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CURLING DOCTOR'S Advice Page
CURLING KNEE:
Are damaged knees holding back your curling game?
Help yourself and others online.
E-mail now: Explain in detail your failing curling symptoms.

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Please send questions or ideas. I may be able to help you or another curler. E-mail 
Sample (FAQ's), questions, that I will answer on line -- no names.
Is it painful to bend in the hack or drag a knee on the ice?
Does your body tend to rotate on delivery?
Can you not slide in a straight line to mid-ice?
Does your trailing leg hurt after a few deliveries?
Do you get tired fast while brushing?
Do your arms, back, legs ache after brushing?
Do you not hit the brush within 3"-- 60% or more of deliveries?
E-mail response: Your Question: from Mrs. I. M., Ottawa, Ont.
Gretzky takes Tylenol for shoulder socket osteo-arthritis! Will my son be disabled because he plays hockey?
I have studied the effect an extra load on a twisted foot and leg has on the subtaler, ankle joint, and knee joint in the curling mode and its implication to osteo-arthritis due to curling. I haven't studied hockey players, but it stands to reason that if you whack a puck and hit the side boards from age 6 to 36years you can expect to earn some permanent owwees. Striking a puck one million times at full force over several years has to have an impact on elbow and shoulder socket cartilage and ligaments. The hockey stick should be made flexible like a golf club and with hand pads to minimize shock vibration transmission. Will workman's compensation be expected to pay for pro hockey players' permanent disabilities due to a paid GAME? Children should wear proper fitting shoulder pads. Maybe these pads should be made thicker to minimize side board impact. Sorry, I don't have a new hockey playing technique to reduce joint damage. Only the rules and equipment can be changed.

 

Question: from: Ms. S.S., Madison, Wis.
My slider foot knee joint hurts after a few deliveries?

You described your low-delivery style with the twisted foot and all weight on the slider foot/knee. You MUST change your delivery style to the "up-right straight foot" delivery immediately. Have a look at a VERY successful upright straight foot delivery by World champ, Marilyn Bodogh. Visit http://www.marilynbodogh.com  (Curling Tips)  You know that one in eight women will require knee surgery. Consult an MD NOW!
There is a high propensity (8x's for women/girls) of permanent knee damage, osteoarthritis-older curlers, chondromalacia-other cartilage damage, ACL/PCL failure (Anterior/Posterior Crutiate Ligaments -- young curlers), when rock deliveries are performed with the "low" and or "twisted" foot delivery system.
Knee/femur rotation correlates with pelvic rotation causing other problems (hip and lower spine).
Children can initiate life long damage to the knee and back. While your coach may not demonstrate the "low" delivery, do not allow your child to emulate MANY pros. on TV that use the "low" delivery!
Sport and exercise participation should enhance personal mental and physical development and well being and NOT destroy your "onetime on this earth" body. Curling can be a "life-long"  and "life enhancing" enjoyable sport.
JKR: The Curling Doctor
visit: medical: knee failure: links page
E-mail from P.H. of Ontario
S.H. damaged her  knee in a skiing accident and after knee rehab further hurt it while curling.
Now that the ball is rolling, I feel as though this big weight is
being lifted off my shoulders; finally, I'll be able to curl an entire game
without wondering if the next one will cripple me or not. (Referring to upcoming knee implant surgery) Will keep you updated on my progress.....here's a lesson to all the people that write into
your website about knee pain....take care of it before you may wind up like
me. And learn a new method of delivery....(LOL)

July31, 2000. Update from P.H. after major knee re-build surgery that went great. Currently P.H. is in rehab with various exercise programs. Her statement:
"Everybody needs strength, will, faith and endurance to become the best.....
the one thing that separates the good from the great is the ability to
recognize how they all work together....Those that have FAITH in their
abilities STRENGTHEN their WILL to ENDURE the test of time that makes champions."
The physical, as well as the mental, permeate sports and LIFE, eh?

The following information may be useful to readers suffering from curling knee
BUT
Consult a MD.

Ultimately, you have to rest the knees for a long time for swelling and resultant pain to recede.

A doctor, MD., can prescribe anti-inflammatories like Naprosin, although you might find Ibuprofin works for you.  A doctor can also give a shot of cortisone to alleviate short term pain. Surgery for your particular type of knee injury may be necessary. 1 of 8 women in their lifetime will require knee surgery.

Stretch the tendons/ligaments before you play by extending your legs and then extending and flexing ankle joints -- gently. Deep knee bends without extra load may "loosen up" the knee spreading a fluid film lubricant over damaged bone/socket.

Ice your knee immediately after you play. Heat may be helpful to increase blood flow to the area before play.
Strengthen your knees to relieve the stress on your knee socket area with deep knee bends well before the curling season starts.

Re-learn your delivery to remove 'knee twist'.  Use an upright parallel upper thigh, lower leg and straight foot delivery style.

Try a shock absorber knee slider on the non-slide leg knee. Minimizes strain on slide foot knee and any chance of dragging the opposite knee on rough pebble while distributing the body weight over two legs/knees.

I have done all of the above and my knee still bothers me. Once you get curling knee,  you will always have a tendency to have it. Any torsion/twisting or pointed load on the knee will cause pain.

The only other solution, if you still want to curl is;
use an "extender" type delivery aid in which you do not have to squat in the hack or bend/twist the knee in the "normal" delivery. The "extender" curling aid is a push stick device with a slot on the end to accommodate the rock handle as you walk the rock to the hogline for release. This system can be very accurate with very little practice. You will out curl every one day a week slider curler!! See new web pages in 30 days on how to build one for under $6Can and how to use the device successfully (curl 70%+).
Best personal regards and enjoy fun curling.
The Curling Doctor