Last weekend I traveled down to Salt Lake City, UT for two important reasons.  One was to help coach the Sun Valley Comp Team kids at their big Junior Olympic qualifier- known as the Super Qualifier at Soldier Hollow, UT.  They call it the Super Q because there are teams there representing the entire western US- Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, Dakotas, California, Oregon and Washington.   There were 640 athletes competing in total!  It was fun to be a part of and to watch our Sun Valley kids represent.

The second reason I was down there was to find some answers regarding my leg problems.  I had an appointment with Dr. Petron at the University of Utah Orthopaedic Center.  Dr. Petron has worked with many of the University of Utah’s top athletes as well as numerous professional basketball players, football players and ski racers.  His waiting area was peppered with action shots of all of the great athletes he has helped return to full form.  This was encouraging.

I first met with his assistant, former U of U athletic trainer, Bob Toth.  I answered a few initial questions regarding my symptoms and then Dr. Petron came in and stuck some big needles in my leg.  He tested me pre exercise at rest and my pressures were as follows:

lateral compartment: 18 mmHg

anterior compartment: 30 mmHg

deep posterior: 9 mmHg

superficial posterior: 13 mmHg

Supposedly, any compartment pressures bordering on 20 mmHg pre-exercise are in question.  If they are above 30 mmHg post exercise then a compartment release surgery is warranted.

I then went out, put on my rollerskis,  and skied up Immigration Canyon (very close to the orthopaedic center).  I did whatever I could to replicate the symptoms of tightness and fatigue I have been feeling this winter.  It was not that hard.  I did a few uphill speeds using the jump V1 technique and then did a few really fast striding intervals on steep terrain.  They got pumped before I knew it and I had a feeling that the post exercise pressures were going to be high.

I immediately returned to the hospital and they tested me again.  This time my pressures were as follows:

lateral compartment: 38 mmHg

anterior compartment: 60 mmHg

deep posterior: 12 mmHg

superficial posterior: 16 mmHg

To say the least, my pressures were high, especially in my anterior compartment.  Now I have a tentative date for surgery in the beginning of March.

This has all been a bit bitter sweet.  It is nice to know why I have not been skiing well this season, and good to know there is a solution.  It is disappointing though, to learn that my whole racing season, including what was supposed to encompass the best races of my career, has been a wash.  I have learned from this that some things, no matter how hard you try, you just cannot control.  Attitude is what it is all about.  Moping does not make life any better, or any easier so all of the energy I have needs to be put into finding a positive solution.  Let me tell you it is easier said than done, but I know the direction I have to go.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 11:25 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.