# Sticky  Roll Call - What's your most serious injury?



## Sam. (Dec 22, 2004)

I had to shift some furniture earlier today when I got a sharp twang that reminded me of an old 'war wound' I got riding 18 months ago.

For my efforts, I received a busted and dislocated left shoulder from when I tackled a see-saw that see'd, but didn't saw  Took me out of action for three months and it still plays up every now and then.

So let us know the worst of your injuries. Do you still have the scars? Let's see the full colour photo's  

Sam.


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## ozlongboarder (Jan 12, 2004)

Nothing major so far, touch wood. Heaps of shin and forearm scars though, chicks dig them dont they?


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## sammydog (Jun 8, 2004)

Nothing major here either. A lot of bruising and lost skin but thats it. Nothing exciting really. Hopefully it stays that way too.


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## nickobec (Jan 6, 2005)

Smashed collarbone (it was in four pieces) - five weeks ago, still recovering

Suppose you want to see the x-ray, nasty bruise I had and the big lump of bone pushing against the skin I now have?


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## Sam. (Dec 22, 2004)

*Ouch!*



nickobec said:


> Suppose you want to see the x-ray, nasty bruise I had and the big lump of bone pushing against the skin I now have?


Yeah... go on then


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## Trevor! (Dec 23, 2003)

4 Stitches in my right knee - Thats it... In that same fall I think I came very close to breaking my collar bone, because I was in some pain for a good deal of time, and couldn't drive, but I got over it...

Been lucky thus far...


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## jonowee (Apr 8, 2004)

Sam. do you want the messiest or the most painful?

Messiest: ~dozen stiches, a jigger of blood lost, buggered helmet, lost parts of the headset?, pinched my favourite tube, 1 month without riding to prevent infection, 2 weeks at home not doing much besides so MTBR hovering, 2 weeks no work, mid-30s of antibiotic capsules.

Most painful: Half of the wang-chungs that do happen. (Not funny for me, but to the observer...?)

--------------------------
Yeah go on nickobec, X-ray of the FUBARed collarbone. Four places... ouch!


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## hotlaksa (Feb 11, 2004)

*It Hurts!!!*

had a few cracked ribs [ both sides in different accidents ] 
broken finger in altercation with cab on cleveland st in Sydney.
major concussion / abrasions and very nearly did collarbone in collision with car in Adelaide.

have yet to have a really bad one on the trail......touch wood.


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## Low_Rider (Jan 15, 2004)

Only a few cuts and knocks to the knees and legs so far, and a bit of gravel rash on the elbows and hands. Nothing major so far!!

Oh, and I got winded when some prick decided to play hero on his first lap in a 12 hour a while back. More damage to my bike then anything.

Cheers, Dave


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## Sam. (Dec 22, 2004)

*Reminds me of....*



Low_Rider said:


> Only a few cuts and knocks to the knees and legs so far, and a bit of gravel rash on the elbows and hands. Nothing major so far!!


my first really decent stack. I had a total of about a month's worth of MTB'ing experience under my belt, and I was starting to get a bit too confident. I think there is a medical term for it ("Wade Simmons Disorder" )

I spent half an hour pushing my bunky old K-Mart special to the top of a local DH trail (the surface was so loose and rocky, you could barely walk it let alone than ride it!) Standing at the precipice, I launched myself off the edge (feet not locked in, body position nicely_* over the handlebars * _ , I made it all of about 10 metres before I went over the handlebars. The amazing thing was, that after I bit the dust, my body seemed to accelerate as it slid along the ground.

The left hand side of my body resembled one big crusty scab for a month after that - it certainly gave me something to do when there wasn't much on TV 

And so came into being, my first (personal) golden rule of MTB'ing - "If you can't even walk it, don't try to ride it" 

Never did go back to that trail.

Sam.


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## Rainman (Apr 18, 2004)

Three broken ribs after crashing and hitting a rock edge-on. The walk out was very painful and breathing was a nightmare.

Finally got home after a long solo ordeal of pain and the missus said.. "you're late for dinner!"..  

I remember having to use a rope tied to the foot of the bed to help me sit up in the mornings while I was healing.

Very painful... lol.

R.


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## GeoffR (Sep 8, 2004)

MTB'ing (so far) = minor cuts & scratches to the legs, versus karate = broken ribs, broken nose, broken toes (& one almost torn off) and frequent significant bruising to various parts of the body.
I wouldn't give up either though!!


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## nickobec (Jan 6, 2005)

*X-ray time*



> Yeah go on nickobec, X-ray of the FUBARed collarbone. Four places... ouch!


Ok here is the X-Ray, could not find the photos of my whole shoulder in various shades of purple and yellow and the current photos do not clearly show the lump.


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## TR (Jan 12, 2004)

Nothing much to report here. 
Two dinner plate size bruises on my left hip on two seperate occasions. One from getting a little too confident on a table top style jump at Whistler in October and another from a seemingly simple bunny hop off a small drop on a trail in Brisbane. Managed to land in some loose sand on the side of the trail and was catapulted head first toward a tree about a foot off the trail. I can remember wondering how big that tree was as I flew through the air towards it. Still got a lump on my hip from that after 4 weeks.


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## BrindiCruiser (Apr 13, 2004)

TR said:


> One from getting a little too confident on a table top style jump at Whistler


aaahhhh Whistler. I think I can relate to that story. I had been riding in Vancouver for about 2 1/2 months, mostly on the trails on Mt Fromme on the Nth Shore. I had only ever ridden XC in and around Canberra before arriving in Vancouver, so it was quite a step up to say the least.

Anyway, I got to Whistler and was very excited. I had been riding ok and feeling pretty chuffed. I was getting the hang of A line, and decided to give "Dirt MErchant" a go.

I was riding pretty smoothly (for me) and saw the sign saying "gap ahead". Stupidly, I thought it meant a double jump, and figured I could just ride through the jump.

It was actually a drop off from a rock maybe 4-5 foot - maybe less but I never did go back to check. Suffice to say, I landed on my front wheel due to indecision.

results - 2 broken ribs, a broken wrist, and a grade 2 tear of AC joint. Did not ride again for 3 months...

Not happy Jan, but god bless armour and full face helmets!


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## Hud (Jun 22, 2004)

Once I didn't see a tree branch and it scratched my arm, no blood though.
It's not that I don't ride hard, I'm too skilled to fall off!


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## rowdyflat (Mar 29, 2004)

8 weeks ago I flipped over the bars off a steep wooden ramp onto my collarbone + smashed it pretty well.I had a plate put on it + have been back riding for 2-3 weeks nothing heroic yet. Will use body armor for anything serious .


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## GeoffR (Sep 8, 2004)

> MTB'ing (so far) = minor cuts & scratches to the legs


Not any more!! Went up to have a look at the first two days of the Wildside race last week. Took our bikes (of course), got to some of the stages early and rode parts of them. Coming down to the finish of the Montezuma Falls stage I hit a branch lying at an angle across the track, the front wheel slid along the branch and then slid out to the right. The bike then flicked back to the left and slid out from under me - I hit the ground at about 40km/h resulting in a cracked helmet, gravel rashed arm & leg, torn shirt & shorts and a shredded back pack.
Apart from that the Wildside was awesome, might have a go next year if I have a bike again! Washed them last Sunday morning & left them in the diveway to dry - about 3m from our front door. In the space of 30 minutes some bogan kids pinched them - we know who they are but the police haven't been able to catch them yet. Hopefully we will get them back in one piece!!


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## Low_Rider (Jan 15, 2004)

Montezuma is an awesome stage - I think I know that exact stick that you're talking about too - I jumped it a few weeks back and though then that it would be nasty if it got damp...... You can fair fly down that DH hey!! You don't think it's all that steep, but it's plenty long enough to make a go of it.

Sorry to hear about your bikes!! 

Send your details of the bikes and someones contact details to me either via PM or email

djrayner(at)postoffice.utas.edu(dot)au

and I'll get in sent out through a tassie MTB email list I can get access to. Will get a message put up at the CBCC website too. http://www.cbcc.community.net.au

The list is state-wide, so it'll get some coverage.

I had a friend who had a (new) bike stolen on the coast, and it wound up in hobart, freshly washed, polished - and had a new pair of grips and nice new tires installed!! Talk about service!! 

I hope you get them back soon,

Dave.


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## bigdamo (Jun 11, 2004)

just got my new bike. third ride out testing the limits of the suspension i found it and came off and broke my rib.i think it hurts more waiting till it heals so i can go riding again.This particular section of trail has caught a few people out of late so the hosipital tells me.Before that stiches in right knee.Concussion from clipping a tree at speed and dislocating right shoulder.


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## WotFun (May 2, 2004)

More frequent than serious. Scratches & bruises etc. I'm much better now than I used to be. When I first got into riding early last year I used to come off on most rides. The kids developed the habit every time I'd get back home they would ask "Did you hurt yourself this time dad?"


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## slamdunk (Jun 13, 2004)

I've just been diagnosed with my worst injury from cycling - skin cancer!

I trained on the road 6-8 hours a day for over ten years, never wore a helmet, never wore a hat, never used sunscreen, and now at the age of 34 I've got the type of skin cancer found in people in their sixties. I've got no one to blame but myself.

I'm yet to have an operation to remove the cancer, but as it is on the tip of my nose a chunk of my nose will be going with the cancer, and then skingrafts and surgery to replace what is taken off.


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## CulBaire (Jan 18, 2004)

*Well...*

Well I have had a few stacks in my 8 or so years as an MTB rider... A Majority of them have been recentish too, as I seem to take my riding more seriously, and take on alot more technical terrain...

*Chapter One: * 
The air was cool, and the big freshly preped for this days ride, the bikes first ride!  Well it started out well but went sourish, big fire road slog which generally involves granny gear- appon beginigh the ascent I realize my bike wont shift onto the granny ring so I crank and pant, grunt and stomp my way up the hill using the 32/30 gearing combo that god desided to make me use 

Up top of the hilL I met a riding partner, if you could call her that- our first time riding together. The bike felt soo good at the time- we soon headed down one of my favorite pieces of single track...

Well there is a rather large boulder, down this trail, I know I have riden over it, riden around it etc... a Dozen or so times. Well this time I went straight over the top, nosedived- the front bit in hard and over I go: I do actually remember looking up while in the air and seeing my bike coming down on top of me  Thud!!! I landed flat on my back, but only after smashing my wrist on a rock on the way down; the bike just missed me (thank god!). After composing myself I got up, with a nice squashed backpack on now  Eventially went home after riding back to the botom of the trail and seeing the medics that were at the Local DH race that day.

*What I got:* 
1x Fractured Distal Radius
1X Serverly Muscle damaged Hand (which is still stuffed I might add)
1X Fractured Big Toe
1x Now Problematic Ankle 
Verious Bruses and Cuts...

4 weeks of work 

Previous Injuries:
1x Broken Right Elbow
2X Broken Left Elbow (yes seperate times)
1X Broken Toe (also bike related, same area actually though 5 years prior)
Cartlidge Damaged Knee.

As you can see loads of injuries, Non of them have kept me from being incredably stupid though  I still enjoy life as it comes though I am starting to settle down a little, I'll always be a kid with my toys


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## Sam. (Dec 22, 2004)

*We have a winner!!!*



CulBaire said:


> *What I got:*
> 1x Fractured Distal Radius
> 1X Serverly Muscle damaged Hand (which is still stuffed I might add)
> 1X Fractured Big Toe
> ...


Holy crap! Huge effort Culbaire - most impressive!!! With all of these injuries, I reckon you must 'creak' when you walk!  

Cheers,

Sam.


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## HPilot (Jan 30, 2004)

*Well just got word of my worst*

Looks like I have a torn shoulder with Bursitis..

Here's another strange injury I got the same day.. Heading back through the trail, saw a larger diameter branch sticking out into the trail. They say you go where your eyes go. Even though consciously I was wanting to move to the right to avoid, the damn thing, sharp end and all, drove into my left thigh leaving a swollen, purple, softball sized mark. Now I have a permanent indenture in my thigh that is very visible, almost as though I was impaled, yet the outer skin was not punctured.


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## Panacea (Mar 10, 2004)

*Nothing Major*

Cracked a coupla ribs when I endo'ed into a kurb and slapped myself around a few other times. I've broken 2 helmets now so my advice is wear one!


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## MUD KING (Mar 10, 2005)

*where to start*

going to big on a huge gap and missing the entire landing to hit the flats led to an extremely long day of riding.

it hurt more on a mountain bike than it did on a snowmobile.

I've wiped going so fast that I was nearly skinless.

broke a rib that didn't really bother me until I rebroke it a half year later.

following fellow rider to closely when we hit a big drop and my foot slid out of my toeclip so I landed on the peddle with my leg. Horrible Infection!


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## marschall (Jul 16, 2004)

ummm ive got 9 stiches i my right knee right now after yesterday and i wont be riding or playing sport 4 anoter 3 weeks or so , probably even more. And this happened 2 days b4 the school holidays started... damn i had so much riding planned and was going 2 build and make a video with my mates.


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## Kitkat (Apr 14, 2004)

*Nice "tattoo"*

*touch wood* I haven't been involved in too many nasty MTB accidents - I do however own a lovely cyclist's "tattoo" on my right calf from my chainrings . . . I think I did this last year at a 12-hour race. It was quite a deep wound and it hurt like hell!!!


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## stormcrowe (May 16, 2005)

*I slid down a rocky hill..............*

As I said, I slid down a rocky hill and took the skin off my left outer calf and about 5mm of underlying tissue as well! It hurts, but I'm still riding with it as the riding action of the muscles pumping helps keep the swelling down. The only thing I hate is the weekly debreedment(Scraping of necrotic tissue from my leg) as it HURTS! Actually, it hurts worse than the original injury! 


Kitkat said:


> *touch wood* I haven't been involved in too many nasty MTB accidents - I do however own a lovely cyclist's "tattoo" on my right calf from my chainrings . . . I think I did this last year at a 12-hour race. It was quite a deep wound and it hurt like hell!!!


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## Dalec (Jul 8, 2005)

After 4 weeks or so of getting into this MTB'ing caper (in 1998) I had a little stack. On the 1st day of a 4 day long weekend I was messing about on a small jump just before a disused bridge. Cut a long story short, after a number of jumps all was going well..... until the last go. Just b4 hitting the ramp the front wheel got outta shape but I was committed. Over I went and landed bad on th bridge. I was heading for the edge of the bridge. A 4m drop into real shallow water so I dropped it before sliding off. Got up and all seemed well, until I got back to camp which was only 50 mtrs away. checked over the bike and no dramas but then noticed a huge amount of blood on my shorts. Looked aorund and couldn't find anything til I spied my elbow....Oh Oh. I must have landed on a rock. I had a chunk out of my arm 2" long x 1 wide in the perfect shape of a love heart.... to the bone. Nasty. Had to spend a night in hospital for surgery to clean the gravel out. Ended up with some 17 needles in 24 hours for local anesthetic, morphine, tetnus, holes for drips. Completely ballsed up a perfectly good long weekend.


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## Sam. (Dec 22, 2004)

*Not to mention...*



Dalec said:


> Ended up with some 17 needles in 24 hours for local anesthetic, morphine, tetnus, holes for drips


Not to mention a cool heart-shaped scar on your elbow


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## Dalec (Jul 8, 2005)

*Not so*

Unfortunately no heart shaped scar  . Just a butcherd mess.....that's public hosptials for ya. Actually they looked after me real well, just not very good surgeons  .


