Knee caps black and blue?

How risky is it to go snowboarding if you have a history of dislocated knee caps?

• I had to give up playing football a few years back as both my knee caps kept popping out, even when wearing knee supports. I have lots of friends who ski and snowboard and I really ...show more

• Answer:

  Snowboarding is a great sport and it's a shame you're worried about injuring yourself. You are much more likely to hurt your knees badly if you ski but with a snowboard, both your legs are attached to the board so there's not much 'twisting' going on, there's more moving in the hips- the complete opposite to skiing. However, once on the mountain, if you are using your toe edge, you tend to 'kneel down' which could put stress on your knees. If you use your heel edge, you wind up sitting on your bum so there's not much of a problem. You need to choose what ever position suits you best. For me, it caused cramp in my thighs but nothing major. Wear a helmet too, more people get head injuries than anything else. I hope you have a GREAT holiday and don't worry too much or you'll get nervous. The key is relaxing when you're on the mountain. I'm sure you'll get off in one piece! If you have any major concerns though, talk to a specialist.