Johannes Klebo returns to complain about an old injury. Is this a verdict or another trick?
Julia Sidorova July 1, 2023, 18:00 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Norway’s top skier suffers a hip injury for the second year in a row. He again has to change his training plan.
Norwegian cross-country skiing is full of life even in summer.
Johannes Klebo continues to struggle not only with the Norwegian Ski Association, but also with an injury that has been bothering him for a whole year.
Last summer he already complained about his health, but after that he took out all his rivals without a chance. And now he really suffers or is he cunning?
“I must be careful”
In July 2022, the World Cup leader faced a challenge. During the training, he felt pain in the area of the right buttock. After the MRI it became clear that the injury was more complicated than it might appear at first glance, Johannes received a strain in his upper hamstring.
According to the doctors’ forecasts, it took him a year to recover. Johannes even considered retiring from all racing until early 2023, but then changed his mind and had a brilliant season.
It’s been 12 months since the injury, but the hip continues to plague and limit the best Norwegian skier. Due to stretching, he cannot complete a full workout, which also affects the psychological state of a professional athlete.
“I can only run a little. I can’t stress for long. The pain is subsiding, but I have to be careful how I train. I know these things take time. The doctors told me that it would take at least a year to recover, at this point we are close, but psychologically it is difficult to continue in this state”, explains Johannes.
Now Johannes Klebo trains separately from the national team:
‘Shocking surprise’ Johannes Klebo leaves Norway team
“The damage will never heal”
Since the main preparatory exercises for the new ski season are running and roller skiing, grandfather coach Kora Hösflot had to adjust his grandson’s training plan.
“We can make up for the lack of long runs with four hours of skiing, which we already did 12 months ago,” says Kore.
To cope with the problem, Johannes even turned to American physiotherapist Megan Stone for help. He paid for the treatment himself, visited his doctor in the United States, and Megan flew to Europe several times.
“She did a good job. But it’s hard to get rid of a hamstring injury. The problem is that Johannes’ injury may be chronic and never fully heal. This is not right, because the limitations associated with this must always be compensated for with another form of training,” explained Kore Hösflot.
This fall, Klebo will travel back to the United States for an altitude training camp and continue working with Stowe.
“Meghan did a very good job and it was well worth what we had to spend. We plan to use Megan’s experience also in the run-up to next season and through the coming winter,” says Johannes Haakon Klebo’s father and part-time manager.
Since Johannes’ injury may stay with him forever, the help of a physiotherapist is invaluable. The forecasts are disappointing, but Klebo proved last winter that he is still the best in the world in any condition.
Or does Klebo get a little sneaky again and dramatize the situation?
The whole family works for Johannes Klebo:
“The main person in my career.” How Grandpa made Klebo a great champion
