Feeling the cold wind on his face, listening to the far away cheers of the spectators, more than a hundred of meters up in the alpine air…What for many people is just a fantasy — and quite a scary one at that — is a reality for David Siegel. The 24-year-old is one of Germany’s most promising winter sports talents and has leaped from some of the highest ramps. But even now, after eight years of training and competing in many of the world’s biggest events, the adrenaline rush is still very much a driving force in David’s career.

Yet, as with every success story, this one also has its ups and downs. Probably the biggest setback occurred when David took part in the 2019 World Cup. After winning the first round, disaster struck. While landing his second-round jump, David fell and tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). It was later revealed that he also hurt the medial collateral ligament and the meniscus of his right knee. His doctors attested that “the only whole part of the knee was the bone.” Owing to these severe injuries, he had to drop out of the tournament and undergo surgery, prompting him to pass on both the ongoing and the subsequent season.

A nightmare for a professional athlete, the 24-year-old recalls: “An injury can expose your own limits to yourself. It really hurt to see my dreams moving farther and farther away.” But David didn’t give up. Even today, he’s convinced that it was his positive mind set — and the support of his family and team — that made him go on. So, when his doctor introduced him to GELITA’s TENDOFORTE®, David and his coach decided to give it a go. What could it hurt anyway?

The specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides (BCP®s) in TENDOFORTE® have been scientifically proven to enhance collagen production in ligaments and tendons. As collagen is a major component of these tissues, which are frequently associated with sports-related injuries, supplementation with TENDOFORTE® specifically targets these areas, gives structure to the whole body and supports physical mobility.

But, let’s get back to the story! David began taking a daily dose 10 g TENDOFORTE® to complement his regularly physiotherapy. He very quickly began to notice improvements in both the movement and strength of his knee and wanted to get back into training. His coach — and even his physicians — were more than surprised to see such positive results so quickly after surgery, but were more hesitant to let David get back to his normal training program. Little by little, however, it quickly became clear that his knee could do everything he wanted it to. “I felt no pain,” David recalls: “When experiencing new stimuli, the knee needed time to get used to them, but it responded extremely well to each new test and, very soon, I was able to continue training.”

Because of these positive developments, David and his coaches decided it was time to get back on the slope. So, this year, David actually made his comeback: he took part in the Grand Prix in Wislaw (Poland) and was immediately able to challenge the leader board!

“I’m very thankful to everyone who supported me during this difficult time,” says David. “Of course, I also want to thank the experts at GELITA, who always lent us their expertise and support whenever we needed it. Without their collagen peptides, who knows if I’d have been able to get back to my performance level this quickly and successfully?”

If you want to know more about our portfolio of Bioactive Collagen Peptides or are looking for support and expertise, contact us today.