His first day on the ski slopes for the season, Retired Navy Senior Chief Henry Nichols, a Belfair resident, had just started downhill when the mountain challenged him to a brawl. It was Christmas day and the collision of wills happened so fast that when Nichols fell he heard a popping sound that had nothing to do with either the snow-covered scenery or heavy-laden trees.

The sharp pain, even on his knee’s underside, was excruciating. While he had skied for almost 20 years, Nichols had just finished taking an advanced ski lesson at the Mt. Washington resort, on Vancouver Island.

“It was the first hill that I skied down after the lesson and the first expedition of the year when I crashed,” Nichols said, disappointed but with his sense of humor intact. “I had started going down the slope too fast and had cut into the hill to slow down when my ski got stuck. I flipped and my ski didn’t come off.”

Everybody behind him stopped to help and they phoned the rescue squad that transported Nichols by snowmobile to the medic unit at the lodge.

A hospital visit wasn’t encouraging. Walking was very difficult as the injury caused Nichols leg to wobble. To repair the damage, doctors insisted upon surgery. Most immediately, however, they administered a shot of morphine and fit Nichols’ swollen leg with a stabilization knee brace. Then, with a codeine prescription, Nichols left the hospital and went back to the ski resort where he stayed in the chalet and soaked in the hot tub.

Returning home with his family after a few days, Nichols went to the military hospital for follow-up care when the orthopedic surgeon confirmed the diagnosis and emphasized Nichols’ need for surgery.

Until surgery, Poulsbo-based Seattle Systems made him a custom V.3 model knee brace. Nichols says it applied a whole new stabilization effect to his otherwise unstable knee.

“I have the ability to do things now,” Nichols said. “ My knee’s not quite as tight without it and I’m not comfortable walking around but with it I can ride a bicycle and it takes all the pressure off of my joint.”

Nichols further stated that since he doesn’t wear tight designer jeans the brace fits hassle-free beneath his clothes and nobody seems to notice it.