Been windsurfing on and off since I was a teenager, all sort of different condition, never really injured my self (probably through sheer luck more than anything)… until last Thursday: 2nd grade tear in Medial Collateral Ligament (left knee). Foot didn't leave footstrap in highish speed crash. Now in knee brace, physio says six weeks, no surgery required (apparently).
Wondering if others had this injury and how long it took get back on the water (safely)?
Also, should I loosen my straps? Or should I tighten them so less foot goes inside -- whats the learned opinion?
Cheers,
Simon
PS -- If S.E. QLD gets regular 20kts+ for the next two months, you can all thank me… (If not, then I guess the big guy upstairs is on my side after all)
I don't think you should change your straps. Like you said, you've been sailing for years and never had an injury. It was an accident, they happen. If you had an accident in your car would you suddenly change your driving position? Probably not.
Also, I suffered an acl rupture and was off the water for 6 months. 6 weeks will be easy, just don't rush your return and make sure you do plenty of strengthening exercises when you're allowed because you would no doubt have suffered atrophy in the short time you're not properly using your knee and quads etc.
Good luck and I hope you have a speedy recovery.
^Agree. I hyper-extended my knee wakeboarding - two fractures, the bottom one dislodging the bit of shin where my ACL attached! Couldn't weight bear at all. A couple of surguries later and the doc had stitched me back together again, but it was 18 months before I got back on water. 6 weeks seems long but perspective: you'll be back out there again before Xmas, and still have two months of summer to sail in.
Get a good sports physio and then dilligently follow their advice. Their job is all about getting you back in your game.
Sidebar: I moved to the ACT during rehab for the above grevious injury and needed a new physio. I was working right next to the AIS and on a whim rang them up and asked if they took people off the street. They did, and so I booked in. Arrived on day one and met my physio who listened to my story as I gazed up at all the pictures of him with olympians. 'We'll get you running again in no time' he says. I've never ran...
My first sessions in there I rock up and instantly see there are no private rooms - it's one big open area like a footy change room. I tried to discretely get out of my business suit as the under eighteen womens basketball team come in. There's my office-worker physique getting worked on the slab as the country's fittest and brightest atheletes mill around. I felt very self-concious, an imposter. But I suspect I got the best physio attention possible in country while I was there.
Best of luck Simon.
G'day Simon,
I suffered a grade II MCL on my right knee earlier this year learning to (ssshhh.... it's our little secret- okay!!) kite surf. Fortunately mine was in April so I had winter to recover...
Minimum six to eight weeks. Keep the leg in the brace and get some physio on it weekly. Ensure to massage the area in order to remove the scar tissue as soon as possible. Once it starts to heal, make sure you start some leg extensions etc etc (under the guidance of your physio) in order to build the muscle back up around the knee joint in order to strengthen it (whilst the ligament repairs).
The knee gets a bit sore now and again (especially in high winds where it's flexing in the lateral sense) when I'm sailing and I now waterstart with my right leg (ex-injured one) on the board. Yep - this means that my waterstart technique changes depending on what tack I'm on. Again, the lateral movement whilst kicking with it in the water simply causes some pain.
My footstraps vary on my three boards from big to small openings. I'll get around to fixing them one day :-) I'm not overly cautious about what I do when it comes to sailing other than the waterstart.
Life is not over, just look after it for now and be patient.
Tony
Simon, just completed a program designed by Physio, in conjunction with sports injury surgeon, to be completed at gym to overcome same issue. Took me about 4 months, but wasn't chasing the muscle strength thing too hard, so limited sessions to about 1 hour four times a week.
Like you I was avoiding surgery. Did mine would you believe a strong frog kick to swing a race sail up and out of the water 
Physio indicated this swim technique is one of the worst for knees and this injury, particularly if over 50 years of age.
Ex AFL footballer was my physio, so his knowledge of this issue is right up to date.
Yes same here with brace, had to use it for about four weeks before any attempt at a rehab program.
Program was a success when I went for a knee strength compatibility test, where there is less than 10% difference in pull and push between both knees. 
So if you can, get to a sports injury group so they can assist you.
Mineral
I did a grade 2 mcl they said 6 to 8 weeks ,it took longer make sure you to your physo and dont rush it all you will go backwards,it took about 6 months for me to have confidence with mine,goodluck
I was also grade 2 MCL. Fell off in a gybe wearing booties. Foot gripped board and didn't come with me. I debated changing stuff, but like you I'd done the same thing a million times before and never had anything go wrong. I still wear booties in oyster areas etc and have never had a drama since.
I think 6 weeks is super optimistic. I was told closer to 3 months and that was pretty accurate. Definitely don't push too early. Get into some good rehab. I think there's lots of good best-practice stuff on the web especially for AFL and rugby. A sports physio you can trust is worth their weight in gold. Be careful - the wrong person can make you pay for life.
Nearly 3 years on and I still get a bit achey sometimes, but overally pretty good. Not enough to hold me back.