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## bogey (Dec 5, 2004)

*Broken Femur*

Broke my leg (upper part of femur) on gooseberry last fall. Didn't know it was broken until I got up and tried to put weight on it. Really didn't hurt until it started to swell, then the 'take your breath away pain' was only a slight movement away. Had to get flown off the mountain into St. George. Luckily, the area is big retirement community so they have a nice hospital and lots of expertise fixing hips. Now I have $3000 worth of steel holding things together in there. Gooseberry was sweet though, what a nice day it was.


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## wmbarace (Sep 23, 2004)

*Your Worst Injury*

As mountain bikers we all take chances... sometimes we pay the price. What is the worst you have ever injured your self. For me it would be 3 years ago. Over the bars, hands extended, shattered the heads of the two arm bones into about 12 pieces. Three surgeries, a staff infection, and 5 months later I was almost back to normal.

First pics shows half of the external fixiture that basically held the bones in place after the surgery. Second pics is after the staff infection the docs had to back in and "excavate" out the infected tissue and re-drill the bone where the pins were. It was then left to heal from the inside out.

My wife was pretty pissed off to say the least. I was a helpless SOB. We do not always realize that we hurt more than ourselves.
Chris


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## kidwoo (Aug 11, 2004)

Aaahhhh

hand cooter

My worst was a broken leg and torn acl.

This one looked cooler though. Couple of torn ligaments and broken footsie bones.


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## mattsteve (Dec 28, 2004)

Nothing more than a few abrasions, pain that lingers a few days after the incident (or ride in general).......

Been riding for 10+ years now, never seen the inside of a ER room.......


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## kidwoo (Aug 11, 2004)

mattsteve said:


> Nothing more than a few abrasions, pain that lingers a few days after the incident (or ride in general).......
> 
> Been riding for 10+ years now, never seen the inside of a ER room.......


Good thing you just said that.

You are sooooo fvcked.


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## S-Works (Dec 30, 2003)

wmbarace said:


> As mountain bikers we all take chances... sometimes we pay the price. What is the worst you have ever injured your self. For me it would be 3 years ago. Over the bars, hands extended, shattered the heads of the two arm bones into about 12 pieces. Three surgeries, a staff infection, and 5 months later I was almost back to normal.
> 
> First pics shows half of the external fixiture that basically held the bones in place after the surgery. Second pics is after the staff infection the docs had to back in and "excavate" out the infected tissue and re-drill the bone where the pins were. It was then left to heal from the inside out.
> 
> ...


My pic speaks for itself, although not as dramatic looking as yours.

I told my wife this never would have happened had I had my spot then.

She didn't buy! But it was worth a shot!


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## 2TurnersNotEnough (Aug 31, 2004)

I'm a member of the 'Clav Club'. Broke my collarbone about 11 1/2 years ago. Bad enough to require a surgeon to go put the bone and connecting tissue back together.

I'ce had a couple of concussions along the way too. Makes me wonder what would have happened if I hadn't been wearing a helmet.


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## k1creeker (Jul 30, 2005)

Compound fracture of my right femur. Yep, right through my shorts. I was in such a state of shock I tried to get up afterwards and shake it off. Bad idea. 2 months in a hospital bed in traction, then 6 weeks in a body cast....mmmmm....fun!  When I think back on it I'm very lucky it wasn't worse. Much worse.

This was a road riding incident (hit by a car), which explains why I hardly ride road anymore. I'll take my chances with the rocks and trees. If I "F" up it's my own damn fault.


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## slowrider (May 15, 2004)

*Ouch*

No pretty pictures from mine (no idea how to post an MRI) I had my Subscapularis?? ( the muscle that runs from the inside of the shoulder blade to the upper part of the humerous) pull out of the Humerous The surgeon had to dig deep to find the end of the tendon that had retracted up into my armpit and sew it to 4 anchors drilled into my humerous, which hurt far worse for far longer than the injury itself. Now it's stronger than the other side.


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## DLine (May 10, 2004)

Not exactly mountain biking, but I was on a mountain bike. Went over the bars on the Lakeshore Drive bike path - well, near it anyway. Going fast down a small knoll and hopped a curb at the bottom, blew my front tire on impact. Faceplant in the parking lot with no helmet. I didn't have time to put my hands down it happened so fast - I scraped the skin off of my knuckles on both hands. I drove my sunglasses into my nose, folded over the septum, sent gravel through my top lip and into the tip of my nose, scraped off skin to the bone on my cheek and very nearly lost my left eye. 

I asked the surgeon who sewed me up how many stitches it took, and he said "That's like asking how many nails it takes to build a house". The most painful part was having my nose re-broken with some midevil needle-nose pliers while under a "local anesthetic". I freaked when after having 10 novacaine shots to my face I could feel the pliers up in my nose. Too late - CRACK!

Not really a major deal in the perspective of a spinal injury, so I consider myself lucky.


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## mattsteve (Dec 28, 2004)

kidwoo said:


> Good thing you just said that.
> 
> You are sooooo fvcked.


Shhhhhhhh

Im going to Moab in a week........dont wanna jinx it........


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## ozlongboarder (Jan 12, 2004)

I'm here nursing some bruised (maybe cracked?) ribs from a boxing day ride learning DJ's. I feel very lucky compared to some of the horror stories above. 

Rockgarden has a good selection of armour. Anybody make any recomendations for upper body protection? I have Roach leg and arm but my chest and spine could probably do with something as well.


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## FireDog46 (Jan 13, 2004)

*Broken Right Clavicle In Three Places*



wmbarace said:


> My wife was pretty pissed off to say the least. I was a helpless SOB. We do not always realize that we hurt more than ourselves.
> Chris


How true those words are, even more so if she witnessed the accident.

Mine didn't happen on my bike. I lost my footing on the stairs. Bounced half way
down on my arse only to have my feet catch and launch me in to somersault
impacting my right shoulder on the bottom step, crushing the top of the clavicle
breaking it in three places. The pic is from three months after the surgery.
The main break is almost filled in. The other two you can't see any more.

Last year (2004) I crashed my road bike breaking my pelvis in two places.
A crack through the right hip socket and a fracture in the bottom lobe.
No surgery required, just lots of rest.

What's interesting is that bothhave taken about the same amount of time to heal.
Though the clavicle is/was the most annoying. For 2 to 3 months I was one handed
with the wrong hand. Shaving became a dangerous endeaver.

michael


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## Roostalee (Jun 27, 2004)

I'd bet some of you guys have trouble getting through the airport metal detectors. 

I've been lucky, my worst crash was an endo on the road bike. Just a bunch of road rash and the ire of the riders in the paceline that I managed to knock down


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## AzSpeedfreek (Feb 3, 2004)

On the bike in 2000 I was coming around a sweeping right hand curve on hard pack with a dusting of sand over it at about 25mph and the front wheel washed out on me and I pile drove my right knee into the ground which ended up grinding about a 3 inch diameter area off my knee and severly bruising the fluid sack under my knee cap. I couldn walk normal (couldn't bend my knee) for almost 8 weeks.

Off the bike, make sure you are sitting down for this.......

on 4-5-05 I was returning from my GFs place up north and I hit black ice at 45mph in my Ford Explorer and rolled 3 times. My injuries consisted of: Right side 1 broken rib, and severly bruised lung. Left side: Broken and dislocated Clavical, 4 broken ribs 2 of which punctured and collapsed my left lung, ruptured spleen (I was not stable enough for it to be removed it finaly stoped bleeding on its own) and a concusion with severe bruising to the left side of my head/face. I was airlifted down to the valley and spent a week in a medicaly induced coma which no one knew if I was going to live or wakeup from.


Quote of the day...."Every day you are alive is a good day, some days are better than others but every day is still a good day to be alive"


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## cactuscorn (Feb 5, 2004)

but he can still drink like a champ! cant ya freek? i was with him on his 1st ride back and even then hes no slouch.

me? i once got my feelings hurt real bad. other than that:

'72: cut my sack on the stem durrin a otb. thought it was a good idea to use a band aid. i was wrong.

'77: busted out my teeth in a fight, which i won, days after gettin my braces. you shoulda seen the other guy. no, really. ya shoulda. we became friends later.

'77: busted my teeth out again jumpin my bmx bike into a wooden pole. and no, that wasnt the plan. im dumb as a box of rocks but common people.

'94: 1st xc race; busted clavacal, scapula, 2 ribs in 4 places, tooth, hip, substancial concusion and still dont remember much of that day. so much for not pre-ridin the course. i walked out a mile before the copter took me in. oh, and i got the flu 3 days later. ever sneeze with 4 busted ribs? its so much fun the memory itself brings back the tears and the sobbing.

'94: same trail, 2 more busted ribs. finished that ride as it was the last one before it went to the golfers. yeah, i can be a tough sob when i wanna be.

'95: dbl compound fracture of the ulna and radius. almost lost my right arm. 2 surguries, a bit on my old busted hip in my new arm and years of rehab. still a major issue to this day. another case of goin way too fast on a trail id never seen before. youve all seen the xrays right?

'97: ac sepperation in a bmx race. took a pedal to the back and that was with a full daneies suit

'98: full ac sepperation in another bmx race. cased my shoulder into the last tripple. cant teach a old coot new tricks can ya?

'03: busted ankle. twisted my toes up to my shin then around to my calf when i got a toe spike stuck in the ice at aprox 2 mph. you can imagine the damage im sure. more pain than i care to remember. weeks of it. total sucking. yet another surgury didnt help matters much but a good doc fixed me up once again and its almost right besides all the limping. thanx john.

the worst one? my feelings for sure. scarred me for life. ill never get over it jm. hehe. i kid. me thinks its time to offer him up a dt spoke shaped into the likeness of a flower and start fresh.


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## Bob the Wheelbuilder (Sep 21, 2003)

I came off the bike in a race when I thought I was going to jump up onto a tabletop kind of jump and it ended up being a drop. I fell 6-8 feet and bounced once straight down onto the rear wheel, then came off the bike and tore open a deep blood blister over my right butt cheek just to the outside of the muscle. It held 6 ounces of blood when they drained it the first time. I was also purple from my waist to my ankle.

The surgeon had to drain it a total of 10 times to keep the thing from becoming a permanent fluid filled pouch. I was off the bike for 10 weeks. The injury didn't hurt too much, what really hurt was not being able to ride for that much time.

I've also broken my wrist and a couple of ribs. I was hit by a car once, but all I got was some huge bruises from that. Oh, and I guess I've probably lost a couple dozen square inches of skin over the years.


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## Aquaholic (Jan 13, 2004)

*Head Trauma*

I got really sick of FoSnitzzles BS one day and called him on it. It turned into a major scuffle and well, I had to take a little visit to the ER.

But, you should see what I did to him!


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## spongstick (Feb 6, 2004)

*i think s-works is the worse*

I had my hip Replaced,so I know your pain.I am a o.r. nurse and have fixed plenty of clavicals and had mine fixed to but the hip is a long lasting injury good luck!!!


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## S-Works (Dec 30, 2003)

*Thanks Man!*



spongstick said:


> I had my hip Replaced,so I know your pain.I am a o.r. nurse and have fixed plenty of clavicals and had mine fixed to but the hip is a long lasting injury good luck!!!


I did this on June 2, 2003. Was back on the bike end of Aug. Leg strength for cycling came back pretty quick. I'm still working on flexibility to this day, although not as much as I should. I was never a flexible person to begin with, so it's a PITA for me to do the stretches and exercises.

The Ortho-ped said the break was about 10mm away from having to have a hip replacement.
How's yours going? What kind of hip did they put in?

I still have my hardware in, the one long bolt that protrudes from the bone is starting to bother me, so I'm thinking of having them removed. They will make a nice wind chime hung from the chainring.

Later!


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## tigerdog (Mar 16, 2004)

Here's my tibia from Chiapas, July 4th this year. Actually, didn't happen on the bike, this was "just walking along..."

I wish I had my head meets London asphalt pictures here. I've got a nice 3" scar on my forehead from that, and the right side of my cranium is still numb 7 years later. Couldn't open my eyes for 3 days, and it was the mother of all headaches. Wear a helmet kids!


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## AzSpeedfreek (Feb 3, 2004)

cactuscorn said:


> but he can still drink like a champ! cant ya freek? i was with him on his 1st ride back and even then hes no slouch.QUOTE]
> 
> Hey keep it down will ya, this hangover is killin me  .


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## spongstick (Feb 6, 2004)

*s-works*

I have A DePuy S-Rom Hip metal on metal. 
.


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## FireDog46 (Jan 13, 2004)

Good luck to both of you!

When I was in the ER and it came back that I had broken my pelvis a chill went through me!
It's the one bone that defines us a human. Its unique shape allows us to walk upright.
That and the hip placement. Hip repair and/or replacement is a life time injury. I got lucky.
No surgery required. Just let nature do her work. A year and a half later it's like it never
happened.

Oh...I forget to mention...
both accidents involved broken ribs...
they heal fast but, damn...
are they painful before they do.

michael


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## .Danno. (Jun 18, 2005)

I got my first mtb in 1985 at age 30. Until 2001 the wheels stayed on the ground, and not a whole lot of bad stuff seemed to happen. Late 2001 I bought my first big travel bike and started really ramping it up. Late 2002 I crashed on a good sized jump and broke my collarbone, punctured a lung, broke 7 ribs and seperated a shoulder, ouch good start. Coming back from that injury in spring 2003 I was hucking off a sandy rock and the back of the bike slipped out and I landed hip first on a rock at the bottom and took out my pelvis. After 8 months of recovery time I was out DJing a nice little 6 pack of doubles and cranked my ACL. That was 1 year ago, and I still can't straighten that leg all the way.

Lots of other smaller injuries as well, but those are the ones that kept me off the bike for a long while. I made my goal of making it all the way through 2005 without any more major ouches. I didn't do one double digit huck this year.

BTW, as for the worst, it was the broken pelvis. Being in the center of your body, every move you make involves it, and it was super painful.


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## steve v (Apr 11, 2005)

Fractured skull - got creamed by a guy in a van while riding to the trail. Broke a few teeth when I biffed a landing one time - tough walk out of the woods.


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## rmac (Oct 26, 2004)

Not too serious… Endoed at about 15 mph into a pile of rocks and cactus. Got up and try to straighten the front wheel, disconnect front break and decide to visit bike shop first to get the bike fixed. Pass out and collapse in bike shop from loss of blood…

I was still picking cactus out of me in the ER.


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## gonzostrike (Jan 3, 2004)

- separated sternum/clavicle joint with some rotator cuff injury

- broken scapula

- fractured lumbar vertebra and massive muscle bruising in lower back

- dislocated finger... TWICE

- sprained ankles... many


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## CDtofer (Nov 4, 2004)

wmbarace said:


> First pics shows half of the external fixiture that basically held the bones in place after the surgery. Second pics is after the staff infection the docs had to back in and "excavate" out the infected tissue and re-drill the bone where the pins were. It was then left to heal from the inside out.
> 
> My wife was pretty pissed off to say the least. I was a helpless SOB. We do not always realize that we hurt more than ourselves.
> Chris


Ahh, that first pic looks familiar! I had one just like it on my left hand. (Im left handed) I endoed and rolled right on my wrist after a epic ride - about 10 minutes from being back to the trailhead. Was tired and did not react in time. What sucked most was I had just spent a month off the bike with two broken fingers on the same hand and was just getting back into the groove. It was to be almost three months more before I was riding again.


