Is telemark safe for your knees?
Is telemark more strenuous?
Is telemark more prone to injuries?
We talked about it in this post: trying to awser it the best, but we are missing knowledge. The research I found was from Scotland, limiting the accuracy of the data. We need a truly worldwide research.
Here’s your chance to contribute to the knowledge
Dr. med. Kai Fehske and Theresa Hardörfer are conducting this research and your input is crucial for the accuracy of the survey.
Here an email I got this week end
Dear Mr Trudel,
my name is Theresa Hardörfer, I`m studying medicine in Würzburg, Germany.While searching on the internet I found your website.Last year we started a survey about risks and injuries connected to telemarking. Our aim is to conduct the world`s most comprehensive study about injuries connected to telemarking.The survey is neither supported by economy nor by the pharmaceutic industry; at the end the results will be accessible to everybody of course.So far the survey goes on quite well in German speaking areas, but I didn’t have much success in English speaking (and other language speaking) countries.That’s why I`m writing to you. I want to please you, to help me forward this link to as many telemarkers as possible. Thus I wanted to ask you whether you could post this link on your website or if you have other ideas to reach as many telemarkers as possible.
There you go Theresa…
here is the link to the study https://www.soscisurvey.de/ski/?q=ET
I did the survey and it took my a big 6 minutes.
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I am very excited to see the results of your study. I have been Telemark skiing since 1972. The only time I have injured myself was many years ago when I hurt a knee while alpine skiing. I tele 50-60 days a year. I firmly believe that tele skiing is better for one’s knee than alpine skiing. With a free heel one avoids hyperextending the knee to extent that alpine skis can cause with a locked down heel. Tele skiing also protects the knees because, one works the legs more vigorously so they are stronger and the muscles protect the knees. I ALWAYS wear knee pads! Without pads one is wide open for disaster when your unprotected knee contacts a rock, stump or ski top. With the advances in ski and boot technology telemark skiing is easier and better than ever before. Quality equipment definitely reduces fatigue and injury. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Think snow.
Hey Patrick,
Great to hear from you. I too can’t wait to see the result of the study. Being a pro patrol, I make subjective ideas about what is safe or not. Can’t wait to have real hard scientific data.
Definitly think snow
A bit late to the party but I could not resist adding my own anecdotal “evidence”. I took up telemarking nearly 15 years ago after 10 years of alpine (started late in life) and never looked back… only been on my fixed heel skis once in those 15. Most relevant part of this tale is I took up TM after my second ACL replacement (from ultimate) and have never had any significant knee injuries (other than mild arthritis) from skiing. Granted I do a lot of cycling to keep the legs in strong. Frankly at this point I’m kinda nervous to go back to downhill.
Great story and It’s definitely not the first time I hear a story like this one