Best of luck!! 
Hey thanks for all the advice. I'll definitely take things easy. Am seeing physio . Still in brace at the moment. hopefully getting on right track still very early days.
Did mine tow surfing September last year. Similar way, one foot came out of the strap, one stayed in on a wipeout
I also Mtbike. After the six weeks, got riding and this helped more than physio
Back on the waveboard, sailing late November
I feel for you Simon,
I gave myself tennis elbow in early July doing renovating work and it is still not good enough to sail. I went out in August in a strong breeze thinking it'd be fine and instantly made it worse. Physio, a brace and exercise are helping. I reckon it'll still be weeks before I can get out and even then, maybe only in a light breeze.
Injuries like these are very frustrating. I've had to focus on finishing a major house reno anyway (which is most probably slowing revovery) so I guess the timing could have been worse.
Here's to a rapid recovery for you.
Cheers,
James
Had an identical accident and injury some time ago ago. I avoided surgery and was on crutches for a month or so, and also had plenty of physio to build up supporting muscle strength. It was more like 3 months until I was confident with my knee. It hasn't caused me any trouble since, and I never give it a second thought anymore. It's as good as new.
Ever since, I inch my feet a little out of the straps to keep them slightly loose so they'll always release in a crash.
Quite a similar story, windsurfing since teenage years, never injured myself etc. Grade II on the right and a tweak on the left when my right (front foot) slipped off the deck with a gust. Initially the physio thought I had torn my ACL as well as straining my MCL but I've got quite loose knees. Light cycling was recommended straight away to break up any scar tissue but it seemed to make it worse. 4 months down the track a solid 3 weeks of riding to work and it's gone from 80% to almost 100% and I went out for a sail last weekend with no pain whatsoever.
I've always subscribed to the toes just poking out the other side of the strap theory. It's a bit more effort to stop the board from railing up but a small price to pay.
This hits home for me, with my knees that seem to have an expiration date on them. It's always my knees that tell me it's time to go back in, you're done for now.
Foot strap adjustments, an endless debate, what's safer, loose or tight?
Tight, risks breaking your metatarsals with a stuck foot during a wipeout.
Loose, risks breaking or spraining your ankle with a foot that got driven in too far during a wipeout.
Sort of using the foot strap (as a safety factor) risks loosing board control.
Pick your poison.
I prefer loose, always have, I can kick the board off getting away from it easier, most of my wave sailing buddies agree,,,,,,,,, but not all of them.
As above. I herniated a couple of discs in my neck and buggered my shoulder for months. Stick to the physio program and don't stop. You will know when you are ready, I had no confidence in my shoulder for nearly 9 Months but one day woke up and knew I was ready. As for the straps. I wouldn't change, things happened, that's the game we are in good luck.
Hi all,
I appreciate all the feedback. At this stage, I've told my soccer mates I'm out of the current 6-side season for good -- not even going to think about that even if knees feeling great. Thinking I'll keep the hard work going in physio, get on the bike if/when they give the go ahead, and hold my comeback tour off until christmas holidays -- but I'll be down in Vic for and extended stay over christmas with family, one set down around Frankston on the bay, other set down at Anglesea on the Great Ocean road, aint no way I aren't going to get out on the water then, even if I have to limit it to light wind stuff sailing the SUP around! Any more stories, keep'm coming -- some of you guys' experience (first place so far goes to Trousers--if you can come back from that, mate, anyone can!) makes me realise I;'m not doing too badly here!!!
All the best,
Simon
Hi Simon, Just adding my experience.
Two years ago, I was skateboarding when I tore my MCL(yes, I am too old for that!) I didn't have allot of lingering pain just that sickening feeling of instability. After initial diagnosis, I chose not to see a physio & did allot of research on my own on what to do & what to avoid. Probably a very risky choice, but it worked out fine in my case. I wore a brace & was very careful for about 2 weeks, then went right back to the Gym. Now I do Crossfit so it is normally fairly intensive workouts about 3-4 time/week. I started out taking it easy - I was able to bike & row with a brace fairly quickly then after about 3 weeks I was able to put heavier weight on it & began to do Back/front Squats, & deadlifts - but avoiding any quick explosive movements such as clean, jerk, box jumps(or any kind of Jumping) & running was definitely out. I continued with this for 6-8 weeks steadily increasing weight & intensity but still avoiding quick jerky movements also did fair amount of careful stretching after workout to keep things mobile. At about 10 weeks I still felt some minor instability but added a few more movements into the workout & some very light short jogging. I didn't sail until I felt 90% stability which was probably about 3 months in. It was a bit sketch at first but i was careful & continued heavily with the strength training & mobility. Now at 2years I don't think I can tell which knee it was if I didn't already know, i think I felt 100% in about 10 months.
Hope you heal up quick - in my experience strengthening the area with careful exercise & avoid any quick twisting jerking is key to full recovery. I'm sure Physio will pay off with better advice for even quicker recovery.