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## Ratt (Dec 22, 2003)

*Ok I'll play*

Busted my pelvis in Moab. Was using a bed pan for a week, a walker for a week after that (was great to be able to use a toilet again), crutches for a week, a cane for about 3 weeks, a bike after 2 months.

Not being able to walk made me rethink what i wanted to do on a bike, been a lycra wearing XC guy ever since.


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## e.y. (Jun 15, 2005)

*clavicle and three ribs*

worst one was 8 weeks ago. just riding along the bike path at night following a buddy with the light. i didnt have the light. he yells something, i see a black thing on the path and ran into a bike placed in the middle of the path. i dont remember much. ended up with a fractured clavicle and three broken ribs. i'm pretty much back on the trail starting this past weekend. such a relief. the 5 spot came only some scratches on the rear D. truly a tough bike.

this was my third and hopefully last fractured clavicle from biking.


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## SSINGA (Dec 23, 2003)

Spiral fracture of the 5th meta-carpal. The fix required 2 Ti screws.

I hit a tree w/o ever letting go of the bars - all the Dr.'s asked me who I punched!


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## e.y. (Jun 15, 2005)

Bob the Wheelbuilder said:


> I fell 6-8 feet and bounced once straight down onto the rear wheel, then came off the bike and tore open a deep blood blister over my right butt cheek just to the outside of the muscle.


that reminds me of the time riding no hands clipped in... my big ass broke the seatpost and i landed onto the rear wheel. taco'd the wheel.. my ass hurt bad.


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## rr (Dec 28, 2003)

Holy ****, there are some serious injuries here, it helps to stay upright in case you guys didn't know  I got splated by a car last July but walked away with a broken bone and a bad wound amazingly, besides that, a few broken bones here and there and a seperated shoulder.

cactus- dude, your a mess 

Aqua- You know you look like that guy who played Herman Munster don't you?


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## pffft (Dec 20, 2003)

Gravity ALWAYS wins.
Things you shouldn't do at age 45.

patrick


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## NealM (May 6, 2004)

Third ride on my nice new 5 Spot. Combination of too much speed, spongy forks and a small jump led to a massive endo- you know the one where mid air you have time to think "**** this is going to hurt". Result 5 broken ribs and a broken collar bone.


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## Dusty Bottoms (Jan 14, 2004)

Slipped on a now infamous flat cement mossy water crossing. Dislodged and rotated lunate bone in my left wrist. Bone was removed along with 5 other bones in that carpul row, to avoid permenant nerve damage in my hand. I now have 30% flexion and extension in that wrist. In other words, pushups on my fists for life.

Terminaut has pics.


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## arandal (Apr 2, 2004)

*Tigerdog, how long did that tibia take to heal...?*



tigerdog said:


> Here's my tibia from Chiapas, July 4th this year. Actually, didn't happen on the bike, this was "just walking along..."
> 
> I am on week 4, down to a walking cast (long leg off the other day)- (putting a little bit of weight on it), have the same injury but a double fracture but no surgery...how long before you were "healed" (i.e., bone union complete)?
> 
> Cheers,


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## tigerdog (Mar 16, 2004)

arandal said:


> tigerdog said:
> 
> 
> > Here's my tibia from Chiapas, July 4th this year. Actually, didn't happen on the bike, this was "just walking along..."
> ...


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## arandal (Apr 2, 2004)

*4 months! .......MOTHER MARY!!!*



tigerdog said:


> arandal said:
> 
> 
> > 4 months before the Doc gave me the all clear. My brother-in-law is an orthopaedic sports surgeon. He said the tibia is a slow healer, something to do with location and blood supply and stuff. Still hurts a little when I run, but otherwise it's great. Might have to get the plate removed next Christmas, though.
> ...


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## tigerdog (Mar 16, 2004)

arandal said:


> so when did you go from crutches to walking a bit?....do you think recovery is quicker w/o surgery? I really hope so but patience is a virtue right?
> 
> Cheers,


Your mileage may vary. It might be quicker for you, I really don't know. I was on 2 crutches for 2 months, then one crutch, putting a little more weight on it each week. Later I was only using the crutch to negotiate stairs and stuff. Getting down to one crutch makes everything much easier.

Patience is definitely useful. I just kept reminding myself how lucky I was. It could have been much worse.


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## Jewell of D(enial) (Apr 25, 2005)

The sock shows how it happened!

Julee


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## EndoRando (Sep 21, 2004)

*Most recent*

I was with Nels last October, joining the Turner Homer gathering. As we drove from Boise to Utah, Nels and I rode Thunder Mountain, then proceeded to St. George to join the convoy. We rode with Team Sanchez and tscheezy at Gooseberry the next day, and had a fun ride. Then Nels, tscheezy and I were just getting started on the Slickrock Swamp trail and I took a spill over the bars. It was on a short descent, and I actually landed on my feet, thinking I could outrun a forward fall while high-stepping downhill, but something tripped me up. A freak incident really. I landed with all my weight on my right kneecap, and felt an immediate pain. I looked at my knee, and there was a rock about an inch cubed, lodged in my knee. I yanked it out pronto recognizing it as the source of my pain. Thinking there may be more foreign matter in the gash, I squeeze surrounding skin to force anything else out, when a white rounded rock appeared. I tried to remove it, but oops, that was the end of my femur, and isn't supposed to come out. This was such a bummer. I knew my trip was over, at the least I'd need some stitches, and there would be no way to continue with the gathering to Moab for another week.

I hobbled my way back to the trailhead and Nels' van, cleaned up my wound, iced it, popped an Ibuprofen, and waited for the guys to finish their ride so I could be driven to the St. George ER. Well,...it was much worse than anticipated, fractured patella. Whisked to surgery, a couple of pins installed, four days in the hospital, and then an excruciating flight home to return to Alaska. My wife even flew down to accompany me!

Nine weeks of physical therapy followed, in which I did more harm. In an attempt to regain my range of motion in my knee joint, I was unknowingly putting force on top of my patella, having the effect of widening my fractures. The gaps were growing, I wasn't making any gains, and a new strategy was needed. My doctor conferred with his associates to just remove the fragments, since I'd still have plenty of kneecap remaining. So with a second surgery they went in with basically a hammer and chisel, and tapped through a lengthy vertical fracture. In the process one of the wires broke, but the remainder I still will do no harm, just filling a drilled void and will eventually be encased in bone.

Another six weeks of therapy followed, and I could tell I was finally making gains without the severe pain associated with the first round. I'm just now starting to ride again, after almost six months! I have a ton of strength to regain, and have lost some endurance as well, but I'm determined.

I've tried to be brief here, but I wanted to tell my story as a lesson to all to wear their armor as a preventive measure to avoid incidents such as mine. I could handle the pain, the inconveniencing of family, loss of work, but what I missed the most was time off the bike and not being able to participate in another week with twenty other Turner riders in Moab. The guys were great though keeping me informed with pics.

I'll probably always have to protect this knee now, since I can't afford another injury to this kneecap. But that's okay, if it lets me ride.

I had a great time meeting CrashTheDOG, El Chingon, Can't Get Right, LycraFR, and BobtheWheelbuilder at the ER, but I missed out on meeting a ton of others and even more excellent rides. Don't let yourself have a story like this, I'll always be thinking of the consequences now.

Rando


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## arandal (Apr 2, 2004)

*Indeed*



tigerdog said:


> Your mileage may vary. It might be quicker for you, I really don't know. I was on 2 crutches for 2 months, then one crutch, putting a little more weight on it each week. Later I was only using the crutch to negotiate stairs and stuff. Getting down to one crutch makes everything much easier.
> 
> Patience is definitely useful. I just kept reminding myself how lucky I was. It could have been much worse.


Yes absolutely...Mine could have been much, much worse..I was mtbiking by myself and hit a tree with my helmet, which knocked my balance off, put me off the trail into a creek..Had no cellphone coverage down in the creek, so hauled myself up, straightened leg against railway tie and called friend to call 911...about two hours later they found me and got me out on a backboard..then in a pickup truck and then to an ambulance...I have written and thanked those who helped me on the NorCAl forum about a month ago, ...

I am thankful I can drive and go to work. I would go bonkers at home...funny enough the weekends are the worst!!

Yeah, patience is that which I have to have indeed. But most of all I miss biking!!!.....so much BOO HOO HOO

ANYways, thanks for the info...


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## tigerdog (Mar 16, 2004)

arandal said:


> Yeah, patience is that which I have to have indeed. But most of all I miss biking!!!.....so much BOO HOO HOO
> 
> ANYways, thanks for the info...


Being off the bike was the worst part of it.The best part was getting a brand new Burner 2 weeks after returning to riding.


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## Single Track MTBer (Mar 21, 2005)

I mention this before on here, but since you asked. On my first Mountain bike ride I endu and somehow broke my foot and ankle. My ankle was broke on both sides and I had a jones fracture in my foot. I didn't have clippless pedals or clips. I was told the Jones fracture could take anywhere between 8 weeks and 6 months to heal. I was lucky, mine took 8 weeks to heal up. 

Well the only thing I can say is never had more fun getting hurt in my life. Despite the injury I fell in love with sport. It only took one bad ride.


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## Jewell of D(enial) (Apr 25, 2005)

steve v said:


> Fractured skull - got creamed by a guy in a van while riding to the trail. Broke a few teeth when I biffed a landing one time - tough walk out of the woods.


How do you assist the healing of a fractured skull? What's recovery like?


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## e.y. (Jun 15, 2005)

here's my recent. right radius. i was daydreaming and nailed a parked car. i feel like a dumbass.


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## gonzostrike (Jan 3, 2004)

kidwoo said:


> This one looked cooler though. Couple of torn ligaments and broken footsie bones.


you need to give back that gangrenous diabetic dude's leg.

+++++++++++++++++++++

3 different torso injuries, 3 different occasions.

-cracked lumbar vertebrae

-detached sternum/clavicle joint and some shoulder bursa injury

-fractured scapula

plenty of dislocated and broken fingers, jammed wrists, sprained ankles.


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## Renegade (May 10, 2004)

I don't have any pics [sorry!] but in 1993 I broke my femur; a spiral fracture, just below the head of the femur. Snapped it completely off. When doctors ask you what your pain level is on a scale of one to ten, I now can honestly say I know what a pain level of eleven is. The three hours before they eventually put me under for surgery was the longest three hours of my life. They pumped me full of morphine, but it didn't do jack. I use to think that I could handle pain, tough it out. That gets tough when your thigh muscles start involuntarily contracting, and move the broken ends of your femur around. The nurses in the hospital asked me to be quiet. I asked them some some real F*cking drugs!
Eleven screws and a bar of metal bolted the bone back together, the hardware was taken out a year later.
Don't ever brake a femur if you can avoid it!


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## smalbikpro (Aug 3, 2006)

*Worst Injury?*

Who has the worst injury out there? i've heard some pretty nasty stories.. I almost drowned once (no broken bones or anything), the day i got my clipless pedals i went out riding and fell down in a little creek about 6 inches deep and couldn't get out. thank god my friend was riding with my and was able to get me out of there.


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## ferday (Jan 15, 2004)

hmmm...


2 knee reconstruction surgery, 1 shoulder reconstruction surgery, 1 broken elbow, 1 broken forearm, multiple broken ribs, and a concussion or 2, all in 10 years of riding.

the worst so far is the shoulder, hardest to come back from.


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## DaGooseMan (Aug 24, 2006)

Broken collar bone. Been riding for 6 years.


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## washedup (Jan 2, 2006)

most serious had to getting hit head-on by a cab that pulled out over the double yellow to pass. 1 fractured skull and 2 broken arms. had a blood clot on my brain and ended up with double vision for a week. the headaches the double vision caused were so bad as to keep me in bed the whole time.

most blood was when i went over the bars after clipping a jump with my front wheel when picking up for it in a bmx races. landed face first breaking my nose, 2 front teeth and biting my tongue off almost drowning in my own blood on the way to hospital.

hyper-extended knee was the most rehab. broken tibia, ACL removed, torn pletela tedon and menecus. two surgeries and 8 months of rehab later, back on the bike. 

full list of injuries includes, 6 broken arms, a broken collar bone, broken femur, broken hip, broken tibia, 2 skull fracture


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## HUGH (Jan 7, 2004)

washedup said:


> most serious had to getting hit head-on by a cab that pulled out over the double yellow to pass. 1 fractured skull and 2 broken arms. had a blood clot on my brain and ended up with double vision for a week. the headaches the double vision caused were so bad as to keep me in bed the whole time.
> 
> most blood was when i went over the bars after clipping a jump with my front wheel when picking up for it in a bmx races. landed face first breaking my nose, 2 front teeth and biting my tongue off almost drowning in my own blood on the way to hospital.
> 
> ...


We can never hang out.... I'm sorry!

My ego has been bruised hard a few times! :madman:

HUGH


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## washedup (Jan 2, 2006)

HUGH said:


> We can never hang out.... I'm sorry!
> 
> My ego has been bruised hard a few times! :madman:
> 
> HUGH


me too


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## Mountaingirl1961 (Nov 16, 2004)

washedup said:


> full list of injuries includes, 6 broken arms, a broken collar bone, broken femur, broken hip, broken tibia, 2 skull fracture


Ever considered a safer sport? Like skydiving? 

Am currently rehabbing from a bad shoulder dislocation from a trip OTB. Broke my clavicle in two places a couple of years ago from a similar accident. I've been really lucky.


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## washedup (Jan 2, 2006)

Mountaingirl1961 said:


> Ever considered a safer sport? Like skydiving?


no lie, i tried golf and ended up in the ER getting stitches. yes, GOLF.


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## brado1 (Oct 5, 2004)

broken colar bone, and then busted ribs, but nothing compared to ruptured calf muscle (painful) still not healed over a year :madman:


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## Dwight Moody (Jan 10, 2004)

washedup said:


> no lie, i tried golf and ended up in the ER getting stitches. yes, GOLF.


I think Chess is for you. One of those sets for kids with the big pieces that you can't choke on...


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## Dwight Moody (Jan 10, 2004)

smalbikpro said:


> Who has the worst injury out there? i've heard some pretty nasty stories.. I almost drowned once (no broken bones or anything), the day i got my clipless pedals i went out riding and fell down in a little creek about 6 inches deep and couldn't get out. thank god my friend was riding with my and was able to get me out of there.


Some poster named Jewell of Denial (or something like that) broke her neck and has to wear a halo for many months. Then there's the guy who broke his face and skull on the edge of a curb and had to have a straw in his brain to drain fluids. There have been some others almost as nasty around here.

Worst I've done is got my bell rung and lots of bruising. (Knocking on wood)


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## Mountaingirl1961 (Nov 16, 2004)

Dwight Moody said:


> Some poster named Jewell of Denial (or something like that) broke her neck and has to wear a halo for many months.


Wow - I had to look that person up to see if it was who I thought it was (it wasn't)

True story - I was a course marshal at a race this summer... one of the racers went OTB and had a similar injury... also broke her helmet in two, rapidly bleeding head wound... anyway, there was an EMT right there who stabilized the woman's head so they could package her and get her out - took something like three hours. She's going to be OK but is also wearing a halo and has a lot of PT to look forward to.


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## Anonymous (Mar 3, 2005)

washedup said:


> no lie, i tried golf and ended up in the ER getting stitches. yes, GOLF.


