News Flash: Duluth skier breaks leg

Marit Benziger and Mom

Marit and Theo getting off the ski lift at Chester Bowl

X-ray showing a spiral tibia fracture.

Duluth skier Marit Benziger (age 5) says she is ending her skiing season early this year because of a fracture in her tibia (shinbone). Benziger left the Essentia Health hospital late Wednesday night and in a statement she said, "I felt like my bone popped out me. The pain was definitely a 100 out of 10. I felt that I was going to die." Just hours before she had taken her first run of the 2019-2020 season and despite a rocky start, her confidence grew throughout the day and she was practicing jumps in the terrain park minutes before the injury. Team physician (and mom) knew Benziger's leg was broken when she saw it happen. An interview with Theo Benziger (age 7) explains, "She was skiing pizza/snowplow and then she caught some ice and fell on her butt and stopped. My mom tried to have her move her ski and she couldn't. Mom took the ski off and tried told her to move her boot and she couldn't. She then picked her up and asked her to stand. She couldn't. She laid her back down and 20 seconds later my mom told me to go get the ski patrol, the ones with the red jackets with the X, to come help get her down. So I did." The fracture was just above her ski boot, often called a Boot Top Fracture. Because of the possibility of severe swelling, adults nearly always require surgery with metal rods, plates and screws, but kids, whose bones are softer, don’t experience the same devastating breaks and can often heal just with a cast. Benziger’s fracture was spiral in nature and doctors say she should not need surgery. She just needs to be non-weight bearing for at least 4 weeks. She was tough and tolerated a full leg cast without sedation. Besides skiing, she states her injury affects her ability to "stand, walk, skip, hop, leap, jump, and play outside." Her gymnastics and swimming classes will also be affected. 

Ski patrol placing a splint and getting her transported off the hill.

Ski patrol taking off down the hill with Marit in the sled.

Photos show Benziger being carted down the slopes by ski patrol after an icy run on January 1, 2020 at Chester Bowl in Duluth, MN. Benziger, who calls Duluth home, has been keeping her fans updated on the injury on her Facebook account. "Besides having five X-rays taken," Benziger says, "The hospital staff did a good job making sure I had a toilet in my room [bedside commode] and they kept me entertained with Cheetos and popcorn and watching TV."

Posing after her full leg cast

Posing for the X-ray camera

The injury came after the lunch, where she enjoyed her favorite treat-gummy bears. After a strong finish in the under 5 category last season at Chester Bowl with only one major wipe out, she was expected to have a strong showing in the girls 5&6 year old category this season.  Upon hearing the news that his sister's leg was broken, Theo said, "I was pretty sad." Her physician left open the possibility of returning later this season; however, her skiing debut out West in Big Sky, MT in February is "off the table" says her physician. She explains that Benziger will be ready to go for the 2020-21 season and expects a full recovery. "She's doing well and in good spirits. She has determination and will be as strong as ever when she returns." 

Benziger said, "I requested a white cast so my friends could color on it good." She anticipates returning to preschool next week and hopes her friends will sign her new cast. She hopes for a speedy recovery and can't wait to push her wheelchair through the house (and ice and snow) all winter. "Now I have my own wheelchair." Benziger exclaims!

Trying out her new wheelchair

In the interim, she will play video games (Mariokart 8) when Theo is home and "Draw, paint, do crafts, make puzzles and play L.O.L.s" she said. 

Her physician said, "I also want to say thank you to the amazing medical staff who were working on New Year's Day, including pediatrician, Dr. Deb Sah, and pediatric orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Gordon."

Excited about her new cast.

Spiral fracture

Benziger posted the follow message on Facebook: