Build confidence after ski injury

[Renside]

My dd broke her leg on the first day of our ski hol this march. She ended up in hosp for 5 days and recovery took 4 months. Now she's petrified of trying again. She has enjoyed skiing before and we'd like to build her confidence back up, we've been advised to put her in a private lesson, hass anyone tried this after injury? Dd is now 9 and not the most adventurous in nature.

[Lasvegas]

I think a private lesson with someone she bonds with is a plan. How did she break it? Did someone knock her down?

[Cereal0ffender]

I don't blame her for being petrified sounds like a horrible accident. Does she really have to ski?

[Renside]

It was a slow speed accident, she got a ski twisted behind her in deep snow. She used to love skiing, it was the thing that she could do that she didn't find hard, and it's our family holiday so I'd like to get her 'back on the horse'. I'm thinking that we go back to the same place ( familiar slopes, no big shocks) and we 're-write' history by doing it all again but without the fall. But maybe somewhere completely new would be better? Obviously if she really hates it then we won't go again, but I'd like this to be a chance for her to overcome her fears. I just need to do all I can to make sure that the first couple of days are as easy as poss. If anyone has any experience of whether to dry ski slope first I'd be keen to hear it. Thanks

[OddFodd]

I wouldn't dry ski slope - it's a very unforgiving surface and not remotely like snow.

I was a similar age to your DD when I had a similar (although not as serious) accident.

I didn't go back to the same place - really didn't want to! But I did have a couple of private lessons and really went back to basics on baby slopes. You may find she reacts very badly to similar conditions ie if her accident was offpiste (which it sounds like?) then I'd stick as much as you can to groomed pistes.

I think it's important that she feels that she's in control and you're not trying to push her (beyond encouraging her to have another go). So maybe be prepared to ski only in the morning and do other things with her in the afternoons.

Good luck. I'm still skiing 40 years (and a few more accidents) later!

[OddFodd]

How many times did I use the word similar in that post?!

[Renside]

Thanks for the advice about dry slopes, I think I need to be patient and just see how it goes! Can't control everything (apparently!)

[toomuchcoffeetoomuchwine]

I am not sure where you are based but nowadays there are quite a few indoor snowy slopes in the UK. You have one near Milton Keynes, one in Castleford nr Leeds, one in Hemel Hempstead and probably more that I have not been to. If you book a private lesson at one of these and explain the situation to the instructor I would hope that they would be supportive and that a closed environment and small slope would rebuild your daughter's confidence.

You don't say if she had physio or any bad after-effects from her accident but regular swimming before going skiing again could get her leg muscles in good shape in advance.