Robin Belsky

I’m not a professional athlete, but my family regularly gets teased because we act as if we are training and competing in top level events. Obsessed. Snow and Water. Juggling my day job, snow storms and calm smooth lakes has been very rewarding. However, the last few years have been tough. After multiple knee surgeries (over ten years) and bone-on-bone arthritis I found myself sulking on the side of a mogul run or letting go of a waterski rope. The pain and loss of control was interfering with my athletic passion. I felt frustrated and anxious until I met Dr. Andrew Pearle and the HSS team. From the moment I met Dr. Pearle I knew I would be back on the snow and behind the boat with minimal downtime. Dr. Pearle and his staff did many tests and exams. He explained the best option was a MAKOplasty – a partial knee replacement. I did my research including reading the HSS “Back in the Game” stories written by Dr. Pearle’s patients. Deciding what season to give up on and how to focus on rehab was hard. I chose to take the summer off and postpone waterskiing so I could be back on snow by Thanksgiving. I repeatedly watched the videos posted by his patients. My favorite was posted by a 57+ year old professional water skier. This amazing athlete competed in a waterski competition less than twelve weeks after his partial knee surgery. Dr. Pearle and I discussed my rehab. I told Dr. Pearle my goal was to beat the waterski champ by getting back in the water back behind the boat in record time. Dr. Pearle made no promises but believed it could be done. The entire HSS team encouraged me not to push too hard. I had my partial knee replacement on July 27th and waterskied On September 11th. Please see the video. The “Pearle” of wisdom I would like to share: Use Dr. Andrew Pearle for your knee procedures, rehab and do your work to get back in the game, and believe in yourself. Don’t let age or other distractions stop you from always being your best!

May 28, 2025:

This is my second “Back in the Game” story. A few years ago, I shared my experience with a partial knee replacement with Dr. Andrew Pearle. That surgery was a complete success and gave me back my mobility. I am thrilled with that result and my teenager knee.

But nothing could have prepared me for what came next.

Last summer, despite strong winds and my better judgment, I headed out to water ski. The lake and the slalom course were calling. I missed a turn and CRASHED hard - likely hitting the water at around 50 mph and flipped head over heels three or four times. My hard-shell boot didn’t release. When I finally stopped, I had suffered a devastating trimalleolar ankle fracture: multiple breaks involving the lateral, medial, and posterior malleolus, with displacement and widening of the lateral mortise. Basically, I broke my ankle with every body roll until I came to a stop. The pain was unbelievable.

I was terrified - not just by the injury, but by what it might mean. I truly believed I might never walk the same way again. I thought I’d never snow ski, never water ski, never do anything athletic again. I believed my life, as I knew it was OVER.

Then I met Dr. Elizabeth Cody at HSS.

From the first consultation, Dr. Cody helped me understand the severity of the injury and what it would take to recover. She outlined a detailed plan and scheduled surgery for the following week. I’ll never forget that day - August 21st - when she rebuilt my ankle using 21 screws, four plates, mesh, and cadaver grafts. It was an extraordinary procedure performed by an extraordinary surgeon.

Recovery was slow but steady. I was non-weight bearing for about a month and then gradually began regaining mobility through physical therapy and guided exercise. Throughout every stage, Dr. Cody and her physician assistant, Sara Spring, were amazing - thorough, supportive, and encouraging.

By October 31st, I was back at work but the flex and mobility in my ankle was stiff and limited. On March 21st - about 8 months from ankle fracture - Dr. Cody removed all the hardware - a huge step forward. From there, my progress accelerated. Skyrocketed!

And now, here’s the miracle: on Mother’s Day, May 11th - just eight and a half months after the surgery - I was back on my water ski. I felt strong, stable, and alive again.

For my body the ankle injury was far more severe than my knee. Maybe because it was acute and I did not have time to process and plan. Maybe because broken bones are harder to heal than joints. There are a lot of possibilities except if you have any problem with your ankle you must go to Dr. Elizabeth Cody.

Thanks to Dr. Cody, I truly feel like I’m BACK IN THE GAME.