You're lucky. I got golf balls. Hurts a lot more than tennis elbow!


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## Dan'ger (Aug 26, 2004)

washedup said:


> no lie, i tried golf and ended up in the ER getting stitches. yes, GOLF.


Might I suggest wearing armor and a full-face for playing chess?


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## ibanezrg520kid (Oct 27, 2005)

well, assuming this is bike related injuries, wasn't sure cause you didn't state, then i haven't had anything too bad.

one broken knuckle, but hey... it just tought me to ride one handed wheelies!!

about 3 concusions and some road rash to the face and that is about it. 

oh and one time i had the spike of my platforms go into my shin and it was really really deep. should have gotten stitches cause it actually bled for 4 days before it started to close up. it was about, uh, 5-6 months ago? now it is a nice dent in my shin along with a scar. took about 2 months to close up and quit oozing and all that. oh well. threw on some gauz*sp* then put some pre wrap and then taped it up and it was ready to ride!


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## steve47co1 (May 18, 2005)

*Medieval Jousting -- with a Tree*

I had the misfortune to snag the pointed end of some deadfall on one of the mountain biking trails in Steamboat Springs 2 weeks ago while riding downhill. Coming around a blind turn, it went right through my arm and "unhorsed" me quite abruptly and left me sitting in the middle of the trail dazed, confused, and bleeding.

I think I know now what it must have been like to be a knight in King Arthur's time - seeing one of those lance's coming right at you, hitting you and knocking you off your trusty steed - brutal.

Fortunately for me, I never ride alone or without a first aid kit. My riding partner that day also happened to be an EMT and quickly stabilized the situation with the assistance of three other riders. At first it looked like my arm was broken, but that was because a piece of the tree had broken off in my arm. Since the impalement of my arm was the only injury incurred, I thought I could walk out and down to my car and then go to the hospital. I could not; every attempt to stand up resulted in passing out and and it was not possible.

Ultimately, our local search and rescue took me off the mountain, to the ER, and then to the OR to clean out all of the crap in my arm. No broken bones - went right between the radius and the ulna bones and missed all major blood carriers and nerves - just massive tissue damage. The orthopod that operated on me said that the inside of my arm looked like a hand grenade went off - shredded meat.

Two weeks later I am riding again, but now I slide on the Roach armor - had I been wearing it, we wouldn't be reading this post.:thumbsup:


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## msugma (Jan 21, 2004)

*broken jaw*

here's my worst... I went to a collegiate race in Kentucky. I'm an XC guy, but I decided to do the DS race too. Not a good idea.... I went off a jump, tried not to get air, got air, front wheel landed way before the back wheel, I landed on my face and broke my jaw. I went the local ******* hospitol to get it looked at. They confirmed that it was broken, gave me some morphine, and told me to get it looked at at home. That's a 7.5 hour drive home, with a broken, jaw, and an upset stomach from the morphine. 3 or 4 days later I finally got it wired shut and was stuck on a liquid diet for 6 weeks. Not fun. I haven't done a DS race since, but I'm getting more and more aggressive on my XC bike..... so you never know!

Oh and I'm pretty sure my helmet saved me from being a vegetable!


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## 245044 (Jun 8, 2004)

Worst and only riding related injury was from when a car pulled out in front of me while training on the road.
Seperated and shattered left collarbone. It wouldn't heal, so they removed it after 6 months.


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## Judd97 (Jun 6, 2005)

I damaged a joint in the knuckle of my middle finger last fall and had to wear a brace for awhile, but it healed up so no surgery was needed. Know what did it? A thorn lol. 

Other than that, nothing worse than road rash and a nice gash across my face, which actually went over my eye (slicing my eyelid) without touching anything vital. 

Some of you guys have some pretty hardcore injuries though...


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

end of my first season mtb'ing (1998): endoed & shattered pelvis, broke wrist, tore rotator cuff (off the bike for 3 months)

spring 2001: swan dived off a log stunt in Whistler, BC - compression fracture in vertebra C-6 (off the bike for 5 months)

ouch.

rt


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

*bubble wrap!*



washedup said:


> most serious had to getting hit head-on by a cab that pulled out over the double yellow to pass. 1 fractured skull and 2 broken arms. had a blood clot on my brain and ended up with double vision for a week. the headaches the double vision caused were so bad as to keep me in bed the whole time.
> 
> most blood was when i went over the bars after clipping a jump with my front wheel when picking up for it in a bmx races. landed face first breaking my nose, 2 front teeth and biting my tongue off almost drowning in my own blood on the way to hospital.
> 
> ...


have you every considered wrapping youiself in bubble wrap for protection?! 

rt


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## EscourtU (Aug 15, 2006)

Nothing major here as i have been lucky as a dog. But i did cause some problems for a kid once racing at the arenacross nationals. I was in 3rd place and the only spot i could catch the kid was by doing the dig double. 3rd lap and the time come for me to go for the pass. I hit the double and it shoots you up in the air about 30 feet and the landing was about 60 feet away. As I am in the air I was watching the poor kid and he suddenly disappears underneath me, I hurriedly looked on the otherside of my bike hopeing to see him come out from under me. No go. I left the bike at idle so I wouldn't chew him up so bad. I landed with my front wheel on his right collarbone/chest, my frame cased him in the lower back and my rear wheel was on the left side of his motorcycle. I landed totally crossed on top of him and smashed him between the 2 bikes. My front tire never even hit the ground and I was highsided off the bike landing on my left leg almost like stepping off the bike. Miracuously the kid stood back up and I could tell he was tore up, his right shoulder was about 6 inches lower than the left one. I apologized to him as the medics were takeing care of him and all the skin was ripped off from the front of the chest, up over his shoulder and all the way down his back disappearing into his pants. Boy oh boy did his mother chew me a new one. I told her I knew what was gonna happen and to minimalize the damage I landed with no power to the rear wheel. It was an accident that just happens. I forgot to wear my kidney belt that race(only time ever) and spent the next 14hrs. curled up in the front seat of the van on the way home from Denver in pure agony. It wasn't my worst but definately the most damage that I was involved in.


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## elder_mtber (Jan 13, 2004)

washedup said:


> most serious had to getting hit head-on by a cab that pulled out over the double yellow to pass. 1 fractured skull and 2 broken arms. had a blood clot on my brain and ended up with double vision for a week. the headaches the double vision caused were so bad as to keep me in bed the whole time.
> 
> most blood was when i went over the bars after clipping a jump with my front wheel when picking up for it in a bmx races. landed face first breaking my nose, 2 front teeth and biting my tongue off almost drowning in my own blood on the way to hospital.
> 
> ...


Good grief - broken femur and two skull fractures! I guess you are OK.

Take care,
Terry


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## zon (Nov 4, 2004)

Grade 3 AC seperation left, torn what ever it's called in rt shoulder, broken wrist, broken femur, multiple broken/seperated ribs, multiple cuts scratches, gouges and bruses. Shoot,, I need to ease up. Don't heal as fast at 51 as at 16. :thumbsup:


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

This thread is very discouraging. Like a train wreck you just cant look away. But all these injuries are telling me that on any given ride I could wake up at the bottom of a ditch in the woods all bloody and broken.

Worst I've done is dislocated my arm at the sholder doing a superman over the bars after my front tire folded over in a hard turn.

Brado: How do you rupture a calf?


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## smalbikpro (Aug 3, 2006)

Dwight Moody said:


> I think Chess is for you. One of those sets for kids with the big pieces that you can't choke on...


dude same thing here. in gym class we were playing golf, i got hit in the face with a golf club, got an ambulance to the er from the school. then i had to get about 100 stitches to reattach everything back to my face.. and now the left side of my head is numb, doc says it will be numb for the rest of my life probably. haven't touched a golf club in 4 years haha.


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## endurowanker (Mar 22, 2004)

i slapped my right knee on my handlebar twice in one season. bruised the crap out of my kneecap and related tissue lotta blood, lotta swelling, lotta pain. no ER though. just painful to ride or use stairs for about a month. 

i've been very very lucky. riding for 8 years now.


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## BoiseBoy (Mar 1, 2006)

*Ouch*

I took the girlfriend, who has been very cool about giving mt biking a try as she adores my passion for it, out for another ride yesterday. The trail was one that she has done a couple of times and has had fun. She has hypermobile/unstable shoulders already and took a fall about a month ago on the same trail and subluxed her R shoulder. Fast forward to yesterday. Out on the same relatively non-technical trail and she hits a soft sand spot on the flattest part of the trail and fall on her Left side. I heard a "pop" thinking it was her cleat clicking out right! After I tested her ankle stability, all looks ok, maybe just a bone bruise where she hit the groung with her ankle. A wierd pattern of swelling coaxes us to get some imaging, complete displaced oblique fx of the distal Fibula on the Right. The "pos" we heard was not her cleat, it was her bone breaking. Surgery scheduled for later this week.

I was just getting her comfort level up on the bike to the point where she was liking mt biking and now she doesn't want to touch one again.


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## Anonymous (Mar 3, 2005)

Torn Testicle.

Yes. It hurt.
No. It doesn't grow back.
Yes. I have a prostetic.


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## obz43 (Apr 25, 2006)

after endoing in a downhill rock garden i got a compression fracture of c6 also. rodeon for2 1\2 hrs. went to see my g.f. at work drank a couple of beers. two days later while moving a fridge i couldn't stand upright. off the bike for 6 weeks. still won't dide that trail


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## beer weasel (Jul 20, 2006)

Anonymous said:


> Torn Testicle.
> 
> Yes. It hurt.
> No. It doesn't grow back.
> Yes. I have a prostetic.


and we have a winner folks!!


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## konaguy (May 19, 2006)

if anyone can top tearing a testicle i am quite interested in hearing it


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## russman (Apr 18, 2005)

Anonymous said:


> Torn Testicle.
> 
> Yes. It hurt.
> No. It doesn't grow back.
> Yes. I have a prostetic.


winner winner, chicken dinner. How long did it take to heal?


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## onbelaydave (May 10, 2006)

*Ummm, I had a couple of shin bites that left a scar or two*

If you have more than that, than "YOU" FU'd.! You can blame it on whatever, but in the end, you got in over your experience level, testosterone driven or not, and got caught. Kinda like driving down an "empty" road at 120+ just to see how fast it can go until a cop pulls you over.

There is NO glory in hurting yourself, rather it is a sign of Macho stupidity and getting in over your head !! There is no such thing as an "accidental accident" in MB'ng. This is coming from a 52 yr old that's been rock climbing for 35 yrs at up to 5.13 and hardcore Mtn Bk'g for 20.

This thread is no better than a bunch of Gang Bangers standing around telling there 'Bro's how many people they've shot.


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## washedup (Jan 2, 2006)

onbelaydave said:


> If you have more than that, than "YOU" FU'd.! You can blame it on whatever, but in the end, you got in over your experience level, testosterone driven or not, and got caught. Kinda like driving down an "empty" road at 120+ just to see how fast it can go until a cop pulls you over.
> 
> There is NO glory in hurting yourself, rather it is a sign of Macho stupidity and getting in over your head !! There is no such thing as an "accidental accident" in MB'ng. This is coming from a 52 yr old that's been rock climbing for 35 yrs at up to 5.13 and hardcore Mtn Bk'g for 20.
> 
> This thread is no better than a bunch of Gang Bangers standing around telling there 'Bro's how many people they've shot.


sometimes people get hurt whem they push themselves, in a race for instance. you dont know where your limit is unless you push it. i agree, there is nothing cool about injuring yourself, and i think it quite taboo to talk about injuries/crashes before or during a ride, but they can make for good stories and you can learn from the mistakes of others. lets face it, if we never pushed ourselves to the next level, most would still be pedaling around on training wheels afraid to scrape a knee.


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## NoahColorado (Aug 3, 2004)

*This was pretty painful...*

I don't remeber the details of how/why, but here it goes..

On December 2, 2005 I was riding back to my apartment late at night following some heavy beer drinking and pump-track racing. Something happened around 10:30pm and couple saw me lying by the side of the road at about 12am. Unresponsive, I was taken by ambulance to the hospital with massive, life-threatening internal bleeding. Then I was in ICU for a week with a severly lacerated liver, numerous broken ribs, a herniated stomach, a broken tooth, and a lot of internal bleeding. I don't know what happened, doctors think it was a hit and run. Had it not been cold and snowing that night and those people not found found me, I would have bled to death. Grand total: 12 metal coils that now hold my liver together, a really fun root canal, $100k in medical bills, severe acid reflux, a semi-cool story (girls love near death stuff), and the ability to ride again. I'm not sure which was worse the 2 weeks in the hospital or the 6 weeks of no riding. The accident changed my life in a very positive way. I decided to quit binge drinking, move from the front range to the western slope, and spend as much possible time on my bike as possible from now on. Gotta keep on keepin on, lifes a garden, DIG IT!

2 weeks after (right side view):


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## Mongol (Jan 14, 2004)

*Wow..*



ferday said:


> hmmm...
> 2 knee reconstruction surgery, 1 shoulder reconstruction surgery, 1 broken elbow, 1 broken forearm, multiple broken ribs, and a concussion or 2, all in 10 years of riding.
> 
> the worst so far is the shoulder, hardest to come back from.


I just recovered from my worst, a tangle with a couple trees resultsing in bruised left ribs and collapsed lung. Of course then I had to go right back and break a right rib.... just to even things out.


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## KavuRider (Sep 22, 2004)

Let's see...dislocated both shoulders (different times), sprained wrists and ankles numerous times, lots of skin taken off, and now am recovering from a broken tibia/fibula from when a truck hit me. 

Riding is still fun! 

Cheers

KavuRider


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## K'Endo (Dec 23, 2003)

*rt* said:


> spring 2001: swan dived off a log stunt in Whistler, BC - compression fracture in vertebra C-6 (off the bike for 5 months)
> 
> rt


5 months? I hadn't realized that fall caused you that much trouble! When I compressed my L-1 just over 2 years ago I was off the bike for 2 months, riding road only for a month or so after that, then gradually got into easy XC trails. I was riding Whizzler bike park again about 4 1/2 or 5 months after the injury! (although a bit more cautious on the bike then before)

Kn.


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## KavuRider (Sep 22, 2004)

onbelaydave: You're wrong. Equipment failures, adverse trail conditions, there are so many things that can contribute to a crash. Its not always trying to "push the envelope" or being stupid. 

KavuRider


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## walrus (Feb 13, 2004)

Broken arm, broken colarbone, broken ribs, cut over left eye that took 10 stitches, never had any road rash


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## Anonymous (Mar 3, 2005)

russman said:


> winner winner, chicken dinner. How long did it take to heal?


Actually, I know of two other guys who have had the same thing, or close to it. One still has both of his guys.

After surgery, I was up and on the bike in about two weeks.


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## Scribb (May 4, 2006)

Separated shoulder, broken ribs, concussion. Nice knee laceration that the doctor looked at with a needle in his hand, shook his head, put away the needle, and got out some tape and medical glue. Oh, and a really nice scar on my calf with an arc of about 12 teeth of a chain ring. Went away after a year, though. 

Unrelated, but includes a strange incident with a handlebar: I worked at a trauma center for a couple years in college. Saw a guy helicoptered in after an ATV accident. He had a handlebar impaled through his thigh. They had to hack the handlebar off below the stem to separate him from the bike and transport him. Strangest X-ray I've ever seen--and that includes images of some of the interesting things people have been known to insert in their various cavities.


