On this episode, I sit down with my former client Kristen, who shares about her experience starting to ski as an adult in her 30s and also how she tore her ACL and skied over 30days in one season less than a year out from surgery. 

Kristen's tear wasn't a simple one — a tibial avulsion that ripped away from the bone, plus meniscus damage. But the way she attacked her recovery is a blueprint for any skier facing surgery. She prehabbed hard, advocated for the graft she wanted, and refused to accept the idea that you're "healed" at six months. By the time she found me and joined the Return to Snow program, she was already ahead of the game — and we built the ski-specific bridge that took her from terrified on a ski simulator to nearly 30 days on snow before she was even a year post-op.

We Talk About: 

✅ The challenges of learning to ski as an adult (and how to push through the pain points) 

✅ Why prehab before surgery can change your entire recovery 

✅ How to advocate for the right graft and mindset with your surgeon 

✅ Managing FOMO, fatigue, and the "return to practice vs. return to sport" mindset

If you're a skier staring down an ACL recovery — or just want to know what it takes to ski strong for life — Kristen's story is proof that the worst thing that happens to you can also become the best.

📌 Links and Resources Mentioned: