swimming if possible
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 11

Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ski for 4 hours
Ice for one hour
Stretching
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 12

Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ski for 4 hours
Ice for one hour
Stretching
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 13

Rest day no skiing
Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ice for one hour
Swimming if possible
Anti-inflammatories before bed

Day 14

Take anti-inflammatories in the morning
Stretching
Ski for 5 hours
Ice for one hour
Stretching
Anti-inflammatories before bed