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## MTBKauai (Mar 20, 2004)

One of my buddies tore he urethra when he crashed and hit his top tube. He had to be medivac'd to Honolulu. He thought he pee'd himself on impact (?), but turns out that it was blood. Lots and lots of blood.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2006)

1 concusion (w/minor blackout)
1 really bad dose of poison ivy :thumbsup: 

*leaves metal cubical to find some wood to knock on*


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## canine (Nov 1, 2004)

Went over the bars 3 years ago, fractured C 4-7 and T 6 (and my helmet). Haven't ridden(or walked) since. Still like to come here for the stories and photos tho.


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## pontoon (Jun 15, 2006)

onbelaydave, you are pure chode, as well as the only person in this thread actually bragging. There are SO many things out of your control, yet you are taking full credit for the cards always coming out in your favor, and then spewing it in a thread about injuries, some serious. Risk, even perfectly managed, is still risk, and when i try to imagine riding Gold Creek without taking a single risk, all I can picture is hiking.

canine, whoa, damn sorry.

I went over my bars once landed on my chin, lost about 5 teeth, broke my jaw, and fractured my damn head. broke two helmets on other occasions and well, bleed plenty in some of our nations most beautiful areas.
OTB i have had a some more head injury (double vision, then some pretty killer depression) and a very poorly repaired femur.


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## onbelaydave (May 10, 2006)

*Thought about responding and decided not....*



pontoon said:


> "I went over my bars once landed on my chin, lost about 5 teeth, broke my jaw, and fractured my damn head. broke two helmets on other occasions and well, bleed plenty in some of our nations most beautiful areas.
> OTB i have had a some more head injury (double vision, then some pretty killer depression) and a very poorly repaired femur."


.
.
.
.


pontoon said:


> "Onbelaydave, you are pure chode, as well as the only person in this thread actually bragging.


Reminds me of talking to my son, who is your age. :madman: :madman: :madman:


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## MTB_TDI (Apr 9, 2004)

There is NO glory in hurting yourself said:


> You're an idiot! I guess it wasn't trail sabotage contributed to my herniated disc and me missing out on riding for over two months now! Must have been the "macho stupidity" that I had when I went over a tree that was accross the trail and someone had placed a log on the back side out of view. (it was in an area where hikers don't like bikers) I went over the bars and herniated disc. I had to ride out with it and it was pure pain.
> 
> Also, I guess when people get hit by a car that is pure macho stupidity too! What about the time I ran over a racoon? I didn't crash but could have. I guess I was riding within my ability then! Do us a favor and not post here anymore!


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## DextroE (Sep 6, 2006)

MTB_TDI said:


> Your a idiot! I guess it wasn't trail sabotage contributed to my herniated disc and me missing out on riding for over two months now! Must have been the "macho stupidity" that I had when I went over a tree that was accross the trail and someone had placed a log on the back side out of view. (it was in an area where hikers don't like bikers) I went over the bars and herniated disc. I had to ride out with it and it was pure pain.
> 
> Also, I guess when people get hit by a car that is pure macho stupidity too! What about the time I ran over a racoon? I didn't crash but could have. I guess I was riding within my ability then! Do us a favor and not post here anymore!


Well to add a conclusion I'd have to say you dont pay attention, you get hurt. A fact that hit home with me after I dislocated my pinky riding in wet haze today, I got unfocoused and went down accordingly

So stay focoused! Stay alert!


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## dwnhlldav (Feb 2, 2006)

14 years and my worst injury would be a slighlty cracked rib. 2 years ago. 

Subluxation of the shoulder on several occasions MTBing and Skiing. It got bad enought that it would pop out of the socket if I lifted a gallon of milk the wrong way, but then I went to a PT, now I do strengthening excersises and it hasn't happened in a long enough time that I can't remember the last time.

Other then some nasty brusies, thats it is.


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## PhillyPhil (Apr 30, 2006)

Broke my left arm almost 2 months ago. Cast came off 2 weeks ago and I can barely rotate my forearm maybe a quarter way. Whole summer ruined! Wonder if I'll ever get my forearm to rotate fully...


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## mtnmasher (Mar 8, 2006)

> This thread is very discouraging. Like a train wreck you just cant look away. But all these injuries are telling me that on any given ride I could wake up at the bottom of a ditch in the woods all bloody and broken.


Word. My worst was a bronco (over the handlebars) on a jump, that resulted in a broken helmet and a sprained neck. Could have been a Christopher Reeve if I didn't say 'fukc it', and try to do an impossible front wheel stand when I touched down, which rotated me over enough to enable a roll on the landing.

Now I chickien out before trying things I'm sure I could clear. It takes a lot of the fun out of the sport, but is better than adding a chapter of my own to this thread. In reality, I should chicken out more often than I actually do.


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## EscourtU (Aug 15, 2006)

I am not going to call anyone names or anything like that. But If you don't like reading certain threads, much like the trail you are on, you can always find another trail. Nobody is forcing you to read these posts. Being your age you should know that nobody can make you do what you don't want to do, or read for that matter.


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## mtnmasher (Mar 8, 2006)

> I am not going to call anyone names or anything like that. But If you don't like reading certain threads, much like the trail you are on, you can always find another trail. Nobody is forcing you to read these posts. Being your age you should know that nobody can make you do what you don't want to do, or read for that matter.


I'm not sure if your post was aimed at me or not. If it was, then you missed my point.

I think this is an extremely useful thread. It reminds all of us that we can go from a cherry to a basket case in the blink of an eye. No one who posted on this thread crashed intentionally, but sh!t happens no matter how good you are. (Or think you are.)

At a recent MTB festival, heard an eye witness account about an accident involving a very accomplished rider. This rider did a face plant during a race, and although conscious, had grey matter coming out of his nostril. (The accident didn't happen at the festival, fortunately.) No matter how accomplished you are, there are inherent risks associated with this sport. And being aware of them might save someone from becoming a statistic.

So let's keep the gruesome details coming.


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## Sam. (Dec 22, 2004)

My first MTB related injury came when I first subscribed to a MTB'ing magazine - as I was licking the envelope shut, I got a paper cut on my tongue - Jeez that hurt like a real [email protected]@&D!!!    

Since then, the worst injury would be a tie between:
- a fractured and dislocated left shoulder (I fell off a see-saw that "see'd" but didn't "saw" (bloody thing got stuck in an upright position and I plummeted to the ground hands outstretched) 
and 
- fracturing a a couple of ribs both, at the front (site of impact with a pointy boulder after endo'ing) AND at the rear - an inch out from the verterbae (secondary stress fracture due to the compression)  

Oh well, onwards and upwards from here!

Cheers,

Sam.


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## lambo (Dec 25, 2005)

Wow that guys not happy pappy! Broken arms,legs,back,neck,collarbones,wrists ribs. Most fingers,6 or 7 knee surguries,punctured lung. I live on advill, but I made the choices, and although it would , oh yeah torn bicep, rotator cuff be nice for my parts to work better they don't and at almost fifty I'm smart enough to know you don't talk these kind of people out of what they do. They couldn't stop if they want to. Live Large!


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## EscourtU (Aug 15, 2006)

No not you MtnMasher. It was to Dave who was saying something about Gangbangers and to much testosterone and talking to his kid.


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## bulletbob (Apr 5, 2004)

*Broken neck!*

No really. The wacky part is that is was on a really slow poke spot on Amassa Back in April. I'm still not really sure what happened but the bike and I rotated, er SNAPPED over and I landed square on my helmet that worked. I got up with some help from friends and walked out the rest of the trail.

I subluxated (dislocated) c7 and t1 and put a small fracture in the t1. The docs fused c5 through t2 in April but the bones grew together too quickly which caused a couple of the upper screws to migrate a bit and my neck was basically jacked forward so 2 weeks ago Monday they had to redo the hardware but I'm all good now after 12 hours of surgery! Now I'm fused front and back on c4, c5 and c6.

Pic is the after the screws moved and jacked the curve in my cervical spine the wrong direction. Nifty huh?

I sure hope Jewell is doing ok to, I think I made out better without the halo but with a couple of surgeries. Or maybe not...


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## Quasi (Jul 4, 2004)

Mountaingirl1961 said:


> Am currently rehabbing from a bad shoulder dislocation from a trip OTB.


 You too? It seems like shoulders just don't want to heal.


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## Sorbut (Mar 7, 2006)

..............


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## Sixty Fiver (Apr 10, 2006)

These are some scary stories...

I took my training wheels off in 1970 and have been extremely fortunate and blessed to have survived 36 years of all kinds of riding without suffering any horrific injuries. There are numerous scars on my legs, I've dislocateed fingers, tore the tendons in my right thumb, and my left knee is still recovering from a crash that happened three weeks ago but I managed to rode 20 miles today (3/4 of my daily ride) so I think I am on the mend with this. 

Martial arts, hockey, and skiiing have contributed to far more injuries than biking has... I've dislocated both shoulders, both knees, broken or dislocated almost all my toes, cracked a few ribs and aside from a left shoulder that has some reduced range of motion and a right knee that has minimal feeling (nerve damage), the old body is holding up well.


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## konahottie_311 (May 26, 2005)

Well the worst one was the bail from last summer....the result a sprained back...that hurt and one year laster just healing fully.Other then that there was the funny ouchy.....I fell forward on a huge steep and hit my pelvic bone and then went up the chair again and did the same thing a second time and ended up with a huge swoolen pelvic "area" lets say that brused and that took six months for the lump to go away fully.So far this year just a few brusies. Let keep it that way


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## mcseforsale (Feb 14, 2004)

*Hmmm...where to start*



smalbikpro said:


> Who has the worst injury out there? i've heard some pretty nasty stories.. I almost drowned once (no broken bones or anything), the day i got my clipless pedals i went out riding and fell down in a little creek about 6 inches deep and couldn't get out. thank god my friend was riding with my and was able to get me out of there.


I'll start with my vert/freestyle days...before those sissy resi-ramps and foam pits:

Here's the broke stuff:
6 broken noses (got to the point where my eyes would barely blacken any more)

4 concussions.....I think

3 broken toes (big toes are the worse!)

2 bad rotator cuffs

1 elbow hyper-extends everyonce in a while

1 undiagnosed (for 10 years) shoulder separation

Major dental issues with cracked teeth that have aged (i'm 35 now) which are starting to require caps...i'm at 9 or 10 crowns now.

Here's the stupid suff:
front chainring tooth through the nailbed of my index finger...scraped around the bone..out the other side (kids...don't spin the cranks backwards with your fingers!)

while "surfing" (one foot on handlebar, one on seat) fell down and landed on my right hand..on top of the brake caliper. the caliper arm where the cable was secured sent through the fat part of my hand and out the top...took a few seconds to figure out why the bike was stuck to me when I tried to get up..

fell down while doing a quick spin, handlebar into the gut...bruised some internal organs, peed blood for a day.

Hung up on the coping during a show and cut my hackysak on the stem...bled for hours.

shins look like a bad bondo job on a rusted pickup

On the mountain bike:

3 broken ribs

bruised hip (got knocked off the bike at about 20 mph from the hip...took me 5 min. to regain my breath)

I'm much more cautious on the MTB these days...got 2 kids and 1 on the way. HOWEVER, I just finished building an urban/FR/DJ hardtail....Here we go again....

AJ


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## CTXSV (Nov 5, 2005)

*It was preventable.*

But hindsight is always 20/20, right?

I split the end of my left ulna during a night ride about seven years ago. I'll post the x-ray if I can find it, but the crack extended back about one inch from the point where it meets the long bone meets the small wrist bones. My wrist swelled to a size larger than a tennis ball, and I was in a cast for eight weeks. Luckily, the break did not separate, so no pins, screws, or other items of this nature were necessary to fix it.

That is what I get for riding at night with an insufficient light. This incident prompted me to purchase my first adequate lighting system, and its money well spent if it prevents a repeat performance.


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

*Hey broken ribs guys*

Hey how long did the broken ribs keep you guys off the bike? I think I cracked a couple last weekend.


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## mcseforsale (Feb 14, 2004)

*That's another story*



cvillerider said:


> Hey how long did the broken ribs keep you guys off the bike? I think I cracked a couple last weekend.


Went to see my Dr after having to ride out an hour with 3 broken ribs and he basically gave me a hug, feeling the ribs one at a time...found the broke ones, X-Rayed them, etc.

Said there's really not much to do for it and that wrapping them might actually hurt more then not. So, I said "When can I start riding again", to which he replied "Right now, if you want. Just fall on the other side". yuk yuk yuk.

Seriously, it was about 3 weeks before a good laugh or fart or cough didn't hurt like a bastard. I think I was back on the bike in about a month.

AJ


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## EscourtU (Aug 15, 2006)

Broken ribs are way over rated. I have had plenty of broken ribs and don't even count them as an injury. So you can't breathe deeply thats about it. You could ride your bike anytime. If you fell off and broke them did you walk out or did you get back on and ride? There is your answer about 30 seconds off the bike and you can ride again. I have broken one finger 3 times in a short amount of time and just taped it to the next one and kept racing MX ( did 3 more motos'). I broke my hand twice and never missed a beat on anything. It was swollen 3 times its size and it never stopped me from doing anything even finishing concrete. Sure it is painful. I guess the question is how long before you quit whinning about your injury before you get back to what you love doing. Guess it comes down to how much of a wimp ya are. I am not taking cheap shots at anyone just stating that unless something is snapped like a leg or arm, it is nothing to loose saddle time over if you a hardcore enthusiast.


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## bullit71 (Apr 9, 2004)

EscourtU said:


> Broken ribs are way over rated. I have had plenty of broken ribs and don't even count them as an injury. So you can't breathe deeply thats about it. You could ride your bike anytime. If you fell off and broke them did you walk out or did you get back on and ride? There is your answer about 30 seconds off the bike and you can ride again. I have broken one finger 3 times in a short amount of time and just taped it to the next one and kept racing MX ( did 3 more motos'). I broke my hand twice and never missed a beat on anything. It was swollen 3 times its size and it never stopped me from doing anything even finishing concrete. Sure it is painful. I guess the question is how long before you quit whinning about your injury before you get back to what you love doing. Guess it comes down to how much of a wimp ya are. I am not taking cheap shots at anyone just stating that unless something is snapped like a leg or arm, it is nothing to loose saddle time over if you a hardcore enthusiast.


You're my hero!!!!


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## mtnmasher (Mar 8, 2006)

> No not you MtnMasher. It was to Dave who was saying something about Gangbangers and to much testosterone and talking to his kid.


I agree with you, completley!


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## onbelaydave (May 10, 2006)

*Do I need to say more ?? (About bragging) ??*



mcseforsale said:


> Here's the broke stuff:
> 6 broken noses (got to the point where my eyes would barely blacken any more)
> 
> 4 concussions.....I think
> ...


As I said, and so many have provided proof. "Who's "bragging" ?? I'm glad you all have insurance to cover your rehab. I don't, I'm self employed and can't even afford a $10,000 deductable policy at my age.


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## S-Works (Dec 30, 2003)

......


