Claire’s Recovery Journey, Paved in Positivity

Photo Credit: Cooper Long

As an athlete, injury is usually the furthest thing from my mind, but if it happens, it can really rock your world and mess with your identity. Any amount of down time away from my sport is a serious hurdle, and in October 2021, I endured one of my hardest life obstacles yet. I tore seven parts in my left knee after a bouldering accident, requiring a surgical repair of my ACL and a double meniscus repair.

Three weeks after my injury, I was out of surgery and on the road to recovery. Throughout the winter months, I may have been the only person in Tahoe stoked that last season was a ‘low-tide’ winter. Instead of being sad about missing days on the mountain, I put all my energy into my rehabilitation. 

The physical therapy and performance teams at the Barton Center for Orthopedics & Wellness were a pivotal part of my healing journey. After just seven weeks, I was able to ditch the crutches. Relearning how to walk was like no feeling I had ever gone through, and over the next six to nine months I devoted every possible day to strengthening my knee to get back to the activities I enjoy most. 

After some time and lots of hard work in physical therapy, I was given the green light to reintroduce my favorite summer hobbies including wake surfing, cliff jumping, and surfing. These major milestone achievements meant the world to me as my training was wholly focused on one goal: to get back on my snowboard and prepare for another fun winter in the mountains. 

After a year of dedicated rehabilitation and transitioning to highly focused performance training with the Barton team, I was given clearance to go snowboarding for the 2022-23 season. My first day back on my board I went into the backcountry with some close friends — I will never forget when we reached the summit — I was experiencing so many emotions it's hard to put into words. And while I was nervous I wasn't ready, I was really just overwhelmed with joy to be back in the mountains. 

Those first few downhill turns will never be forgotten. Since that day, November 9, 2022, I have been living in what feels like a perfect dream: snowboarding and adventuring most every day. I love the hard work it takes to be in the backcountry with my friends. Some think us crazy for how far we hike for one line! And to be honest, it’s tough work — at times you just have to focus on putting one foot in front of the other for what seems like forever until you reach the summit. But after sitting on the sidelines for a year makes the challenge that much more rewarding. My injury gave me a new appreciation for those moments in the mountains — taking in all they have to offer.

I sincerely appreciate my backcountry partners who have helped me this season. My knee still has its limits, so I give special thanks to those who have taken lead on the boot pack or breaking trail on deep days. You make big days possible, and keep me inspired and motivated.

Importantly, this injury has also taught me that rest and recovery days are vital to staying strong in the mountains. I continue to prioritize rehabilitation and taking time to recover after long days. In particular, I’ve found compression therapy helps my muscles recover most after big exertions.

I’m so grateful to the team at Barton’s Center for Orthopedics & Wellness for continuing to help me with my recovery, especially after long missions on my splitboard. It means everything to me to be back out, pushing the limits on my snowboard and truly embracing the outdoors. (It also doesn't hurt that we had a record breaking season!) My advice to any athlete or passionate adventurer out there is to cultivate a good team who supports your goals both mentally and physically, and of course, just keep smiling: positivity will get you through anything. 

Claire Hewitt Demeyer is a professional snowboarder and Barton Athlete. You can follow Claire’s story on Instagram by following @wheres_claire_now and @BartonRehabandPerformance. For more information on Barton Athletes, performance training programs, and rehabilitation services, visit BartonOrthopedicsandWellness.com.