Comments on: A constant reminder

By: leftcoastlarry

leftcoastlarry — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:48:52 +0000

Ah yeah – bodies – can’t slide without one. Got run into (by a boarder!) last Dec. and ended up with a fractured tibia plateau. I boarded down to hill, walked to my car and drove home. Had to use my board as a crutch and tried to convince my wife it was just a bruise. Fortunately, no surgery required. One month later my leg swelled alarmingly – massive block clot (DVT) which required emergency surgery. I’m officially healed – bones mended, veins clear – and waiting for some SoCal snow. I’m hoping to get to CO. or Utah later this year.

Thanks for the site – have a stellar year.

By: Vivi

Vivi — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:32:27 +0000

Knee injury is the worst, followed by torn shoulder, luckily I haven’t had either. Only broke my wrist last year, then went on to Whistler/Lake Tahoe two weeks after with the cast still on. There were fractures here and there but didn’t stop me from boarding. However, I do hike a lot in the summer, and taking supplements for joints for the past year and wear knee pads while boarding. All these helps (at least I believe) and I have been hitting jumps all last season and plan to do more this year.

By: Jenni R

Jenni R — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:40:43 +0000

hey shay,

i totally relate to this! i tore my ACL wakeboarding a few years ago when my backroll came up short and the nose of my board dug into the wake and SNAP! there it went. i had just graduated from college so i didn’t have insurance anymore… i just had to suck it up. it was pretty depressing, i couldn’t do anything like i used to anymore! i was planning on getting it fixed last year, but then i took a digger snowboarding and had to get shoulder surgery… the dumb thing is, the only reason i fell was because of the instability in my knee! needless to say, i take it easier now. no big jumps anymore and i don’t go nearly as fast so i can be in control all of the time. i have surgery scheduled now for this april…. i didn’t want to waste a whole winter again! i just wear a brace and take it easy.

i lost a lot of my abilities after the injury… but i don’t let it get me down!!! it’s frustrating at times to know how much my riding has suffered, but at least i can still get out there. hopefully after recovering from surgery next winter i can really hit it hard! we will see. thanks for this post, it reminds me i’m not alone lol.

By: Shay

Shay — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:37:36 +0000

haha Justin, trust me I had no choice in my family about being a husky…both my brother and I graduated from UW.

Fore, I have a donjoy brace that I got after surgery but I hated relying on it and a couple seasons ago I stopped wearing it completely so my knee would build up the strength on its own without having the brace. Since then I have no need for it and like riding without it.

Wow some really tough injuries from riding! I’ve been lucky with just having my knees be the issue and a couple bruised ribs but other than that I feel great on the mountain. Mentally the knees were the worst just because I really lost my muscle after surgery and was a tough comeback.

Interesting point Michele on your own riding and not pushing yourself as hard, not from injury but just from settling down. For me, I like mixing up who I ride with and trying to ride with others who push me. As a single girl, its the most fun that way and I like not having one person who I’m always riding with (although a bit lonely off snow) on snow it’s like woohoo new riding buddies all the time. But I can see how that’s tough when you get into a relationship or settle down, that it’s hard to go ride with others and yet important to have that mix up every now and then.

By: Michele

Michele — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:50:53 +0000

I was just thinking about the same thing this weekend. I broke my collar bone skiing in 2003, and the last few days it’s been hurting. They don’t fix a collar bone, just give you drugs and wait till the bone grows between the break. As a result I have a lump on the bone where they overlap. I slowed down a bit after, but i’ve noticed the biggest change in my ridding came after I got married. Now i’m not trying to impress, and I just can’t push myself as hard. I have not figured out how to menataly make myself compete while riding.

By: VancityAllie

VancityAllie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:24:09 +0000

I’ve had some concussions and while it’s nothing like that you went through, I kinda know how you feel.

You’re such an inspiration! I know you’re going to continue to shred for a long time 🙂

By: Pam

Pam — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:59:06 +0000

Boy am I glad I’ve never had anything that has kept me off the mtn for more than 2 weeks. I have 2 good concussions, 1 minor one, nasty knee contusions, rail to shin hits and spine compression. And possible torn neck ligament…or so they tell me. I hope I stay well this season.

By: justin

justin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:54:10 +0000

Didn’t realize you were a fellow Dawg…

Hear you on the injury tip and how it always stays in the back of your mind – especially the whole risk x reward tradeoff when your career is not dependent on riding. I’ve never quite been the same between broken elbow (elbow dropped a hidden rock on a pow day…) and some other little nagging injuries from other crap. I’ve started taking ‘training’ a little more serious for the season, trying to strengthen all the little supporting joints/muscles this year to prep for the season.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:02:17 +0000

I hear you shay, :-/ my season ended pretty early last year with a snapped arm, punctured/lung, two broken ribs, two big old cracks in my pelvis, and a cracked tooth. But hey I’m still coming back for more. The only thing I’m really worried about, is it not effecting future riding endeavors. Who knows! But it’s snowing!!!

By: Fore

Fore — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:30:32 +0000

I have a torn acl and mcl on my right knee
I highly suggest a Breg or DonJoy brace for ligaments, they move well with you and are comfy when fitted good. Its a good insurance and I take more risks when I wear mine
NFL football players use these two and Nate Holland uses one of their ankle braces
You can get a prescription to cover the cost
http://www.breg.com
http://www.donjoy.com