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## wyatte (Jul 1, 2006)

10 years and many trees later this is the worst









Broken thumb as my first post hope im not bragging but...
ive been riding harder and more often than ever this year. I've never loved riding more and now this...
what do you guys do with yourself while healing?
i think i may go nuts...maybe only after the percocet runs out  
Ironicly, not that it would have prevented this injury, I just ordered armour today! will get it tuesday:madman: 
certainly if i had forearm pads i may have been more willing to use those rather than my hand and thumb but thats just speculation who knows?
also i just cant get the sound of the POP! my bone made when it broke out of my head...

ok i think thats enough


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

EscourtU said:


> Broken ribs are way over rated. I have had plenty of broken ribs and don't even count them as an injury. So you can't breathe deeply thats about it. You could ride your bike anytime. If you fell off and broke them did you walk out or did you get back on and ride? There is your answer about 30 seconds off the bike and you can ride again.


When you least expect it, expect it...

- Was coming down a hill 4 years ago and a bee flew into my right ear and bit me. All happened in less than a second. Instinctively, I reached up to swat at the bee in my ear and lost control of the bike. Landed on my left rib cage on the bar and broke 3 ribs. The inside of my ear was swollen for a couple of days. Ribs were tender for months. I was on the bike again the next day, but was careful to ride with my upper body as relaxed as possible and not pull on the handlebars with that side of the body while climbing for the first few weeks. Sleeping in bed at night was pretty uncomfortable for months. But 6 months to a year later - all was well.

BB


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## EscourtU (Aug 15, 2006)

I got this funky frame yesterday and threw parts on it last night. Ever get the feeling that your worst injury is ABOUT to happen? I will reply in a couple of days If I can still move my limbs.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

*Roll call on your most serious injury...*

What happened(pictures please)?

What broke?

How long were you out? Are you back riding yet?

How's your riding now? Any long-term effects?

How much did it cost you?

How's the bike?

francois


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## Trail Punk (May 12, 2004)

*Broken wrist at Downieville*

In '97.

Finished the downhill several hours later with just my right arm/rear brake.

It hurt real fockin' bad.


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## Mr.P (Feb 8, 2005)

Downieville here too. Broken arm. Preriding the course for the DH race. I had trained for this specific race for months. My riding partner - with whom I was at a similar level - took a first....

I hiked up with a duct-taped, stick splint  The look on the other course preriders as they went past me... priceless. I was the omen of doom  

I am hoping this week I am coming back. 8 weeks is torture.

ALL of my broken bones injuries happen while JRA. (but after some intense workout) I let the mind slip and - BAM!

Thank you for MTBR as being a crack...er... MTB-head these forums have really gottem me through - with the help of a little upgraditis of course. :thumbsup: 

P


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## mrcmatt (Oct 27, 2004)

canine said:


> Went over the bars 3 years ago, fractured C 4-7 and T 6 (and my helmet). Haven't ridden(or walked) since. Still like to come here for the stories and photos tho.


This is the kind of injury that really scares me. All the injuries I've had have healed and left me with scars, but basically unchanged. Pain sucks but you forget it when it goes away. Nice the way our brain works. But to end up with a permanent physical limitation from a mtb wreck would really suck.

I just saw a rig like this in a mag









Going too fast and wrecking over and over is easy. Getting back on the trail when your legs don't work, now that takes real guts.


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## Trail Punk (May 12, 2004)

*revised thread*

Can we change this thread to worst D-ville crash/injury? The Downhill has claimed many victims.


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## SprocketHead (Dec 23, 2004)

What happened(pictures please)?
Loss control of the bike coming down a hill and went OTB. 

What broke?
Cracked L shoulder blade, 2-3 degree separated L shoulder

How long were you out? Are you back riding yet?
6-7 weeks and yes, I'm back riding again.

How's your riding now? Any long-term effects?
Still riding the same way, maybe a bit faster. I'm scared of loose rocky downhills now. It's in my head. The shoulder is still sore and I can't bring my arm up high behind my head.

How much did it cost you?
About $500 with out of pocket expenses for ER, Doc visits, and Physical Therapy.

How's the bike?
Taco'ed the front wheel and broke my helmet.

BTW, glad to see you're back Francois. The photo was taken the night it happend.


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## 415m3 (Mar 16, 2004)

Hit by truck while riding mtb on the street.

Broken helmet, concussion, separated shoulder, roadrash.

Out for eight weeks, but rode immediately after that.

My head is still a bit jumbled and I have a funny bone spur in the shoulder. 

It cost me nothing because I was on the clock and Workers Comp covered it.

The bike needed new handlebar, seat, pedal, and grip.


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## emptybeer (Apr 22, 2005)

Trail Punk said:


> Can we change this thread to worst D-ville crash/injury? The Downhill has claimed many victims.


You can just start a new thread.


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## Jay04cobra (Dec 6, 2005)

Was "supposed" to be an easy SS ride. I "thought" I was taking the easy "safe" line down a hill. Unknown to me heavy rain had made a nice smooth drop into a 3' vertical. Not a problem on a geared suspension bike when you know its coming, something else on a SS and catching you by suprise. 8' out and 8' down I landed on rocks, 3rd degree seperation on the right shoulder, taco'd front wheel, other minor damage. 2 weeks to the day I was back out riding, couldn't bunnyhop and big hits hurt like heck, but I had a grin because I was riding!


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## ferday (Jan 15, 2004)

60 km/h into a 25' double over a creek, had jumped successfuly twice already. washed front tire before the double, header into the creek. 3rd degree separation of the AC joint, my third one in as many years so in for surgery i go. thankfully no cost, i love canada sometimes! bike was ok scratched but rideable, still my DH rig.

1 year later, back on the bike. no more big drops and jumps, shoulder is not (and likely never will be) the same. just don't have the strenght (mental or physical!). oh well, now i have an excuse to train for SS racing and i've gotten some serious vertical in epic rides this year...

this is my 3rd season ending injury (previously broken elbow and other AC separation) but first time i had to miss an entire season of riding (surgery in february, back on bike in september which is end of season up here)


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## Widgeontrail (Mar 15, 2006)

*Internal bleeding*

My most life threatening injury was a ruptured spleen. "i was just riding around..."

There was a small 2 foot drop with a one foot transition landing in front of my college apartment. I did the little hit often. One time while fooling around I came down heavy on the front wheel and the tube pinch-flated and i can down hard on the pavement. My elbow or the handlebars got me right in the spleen.

I felt like the wind got knocked out of me, but the feeling wouldn't go away, and I got pale and started to black out. Luckily my GF took me to the ER or I would have internally bleed to death on my couch.

I was in the ICU for 5 days and had a catheter (horrible experience!). :eekster:

Usually they have to operate and take spleens out when the rupture because they won't stop bleeding on their own. Luck for me, I am/was a mountain biker in great physical shape. The doc said being in excellent shape helped my body recover on its own and I still have my spleen to this day!

it probably took me 2 months to recover. I lost like 2 liters of blood & was very feeble for a while. All in all, it wasn't THAT painful. The catheter hurt worse.

I've also dislocated both shoulders. Not at the same time thankfully. And for all you guys with shoulder separations: TAKE CARE OF YOUR SHOULDERS!! - if you don't do the rehab it will only get worse. I know!


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## emptybeer (Apr 22, 2005)

There were several "worst injury" threads so I merged them and made the resulting thread a sticky.



canine said:


> Went over the bars 3 years ago, fractured C 4-7 and T 6 (and my helmet). Haven't ridden(or walked) since. Still like to come here for the stories and photos tho.


Sorry, canine, that's a bad one, but I'm glad you're still part of the community. I'd like to hear the details of the crash and your recovery if you don't mind. Seems like there are a lot of back injuries, myself included:
_
What happened(pictures please)?
_In March of 2000, I was riding an easy singletrack (flat, nontechnical, dry) the day after a windy storm. The end of my bar caught a downed tree that was covered with foliage. After the crash, I had to hike out and wave down a motorist to help me get my bike in my truck so I could drive to the hospital (funny how a broken collar bone limits how much you can do with your good arm). I must have looked like Buffalo Bob b/c every car that went by had a lone woman in the car who would stop for a moment and then pull away after I told them my story. Finally, the fourth car stopped (after about 30 minutes). Another woman was by herself so I figured she'd drive away, too, as she looked very apprehensive. She had two big black labs with her and I told that she could let her dogs out to watch me and I'd stand a good ways away from her until she had my bike in my truck and was back in her car. Thankfully, she agreed and I was able to drive the half hour to the ER.

_ What broke?
_Shattered clavicle (four main piecies w/ lots of little bits), dislocated ribs and rotated vertebra...and a broken helmet, but no head injury. Could have been worse!
_









How long were you out? Are you back riding yet?_
Off bike for twelve weeks but doc let me ride stationary bike. Had my best racing season that year._

How's your riding now? Any long-term effects?_
No problems riding. Didn't really affect me even when I first got back on the bike. I had to see the chiropractor for a bit to reset my ribs and fix my spine. Since that couldn't be done while my clavicle was healing, it took awhile b/c my muscles got used to the position of my ribs being out and spine being twisted (my ribs kept popping out and vertebra kept rotating). Dealing w/ the spasms from that was worse than the broken collar bone._

How much did it cost you?_
Nothing, thankfully. Military paid for it all._

How's the bike?_
100% after the crash. Sold it the same year I wrecked so I don't know how it is now.


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

Broke my Clavical, and my Scapula and bruised my acetabulum (aka my hip socked,)But I still rode back home 4miles:thumbsup: . Then I had to have my Hip replaced 3 year's later:madmax: . 
But the worst part of the crash was, It happen at the very end of the trail:madman: .


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## Peanut85 (Sep 20, 2006)

Trail Punk said:


> Can we change this thread to worst D-ville crash/injury? The Downhill has claimed many victims.


Yeah me as well. Within the first half mile of singltrack, I went down and broke my right hand. Which meant no rear brakes or hits of any kind. Whiiiiiiiich.... meant riding back up and down the highway to meet up with the group for pizza.

Fortunately, they had just gotten there, and had a pitcher of Sierra waiting for me.

My hand is fine now, actually, it was pretty much fine after about a week and a half. Only lasting thing, when a make a loose fist, my right pinky finger bends about 45 degrees in, crossing my ringfinger. Kinda wierd, but kinda cool to show off.

Almost as cool as the bone lump that used to be my right colarbone. Note to future riders.... (I was young....) When you are on a ride and it gets hot, don't take off your sweatshirt and stuff it in your waterbottle cage just before a quick and rough downhill section. (I still don't remember most of that day.)


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## Arqueous (Sep 25, 2006)

*Ouch*

First wreck on road bike. Downhill 25-30 mph, front wheel came off{jsut got it out of shop and they forgot to tighten it and i did as well} flipped on front forks snapped in half so instead of riding on my wheel decided it woul dbe good to ride about 25 feet on my face {first time not wearing a helmet} ripped right ear off of head tore all skin from right side of face...plastic surgery 14 month recovery...cant tell today...

yesterday mt. biking fo rthe fourth time pedal strap broke on a down hill left turn...cracked 4 ribs...


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## Widgeontrail (Mar 15, 2006)

*If you haven't seen this...*

This crash video is scary!


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## bicycletech (Nov 2, 2005)

*bicycletech*

the worst crash i ever had was two months ago, i broke six ribs,(combo of both sides) a fractured scapula,(shoulder blade) in three places and was in a coma for four days. i am still out of work and i haven't ridden since crash.


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## JimBro (Mar 28, 2004)

On Sept. 3rd, I managed to fall off a log bridge about 6 to 8 feet onto some sharp rocks. The bridge has logs running lengthwise. My front wheel slipped on the curved surface of one of the logs causing me to veer left and over the side of the bridge.

I landed squarely on a sharp rock, just below the knee, causing a "tibial plateau fracture" in two places. Luckily, I think, the bones weren't displaced enough to where I needed any hardware, at least not yet. I'm in a full length cast now. No weight bearing for 2 months, and no work (my kind) for 4 months. 

I'm having second thoughts about mountain biking at this point. It's just too risky, considering my line of work where I have to be 100%. I can't afford to be off work for 4 months, plus I'm bored as hell!


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## Widgeontrail (Mar 15, 2006)

Don't write off MTBing all together. Just know your limits. Stay off of risky logs & jumps.

"Its not wrong for a man to have limitations. Its wrong for a man not to know his limitations."

I'm sure most MTB dads out there can attest to decreasing their risk & still having fun.


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## KavuRider (Sep 22, 2004)

*Let's see...*

Separated my right shoulder going otb. Tweaked my left shoulder on a botched landing so bad I thought it was broken (nauseous and dizzy afterwards but it was fine). Tweaked my right ankle pretty bad overshooting a landing to flat. Slammed my wrists multiple times, the worst requiring me to wear a brace for a week. Lots of skin lost, some deep gouges, etc.

Worst one? Truck hit me in April, broke my tibia and fibula, messed up my ankle and my knee as well. Now have a ti rod from knee to ankle and sometimes some real good knee pain.

The other night, I landed a drop wrong and pile-drived my right shoulder into the ground...also ended up with a nasty bruise on my leg that made me limp for the last two days.

I love riding! Wouldn't trade it for the world!


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## rockeater (Nov 5, 2005)

Second ride out...was still learning that one shouldn't use the front brake on descents, but that the back brake is a good thing...

Going too fast, hit a boulder, OTB into the rock with my head and face. Thank God I was wearing a helmet. Unfortunately, I lost 3 front teeth out of the deal. So, that made me a full-face convert. Lots of scrapes and OTB's since then, but now I have armor!:thumbsup:


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## rockeater (Nov 5, 2005)

Oh, and I almost forgot, thank God for good dentists and insurance!


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## Lawson Raider (Jul 24, 2006)

The worst injury I got was back in July, 2006 got a separated left shoulder on a slideout on a wet wooden bridge.


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## kylejohn4543 (Jun 24, 2006)

Never had a really "serious" injury from mtn. biking. I can remember though once when I was 8 or so I was coming downhill and didn't notice the sand at the bottom and...well, you can see where I'm going. Ended up with a nice huge scrape up my bicep and I think I almost broke my arm. And then a couple weeks ago at Pontiac Lake (for those of you in SE MI) I was coming downhill (again). Went up on a ledge, down off the ledge, front wheel started wobbling like hell and I couldn't control it. Slid across the gravel for about 5 feet and scraped up my entire left side, both knees, and broke my bike computer. It hurt to do much. Still have a nice scar on my side. Couple weeks after that I went back to Pontiac Lake and was coming downhill (yet again) and hit a rock, which caused me to hit a small tree, which, in turn, caused me to hit the ground. No gravel this time, different spot. No major damage, but my left ankle hurt for about a week. First thing I noticed when I got up was that my bike, previously facing down the hill (where I was going) was now facing up the hill. I'm oblivious to how that happened.


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## kylejohn4543 (Jun 24, 2006)

Arqueous said:


> {first time not wearing a helmet} ripped right ear off of head tore all skin from right side of face...plastic surgery 14 month recovery...cant tell today...
> 
> 
> > I believe that's called Murphy's Law...:thumbsup:


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## TroyWW (Sep 29, 2005)

Split open my head and dropped my brain on the floor once. No long lasting damage that I can *%$*^[email protected]


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## brokenbikes (Oct 3, 2006)

Scariest injury was when I fell off a skinny, and piled headfirst into the ground, compressing my spine. I couldn't walk properly for a month or so, and had to have back Xrays. Basically laid up in bed for weeks, and hobbling round like an old man when I had to move...

The potentially permanent injuries (spinal / head) are the worst as far as I'm concerned!!

