Photo: Max Kruse
A few seconds of weightlessness – and everything is different
Freerider Max Kruse returns to his passionfollowing complex ligament reconstruction
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“I had a mission,” says Max Kruse. He is a freerider and cycling is his life. “I wanted to perform a stunt at a height of 20 metres that I’d never done before.” But this mission ended in a serious wrist injury, which came within a hair’s breadth of ending his career. But let’s take it one step at a time.
During the jump, the bike got tangled beneath him, causing his wrist to be severely hyperextended. The ligament snapped and his hand dislocated. “I was up in the air and had to decide what to do next.” Despite the injury, Max Kruse landed the jump, continued riding – and even repeated it several times. It wasn’t until the next day that the consequences became apparent: severe swelling, pain, and restricted mobility.
The diagnosis that called everything in question
At the first clinic, Max Kruse was told that his wrist could only be fused – an unimaginable prospect for a professional athlete. “That would have meant the end of my career,” he says, looking back. Today, he praises the professionalism of the senior consultant who treated him, who openly explained that he could not help him any further at that stage – and referred him to a specialist.
Max Kruse’s journey eventually led him to the Sportklinik Hellersen to see Dr Petra Scheffer, Senior Consultant in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery / Hand Surgery. There, his outlook changed fundamentally. “Dr Scheffer was so convinced that she could fix my wrist. That gave me an incredible sense of peace – in my daily life and in my mind. I immediately felt I was in good hands,” recalls Max Kruse.
“Two weeks after the cast was removed, range of motion was already around 45 degrees in flexion and extension – that is truly remarkable.”
Dr. Petra Scheffer
Chief of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery / Hand Surgery
A rare complex ligament reconstruction
The diagnosis confirmed a complete tear of the ligament between the scaphoid and lunate bones – an injury that led to severe instability in the wrist. “Ligament reconstructions are generally less common procedures in hand surgery. Unfortunately, the ligament rupture is often not visible on an MRI scan. It only becomes visible during arthroscopy – a joint endoscopy. As a result, a ligament tear in this area is often detected too late, sometimes only years later. Furthermore, many patients initially think that their wrist is merely sprained, because, for example, the pain is less severe or they cannot attribute it to any specific accident.
“Listen to your body, take responsibility for yourself – and speak up if you’re not feeling well.”
Max Kruse
Freerider
The problem is that the more time that has passed, the less likely it is that the ligament can be reconstructed, as cartilage damage develops over time. In cases of existing osteoarthritis, the ligament is not reconstructed. The ligament itself can only be sutured within the first six weeks after the injury, as it shrinks. But in reality, this window of opportunity has often already passed,” explains Dr. Petra Scheffer. In Max Kruse’s case, the injury was detected in time. What was unusual here, however, was the extreme nature of the accident. “The bones had not only been displaced, but also twisted,” adds the consultant.
Openness about risks and mental health
Max Kruse deliberately went public with his story. He shared his experiences on his social media profile. This also drew criticism.
“There were some very negative reactions to it. Nevertheless – or perhaps precisely because of that – it’s important to me to show that these difficult issues are also part of the sport. People only ever see the perfect jumps. No one sees the work that goes into a sport like this or the price you actually pay to compete at the very top. I’ve lost many friends in this sport – through accidents or the consequences of serious injuries. We need to talk openly about this. And we should also speak openly and honestly and show when we’re not doing well emotionally. I want to be authentic and admit that the hand injury also took a heavy psychological toll on me. Physical and mental health go hand in hand. That’s why I’d like to give others this advice: Listen to your body, take responsibility for yourselves – and talk about it when you’re not feeling well.”
Today, Max Kruse feels one thing above all else: gratitude. “For life. It’s wonderful.”
During the operation, so-called “joystick wires” were used to first reposition the bones in their correct anatomical alignment. This was followed by reconstruction of the torn ligament using an autologous tendon, which was anchored into the bone. The aim: to maintain stability, allow mobility – and avoid fusion. “If a reconstruction is unsuccessful, fusion remains an option. That is why we opt – where possible – for the joint-preserving approach first,” explains Dr Petra Scheffer.
A speedy recovery – thanks to medical treatment and personal initiative
Shortly after the operation, the healing process was already progressing exceptionally well. “ Two weeks after the cast was removed, range of motion was already around 45 degrees in flexion and extension – that is truly remarkable, despite eight weeks in a cast,” says Dr Petra Scheffer. She adds that the patient’s high level of personal initiative was also a key factor. “Physiotherapy can only provide guidance. The patient must do the bulk of the work themselves – particularly in hand surgery.”
Max Kruse confirms this: “I knew it would take a long time. But I no longer had any doubt that I could make a comeback. That gave me strength!” Today he’s back in training – initially focusing on flexibility and building strength. His motivation: “To be able to make big jumps again. That is the best thing for me!”
Video: After a 20-meter fall: Freerider makes a comeback thanks to ligament reconstruction
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Max Kruse has been through a difficult period. In an interview with us, you can hear his full story first-hand.
