Winging with knee replacements

[niknas]

As an older guy, windsurfing, kiteboarding, kitefoiling. I want to give wingfoiling a shot. Problem is I have two knee replacements. I can’t kneel on my board for very long and pushing up with one leg is not easy. I can do it but pain makes balance difficult.

Is there anyone who has knee replacements and able to wing? If so how do you do it? I am using a 125 Naish board which seems large enough to support me. I am 173# 5’10.

Any advice is helpful. Thanks

[slingshotucf]

Just work on your balance. Then holding the wing close get on the board, stand up, get two hands on the wing and go. I have students in the same situation as you where kneeling is out of the question so they just stand up and go skipping the kneeling part. After a few days of heavy riding on my small board, I'll use my sup foil board so I can skip the kneeling and let the skin grow back on my knees.

[Alysum]

To avoid kneeing, you'd want a long stable SUP with lots of volume that you can comfortably stand on and you'll be fine. Your board specs looks fine for your weight.

Just be careful when you fall off the board to not leave any legs on the board, I twisted my knee on a simple fall and tore my MLC...

[Slyde]

There are some older guys who use boards they can stand up on and pull the wing up on its leash like you would on a big windsurfer. Some of the bigger Naish boards seem OK for that. Try it on yours. You lose a little performance but what the heck. You're still having fun.

[niknas]

Ok this is what is working for me. When I drag myself onto the board I go from my belly to my knees side saddle with my feet hanging over the windward side. I quickly place my front foot to the center line and stand up onto both feet with very little lag time standing on the rear leg.

Hanging my feet over the edge of board doesn't stress the ligaments causing pain. I am blown away how by how easy it is for me to stand up this way.

Thanks for you help.

The board the new Naish S25 Carbon Ultra Foilboard size 125.

[slingshotucf]

Compression knee pads help also.

[K3rM1t]

I don't have replacements but I have bad knees that do not like to kneel. I agree with Niknas that climbing up sideways helps a lot, with balance and with kneeling. When I'm well powered I can almost immediately go to my feet as the wing takes enough weight off my body (like a kite). When I'm underpowered, I've been putting my front foot up right at the start so I'm only leaning on one (half the pain!). If I do have to start on knees I've found swinging my front leg outside the board edge (windward side) helps me get to that foot rather than trying to lift my body and get that thing under me.

I haven't tried it yet, but I have a feeling a sinking board would actually be easier for me than a floater since my full weight would never be squatting on my knees.