Also the usual DH injuries of fractured ribs, and legs being shredded by grubscrew pedals... nothing too serious there luckily :thumbsup: 

I was also riding DH one day without goggles, and got hit in the eye without warning by a thin branch, thought I'd damaged my eye after the painful jab, but after coming to a stop, realised it had just ripped the contact lens out of my eye, probably saving me from PAINFUL scratches across the centre of the eye!!


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## crtlnd (Mar 15, 2005)

Ouch!


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## smallerfeet (Oct 8, 2006)

*broken clavical*

Well my worst just happened about 4 months ago i was riding a paved trail and right off of it theres a ramp i would say about 6 feet vertical bmx dirt i hit it with my 21 year old bike(older than me) going about 25 and i overshot it by about 10 feet and when i landed my bike gave out (the spokes just crumpled) and i walked away with what i thought was a dislocated shoulder becasue i could move it front to back touching my chest and my shoudlerblade. but of coruse when my mom picks me up she tells me it has to be a broken collar bone. she was right 4 differnt places 2 floating bones and 4 months of healing. i was back on my bike in 2 months despite what my mom said.


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## hardrockman (Oct 20, 2005)

*hit*

goin for a small jump on my street,hit it, when I landed I landed behind the seat and I fell off of the bike, helmet hit the street corner knocked me out. I couldent remember anything, at least thats what my bro said.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

I guess I am lucky....2 concussions.....a broken finger....and some big bruises from hip to knee


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## rob_s (Sep 18, 2006)

JimBro said:


> I landed squarely on a sharp rock, just below the knee, causing a "tibial plateau fracture" in two places. Luckily, I think, the bones weren't displaced enough to where I needed any hardware, at least not yet. I'm in a full length cast now. No weight bearing for 2 months, and no work (my kind) for 4 months.
> 
> I'm having second thoughts about mountain biking at this point. It's just too risky, considering my line of work where I have to be 100%. I can't afford to be off work for 4 months, plus I'm bored as hell!


I feel your pain on the tibial plateau fracture, I am almost done with 12 weeks of no weight bearing from mine. 1 more week to go. You are very lucky that you didn't have to have surgery, they don't cast you so you really really want to walk. The downside of getting casted though is you can't ride a stationary bike. I have been able to ride for the last 7 weeks. I have a plate and 11 screws holding mine together. You may have to get surgery though to unlock the knee depending on how they casted it and how it healed.

I did mine on a road bike when I got hit by another rider.


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## CrankerUp (Oct 12, 2006)

A lot of bumps, cuts, bruises, and blood but nothing serious.


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## Freerydejunky (Sep 21, 2006)

My worst one was when I fliped over the handle bars and chiped my hip, that burned and the doctors couldnt do anything cause it was a small chip. They thought it was funny though when the poked it and I screamed. I almost lost my pinky finger when my finger got caught in the chain.


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## VisaliaADV (Oct 20, 2006)

*Dwon in OC*

This was a few years ago right when I stopped riding. Just recently started up again and still riding my good ole trusty Trek, although I'm getting ready to buy a full suspension bike. I fist started riding back in 1988 or 87, and had a Diamondback, then rode alot in North Carolina when i was in the army. I used to never wear a helmet, stupid i know but hell i was indestructible, so I went riding back in 1998 with a friend in Santiago Canyon and he insisted I wore a helmet. I did and have not regretted it. Since I had no suspension I was flying down a fire road, caught a little air, and came down on a small rock that caused the front tire to wash out. I went over the handle bars and went head and shoulder first into a nice sized boulder. No head injury but spained the shoulder and broke 3 ribs. Painful but definantly taught me about helmets. If I hadn't had one I'd propbably be sucking my dinner through a straw.............


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## asa (Jul 19, 2004)

*best visual*

Wow, some impressive/scary stuff here! So this isn't my worst, but it photographed well. I called my husband from the Clinic in D-ville after impailing my knee on a stick coming down Butcher. What does he bring? Tequilla? Nope. Camera. Enjoy.


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## MiffedMax (Aug 7, 2006)

Widgeontrail said:


> This crash video is scary!


Gahhhh ---- I hate heights. This gave me the willies just watching even BEFORE anything happened.:eekster:


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## Xenotime (Jun 1, 2006)

*Sliding 5 metres down the UNSW foot path...*

Worst injury I ever had was sliding down 5 metres, ejected off the bike... 

It aws in today arvo I went downhill from school to home down the UNSW, I fell off due to cornering. It was raining heavily today. The thing I was dumb about was that I fell twice in a row!

The first one, I fell due to speed and over bent, I should have learnt a lesson at the first one... But I was so ridiculous, I fell a second time too just 10 metres off another turn! 

I hurt my back, and my arm, lucky I wore gloves and long sleves jacket...  (Of course... I wore a helmet) Bruises all over my both legs, one fell from the right... The other turn the left...

So for today, I learnt to NOT do cornering in wet weather, speed doesn't matter. I should be more careful next time...

Just a few tips to beginer riders... Beware skids... :thumbsup: The bad thing is that I scratch my handle grip. Lucky all parts are intact, including frame. 

Recovery tips if you don't mind? I got bruises over my arm and upper legs... Tried massaging it so far... 

PS: Precisely, my back wheel skided...


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## JimBro (Mar 28, 2004)

rob_s said:


> I feel your pain on the tibial plateau fracture, I am almost done with 12 weeks of no weight bearing from mine. 1 more week to go. You are very lucky that you didn't have to have surgery, they don't cast you so you really really want to walk. The downside of getting casted though is you can't ride a stationary bike. I have been able to ride for the last 7 weeks. I have a plate and 11 screws holding mine together. You may have to get surgery though to unlock the knee depending on how they casted it and how it healed.
> 
> I did mine on a road bike when I got hit by another rider.


I got my cast off, and I am riding a stationary bike with no resistance. My knee is messed up for sure. I can straighten it almost all the way, and was able to bend it to 114 degrees after a lot of warming up at PT. My tibia is indented a good 3/4" as compared to my other leg. My doc isn't saying much. He said he'll know if it needs surgery in 1 to 2 months. Damn docs are so busy you can't get a word in edgewise! I wish they would have done the surgery right off the bat. I guess he didn't because the fracture was "open", and he was worried about infection. I'm afraid I'll never be able to walk normally with the way my leg is now.


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## Freerydejunky (Sep 21, 2006)

Omg.... what did you do?!


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## =ChrisB= (Aug 8, 2006)

Worst injury, jammed wrist trying to negotiate with a curb.


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## SDHucker858 (Jul 10, 2006)

ive fractured my collarbone and had 20 stitches in my leg and btw im 14 yrs old


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## FinAddictFred (Oct 13, 2006)

27 stitches in my eyebrow just over my left eye. Put me in the hospital for 3 days. That was a tree root launching me over the bars while downhilling to pass the guy in 8th place.Would have been my best finish too..really :madmax: me off. Cracked the top weld at the frame and steer tube. Dislocated shoulder once, Broke two fingers once, and about 15 pounds of skin to road rash. If ya aint bleedin yer not ridin !


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## Freerydejunky (Sep 21, 2006)

15 lbs of skin! sheiza, can you say skin graft?


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## FinAddictFred (Oct 13, 2006)

Not all at once LOL !!


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## shwinn8 (Feb 25, 2006)

knock on wood, my most serious injury has been my ego. other then that, just the wind knocked out of me


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## Dirtdevil555 (May 24, 2006)

That is a very sad story, Canine.

I had a pretty good scare on 8/17/06 when I endoed at high speed while going over a rock/log ramp. By the time I hit the back end of the ramp, I noticed that some freaking idiot had removed a log, causing me to be violently catapulted to the ground. My last memory is thinking "I'm going down". When I came to, I realized my right wrist was broken, as was my left elbow. My face slammed into the ground and I thought that I had broken my jaw, but fortunately, I didn't. Had some serious scrapes and bruises on my face, broke my glasses, and had a knot above my left eye the size of a golfball. Didn't realize until a week later that the knot was cause from the impace of my helmet on my forehead and that my helmet was cracked. I was fortunate in that I was able to walk myself 2 miles out of the woods and received assistance from some good-willed mountainbikers. 

It's now 11/9/06 and I'm still undergoing PT and unable to ride or lift any significant weights at the gym. 

I consider myself very, very fortunate that I wasn't more seriously injured as a neck FX and possible paralasis was a real possibility that crossed my mind on a few occasions. I thank GOD everyday that I came out of the spill as I did. What it taught me is that no matter how good of a rider you are, no matter how carefully you ride, you never know what is around the corner and you never know what the future has in store for you. I will definitey be back on the bike this spring, but with a renewed sense of awareness.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Dirtdevil


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## BaconBrain (Jul 3, 2006)

*Flying is great just beware of the landing*

One broken arm and two busted ribs.

Currently in the 3rd week of recovery. Cast comes off on the 23rd of November. :thumbsup:

I think it is about time to get some body armour.


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## mgibbons19 (Jun 27, 2005)

Was late for something when I was 15. Pedalling fast and not paying enough attention, I hit a light pole square on my right patella. wouldn't support any weight. didn't go to the doc. 20 years later that knee's still f'd up.

Riding benches when I was twenty five. Front wheel falls off and I land on my arm crossed across my body. Took 6 months to heal and that shoulder's still f'd.

2 years ago had my worst bike-car crash ever. Mostly blood. But it's damn scary to go down next to/under a pickup. Front wheel had tire tracks on it.

After twenty years of mtn bikes, and 30 years of all sorts of bikes, I wonder about statistics. Nowadays, even small crashes take longer to heal than I like.


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## Freerydejunky (Sep 21, 2006)

FinAddictFred said:


> If ya aint bleedin yer not ridin !


If ya bleeding you might want to get some armor. Or slow yo (*# down :thumbsup:


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## Rock Force (Oct 13, 2006)

Not all from biking, but....

Broken left collerbone twice
Broken left wrist twice (clean break once, compound second time)
Fractured my right wrist once
Broken everything but my thumb on my left hand
Broken ring and index fingers on my right hand
Torn (completely in half) all the main ligaments connecting my thumb to my left hand
Sprained my ankles (both of them) more than I can count
And we haven't even talked about pedal bite yet.

I have so many scars it's not even funny. I swear, a papercut will give me a scar. Quite annoying. Oh yeah, I'm only 15! Hey, I guess the fun is only starting.


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## lavaman (Jan 17, 2005)

*how about a really close call*

Last year I decided to pick up some RockGardN body armor. At first I thought people would make fun of me but it has saved me twice since I got it. I don't huck or anything but I do go a little fast. The two times I got in trouble were from deviating from the tried and true lines on our local DH run. First time I came in too hot on a burmed corner and the front tire washed out. Pads saved me big time. No scrapes, just a bruised ego. Second time was a little more spectacular. I launched a rock drop I normally roll and the extra speed threw me into a bowl shaped embankment. The embankment (to the best of my blurry recollection) threw me across the trail through the brush. I could hear the sticks scraping all over the pads as I went. I ended up about 25 feet down the trail (about an 8 or 10% grade) with my head downhill tangled in my bike. I just layed there for a few seconds to take inventory. No bones sticking out of my skin, I was not seeing a tunnel with a light at the end so I figured I was pretty ok. I dusted off and finished the run with my buddy. On the way down my left wrist started to hurt a bit. I wondered if it was broken b/c I had not experienced that type of pain. My buddy said I would know if it was broken but I know people who have broken bones and not known it for weeks. The wrist was pretty swollen for about a week and it turned yellow and purple. I had it X-rayed as soon as I could and it was fine. I think it was a compression trauma to the cartilage in the wrist joint. The rest of my body was bruised but not broken. I am so sure that the armour totally saved me from so many cuts and scrapes. I will definitely keep wearing it. Now I just have to get my head on straight so I can get my nerve back.


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## GFisher2001 (Mar 16, 2006)

Duplicate post, tried hitting the stop button before it posted.


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## GFisher2001 (Mar 16, 2006)

jonowee said:


> Sam. do you want the messiest or the most painful?
> 
> Messiest: ~dozen stiches, a jigger of blood lost, buggered helmet, lost parts of the headset?, pinched my favourite tube, 1 month without riding to prevent infection, 2 weeks at home not doing much besides so MTBR hovering, 2 weeks no work, mid-30s of antibiotic capsules.
> 
> Most painful: Half of the wang-chungs that do happen. (Not funny for me, but to the observer...?)


What is a wang-chung if it involves doing something stupid or falling and having someone laugh at you I'm pretty sure I've done it


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## motownmissle (Dec 4, 2006)

Took a dive due to wheel colapse on South Mtn AZ. 48.8 MPH. Three cracked verts. Three screws holding left hip together, 4 broken ribs, laceration down left arm 8 inches long,bruises like i have never seen.
Was A hard good bye to my Super-G Bianchi. Thanx Martini Racing for the great bike though, sorry I killed it.


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## 29"_of_Firewater (Mar 5, 2005)

*worst cycling related injury...*

I've been xc riding and racing in the midwest since '86. my worst injury seems to be a recurring issue...july'01, sept'02, aug'03, and july '05 "season ending concussion...not to be left out june '04 torn planters tendin of right foot. ( still have less than 15deg of rotation in that ankle). '06 proved to be one of my heathiest seasons since the '90s, only one good one...cracked the helmet and bled alot (prolly due to the sierra nevada's prior to the night ride) the trail rash was quite the conversation piece.
"ride with control...speed will come" ( uh coach, that theory doesn't work here ! )
-Peace on Dirt 
p.s. anyone know peeps @ Bell, maybe i could get some stock options?:thumbsup:


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## dangomushi (Oct 22, 2005)

*Concrete hates my face*


This is my reaction to concrete in San Jose. Too bad my job is to design the stuff.
Broken jaw in two places, missing two teeth. 
Second time. First on a bmx, second on a fixed. I'm dumb.


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## budfrogs (Dec 8, 2005)

July 23 2006.
I was riding this rock formation that had a wooden bridge spanning two rocks. As I came oof the wooden bridge I was a little to the left as I cam on to the rock but was thinking no big deal because the rock had a ramp on that side for exiting the formation. Well it wasn't on that side. The rock was only about three feet high or so but when my front tire came down of the rock it stopped dead because of other rocks there and I went over the handle bars. Of course my fat head hit first and then my hands. I broke my right pinky finger and dislocated the bones in the back of my hand. Also after driving my self to the hospital I found out I fractured my C7 in my neck. I was in a Y collar for four weeks and then I was in a soft collar for another three. Of course I wore the soft collar every day! NOT! Back riding. Still trying to get over some small fears but all in all back at it.


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## Dirt tracks (Apr 15, 2006)

I had a bad crash 8 months ago, i approached the gap i had the right speed but it was to much , i over shot the landing and went to flat. Instantly i was over the bars carring a lot of momentum, landed on the back of my left shoulder and bounced of the ground hitting a tree directly on my right shoulder. Both of my clavicle were fractured, and had a punched left lung, i just could not get up at all i try ed but there was a lot of crunching going on inside my body i had to use my knees to support my shoulder there was to much pain, i was just able to use my mobile phone, and call for help. Ses, ambulance, police came to get my sorry arse out of the bush,


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## mustardfj40 (Aug 23, 2006)

About 7 years ago, I was riding this off-cambered trail, the bike slid down the hill, I naturally put down my right foot to keep balance, I guessed I stomped the foot down hard at the wrong angle. The result was a sprained ankle, I was on crutches for 2 weeks. 

Currently I got ITBS that I have trying to get rid off...Some success so far :thumbsup:


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## mustardfj40 (Aug 23, 2006)

About 7 years ago, I was riding this off-cambered trail, the bike slid down the hill, I naturally put down my right foot to keep balance, I guessed I stomped the foot down hard at the wrong angle. The result was a sprained ankle, I was on crutches for 2 weeks. 

Currently I got ITBS that I have been trying to get rid of...Some success so far :thumbsup:


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## Flyfisherman (Jan 7, 2006)

Last summer a mule I was riding spooked and ran down a steep wooded hill. I couldn't stop him and bailed breaking my ankle in 6 places which required surgery twice. 

Torn ACL 3 times from skiing and snowboarding. Fully torn patella tendon from snowboarding- that time my kneecap ended up on top of my thigh and it was by far the most painful and longest recovery of all the injuries I've had. I am currently living without an ACL as fixing it was impossible while also fixing the patella. I don't have much meniscus left in one knee. Knee injuries suck. Be happy if all you break are bones because making 100% recovery from broken bones is possible. Once you screw your knee up once it's bound to happen again. 

Biking is probably one of the safest things I do for fun.


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## chrisdabiker (Jun 14, 2006)

My worst was a broken foot, but the pics of my wrist are more entertaining. Neither were bike related.










Odd, I've never had a serious injury on any of my two wheeled toys... must not be trying hard enough.


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## MartinS (Jan 31, 2004)

June 29th '04 - Whistler
Riding Clown Shoes on a small log ride, i decided I wasn't happy with my line and jumped clear of my bike, landed on my feet and felt a sharp pain in my knee area. I realized I couldn't support myself so my buddy went down to get the meat wagon. Ritche Schley stopped and asked how I was doing - the only gut who stopped by the way - although I didn't feel too bad, no major pain or anything and help was coming.
Got to Whister medi center they took some xrays, offered me pain killers which I didn't take, and then the Doctor came through. He asked if I wanted a pain killer again and again I declined and he looked at me funny. Then he said I should be passed out from the pain by now, and confirmed that I wasn't in shock, so I asked what I had broken, and he said that I had pushed my Tibial plateau down 2 cm and that 60% of it looked like a jigsaw puzzle. He then said he wanted me to see an ortho in North Van that worked on olympic skiers and hockey players, very hard to get into see but the only guy who could get it back to normal He said it may take up to 2 weeks to see him, so he made a call and there was an opening the next day!
To sum up, my tibial plateau is now almost perfect and finally, just had the titanium plate and 8 screws removed last Thurs! (hopefully) No more dull ache from the rubbing of muscle on the titanium plate and screws!
So that is my most major injury in 20 years of MTBing plus another 6 years of BMX.
Can't wait until Spring!!:thumbsup:


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## Voodoosix (Mar 31, 2006)

On Nov. 5th. I was riding at a local trail that I've ridden hundreds of times. I stopped to adjust my seat and another rider passed me. On an innocent part of the trail that sort of meandered through the trees about 50 feet from a long clearing, I decided to stand up on the bike and put some leg down and catch the guy who passed me. I came up to a small log and just lifted up on the bike to clear it when the world seemed to stop. I happen to lift up on the bike just as I went under a branch that I didn't see. As I hopped the bike, the top of my helmet impacted the underside of the branch and drove my head neck downwards. There was a loud impact sound, everything sort of went gray for a second and then the world went into super slow motion. My vision returned and I was looking down at my handle bars, my hands had slid off and went forward but all my forward momentum stopped with the impact. My limp body fell down onto the bike. I couldn't feel anything. I landed pretty hard onto my Yeti 575, but it felt like I landed on a giant pillow, I felt nothing. As I hit the ground, my left leg was still clipped into my pedals and that spun me around onto my back. I was laying on my Camelback Havoc with the hydration hose laying across my face. I reached up to move it and something was pinning my arms. I looked down my body to see how the bike was pinning me and I saw my arm laying across my stomach, nothing was on it, but I couldn't move it, I couldn't even feel it. That's when I realized I couldn't feel anything below my neck. Remembering the rider who had passed me I yelled for help, but I could barely manage a weak cry. I just didn't have much power in my lungs. After about a minute, I could yell with more volume but no one heard me. I layed in the trail for a while yelling for help and was completely unable to move. After about 20 minutes, I started getting some sensation in my legs. They felt like they were coming back from being "asleep". I could move my upper legs but not below the knees but was able to free my foot from the pedal. My right leg was much less "there" than my left one. After about 5 more minutes, I started to feel my arms again, barely. I was then able to move them around but had no control of my hands at all. After about 45 minutes total, I could feel my legs again, although they had the worse case of pins and needles you could imagine. I managed to sit up and then slowly pull myself up using the bike as a crutch. I was pretty confident that I didn't have a fracture as I had no pain in my neck. While laying on the ground I had full mobility of my head and neck and zero pain with moving it. I decided that I needed to walk out. I couldn't hold the handlebars but was able lean on the bike with my forearms and walk the bike the mile or so back to my Jeep. The whole way I stumbled along almost drunkenly. I passed a couple of riders and rather than ask for help, I was sort of in shock and just said, "Hows it going?" and kept walking.

About an hour after the accident I was back at my truck and had some control of my hands. It took me about 15 minutes to get my bike up on the rack and I didn't even bother to tie it down well. It then took me about 5 minutes to get the key in my ignition because by then the pain in my hands had gone from pins and needles to feeling like I had 1st degree burns on them. I was able to drive myself to the ER where they were able to do a CT scan and determine that there was no fracture, I had however suffered a severe spinal cord contusion and they referred me to a neurologist. The impact apparently ruptured the discs at C4-5 and C6 to the point of giving me a rather severe case of spinal stenosis OR that was present before my impact and was the cause of the extreme symptoms I expereinced from the impact. 

I had about 3 weeks of severe nerve pain in my hands and arms but I have gotten back to just having some moderate pain in my hands/arms. The doc wants to do a 3 level discectomy and fusion, but I'm resisting the idea because I'm really not in much pain. The downside is that they say the next impact such as the first will likely paralyze or kill me. I've had to minimize my riding. I did a 4 hour race in December but have had some pretty nasty nerve pain since. I guess it looks like I'm probably going to have to think about the surgery soon if I don't want to end up with possibly dire consenquences. So far that's the worst injury I've had. Never broken a bone (other than toes doing karate). I've never even had so much as a stitch either.


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## Caleb91 (Sep 4, 2006)

*Lets see...*

None of mine were bike related but still bad all them same... First would broken and dislocated elbow chiped a peice of bone the size of a nickel and had to have 20 stiches 2 pens(which they had to pull out with no medicine) and a staff infection plus 6 month recovery. 4 reconstructive foot surgerys!!!!! 2 bones taken out, 4 bone spurs removed, 1 staple, and had both of my acelies(< how every you speel that) cut and lengthend i think each were cutt 3 times. 2 of the surgerys just happend the beging of the school year.... So what do you think???? Not bad for only being 16!!!! I have some more but not going to put those in there wimpy stuff... Peace


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## tibug (Dec 5, 2006)

Never had stiches or broken bones, which is amazing considering how I try to do crazy things that I can't do. Had a whole [email protected] of nasty scrapes though. My worst injury was on an overnight bike trip when my friend burned a plastic fork, held it over my hand, and the molten plastic dripped on my hand in six places, causing round burns. It hurt like the dikens (why did I say that?) for a few seconds, but then it cooled and I just peeled it off. Still got scars as if it were yesterday.


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

*Prosthetic what?*



Anonymous said:


> Torn Testicle.
> 
> Yes. It hurt.
> No. It doesn't grow back.
> Yes. I have a prostetic.


Pls forgive my stupid questions, but, I need some clarity here. Testicle = ball, right? And, balls make the lil' swimmers, right? And, we haven't engineered little artificial, implantable factory for making those things, right (ie, we're not gods)? So, what's the prosthetic for? Is it a placeholder?


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## TrikeKid (Sep 1, 2006)

swoodbrn said:


> Pls forgive my stupid questions, but, I need some clarity here. Testicle = ball, right? And, balls make the lil' swimmers, right? And, we haven't engineered little artificial, implantable factory for making those things, right (ie, we're not gods)? So, what's the prosthetic for? Is it a placeholder?


Uh, yeah rearanging genetic material is difficult enough in a lab, let alone in a nut sized prosthetic. You can reproduce fine with one real boy anyhow, they're like kidnies you can function just fine with one. I'm going to guess the prosthetic is just to at least give some balance and make it feel as normal as it's going to get.

I've been lucky and my worsts have just been some road rash and being knocked out a couple times (Yes, I was wearing a helmet, only seem to stay awake for the nice lidless face plants). Now, when I get a proper all mountain bike, we'll see how badly I can mangle myself.


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## ToddN (Feb 2, 2007)

Almost two years ago I tore my liver in half! It was on mothers day and my friend that I was riding with had to call my mom from the hospital and tell her I wouldn't be able to come over for diner. I was in the hospital after that for two weeks, and off work for a little while after that. Almost two years later I still have pain.


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## CaballoLoco (Jan 20, 2007)

*two of them*

The first one happened about 2 years ago. I was riding with one of my buddies, i went over some logs and there was a rock on the other side of the log pile that I didnt see. I thought to myself, here we go with another classic endo  , no big deal. They happen every now and the, but for some reason, my left thigh made contact with my rear tire and it ripped my skin in a section that was about 10 inches long and three inches wide. I bleed like crazy, but i got up and finished the ride, with a lot of attention from hikers and campers ha ha. I still have the scars. 
The worse was about 8 months ago. I was hammering down this slight decline, out of the saddle, in the big chain ring, picking up speed for the next set of rollers, and as i was bringing my left pedal down the stroke with all my strenght, there it was , a hidden rock behind a grassy patch. I hit that b'otch with my crank arm with all my might at approx 18/20 miles per hour . It jerked me to the right and there i was flying in the air. It seemed that I was flying for ever, and I remember thinking while i was floating...this is going to f**king hurt. And it did.:thumbsup: I was laying there with the wind knocked out of me for like 5 minutes. I got up and there was stuff scattered all over the place, Co2 pump, water bottle, tire lever, computer monitor, etc. However, the bikes was fine. I got up and finished my ride with terrible pain on my back, but I figure if i wouldnt not done that i wouldve felt defeated:madman:


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## Jim from CR (Jul 24, 2006)

*Dumb and Dumber*

It was May 1997, a few months before my 47th birthday. I had about a year of mountain biking experience, which turned out to be not nearly enough.

I was coming down a nice double-track at about 15 to 20 mph. There was a mogul in some tall grass that I didn't see. To compound matters, I was too far forward. When I planted my front tire and went over the bars, I felt like I was sailing. I remember thinking, "This is really going to hurt."

I managed to get my head tucked into my left shoulder before impact. It probably took me about 15 minutes before I could get up. I could move my fingers on my left hand, so I thought I was okay. I told myself that if I could just take some Ibuprofren and soak in the hot tub, all would be well. I didn't know that I had broken my collarbone and three ribs and also blow my left lung. Shattered my helmet as well. On the positive side, the bike was fine.

The five-mile ride out was slow and painful. I was in shock when I got back to the house and realized I needed to go to the ER. The doc informed me that a pneumo-thorax is serious business.

Three weeks later I rode my mountain bike in the Tour de Blast, an 84-miler to Mount St. Helens. Not a wise move, but I'd already paid my entry fee and there were no refunds. I hairlined the collarbone a few months later on a trail ride, but have had no major injuries since.

I'm 56 now. Still riding. No smarter but quite a bit better technically.

Two things I learned from this experience. First, ride the back of your bike. Second, morphine is our friend.


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## frisky_zissou (Jun 4, 2006)

I was doing a 6 foot drop. It was my 5 time and i was feeling confident. As i pulled back into a manual before the edge my back wheel got stuck in a ditch. The result was an almighty face plant. Broke my collar bone in two places. The end got wedged into my muscle. Spent 4 days in hospital. 2 months unable to ride and, guess what? It happened the day after the Christmas holidays (6 weeks) started. And 5 days before i was getting my new bike. 

what did i learn as well, morphine is our friend.


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## cookrm2 (Dec 12, 2006)

*broken patella*

I broke my first bone this past saturday. I had ridden marl ravine at york river state park earlier in the morning, and headed off to harwood mill for a leisurely cool down ride. The beginner and intermediate trails were ridden uneventfully. I was on the expert, which I find to be the easiest of the three trails. The trail narrowed with trees on each side. Unfortunately I wasn't quite able to fit, and clipped my left handlebar. I thought I rammed my knee into the tree before I was flung to the side of the trail. My husband said it got bashed against my bike. Regardless of what it hit I screamed "like a little girl" as my husband said. I then realized everything was still attached, and rode back to the car. The next day it didn't feel great, but I went to Powhite and rode anyways. Monday I decided to get X-rays just to be cautious, and it turns out I broke my patella (knee). HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE THIS? HEAL TIME? I'm not supposed to ride for six weeks


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## skyjumper (Apr 14, 2006)

broken ankle on monday, nothing else though


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## Casey509 (Jan 20, 2007)

yeah i flew off a 3 footer jump and on the landing my front tire went off the side early and i flipped over the bars and i broke my left arm and bent my left thumb back to my wrist, the thumb hurt more cuz it ripped the muscle and the muscle took a couple of chips of bone with it. no pics but it hurt.


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## Yukon-RSX (Feb 6, 2007)

Worst injury I have had which wasn't serious was probably when I bunnyhopped and my foot slipped off the pedal which spun round cut open my shin about 5cms. Blood dribbling down my leg but I just carried on riding.


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## ll 3nZo ll (Feb 15, 2007)

^ I did the EXACT same thing with almost identical injuries haha.


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2007)

Well by far on a bike has been my knee, torn ACL, Meniscus etc. The full story is here:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=267938

I am still on the comeback from that one, but able to ride regularly again within reason.

Other than that, I have broken 4 ribs when coming down a downhill section with a little booter into the next section. Unfortunately you cant see the lower section until your on top of it. Being a weekday afternoon I figured the trails would be pretty dead, boosted off the booter and then realized there were 2 women walking up the trail right where I was about to land. I ditched the bike in mid air and ended up landing on my side on a downed tree, thus breaking my ribs.

Other than that, lots of road rash, few concussions, banged up ankles and shins.


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## sunYnelson (Mar 22, 2007)

*pedal in my leg*

many a moon ago,around age 12 I slid out doing a skid down our street, I swung the ass of my bike around to far and ended up with me and the bike laying on the road (dead end street and no traffic luckily) I remember looking down at my left leg on the inside just under the knee and seeing a gaping hole with muscle tissue hanging out and blood everywhere, upon further investigation turns out it was the broken pedal on my bike that buried itself in my leg.:eekster:
Needless to say it was a trip to the Dr for 9 stitches. I don't remember getting the stitches but do remember the injection being stabbed into the wound before hand.


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## 97tjguzzy (Jun 8, 2006)

imediatly after this i broke my left ankle when i landed the drop at the end of the wall ride...


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## nowheels (Apr 6, 2007)

discolated knee a few years ago


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## 5ribcrk (Mar 29, 2007)

*So Far..........*

Cracked five ribs in September '06 as well as some really deep "road rash" down my right side. Still hurts to lay flat on my back and stretch, still have scars on leg. Was almost three months before I was able to tolerate the vibrations from the handlebars and ride.It was the most annoying pain I have ever had, really screws up sleep, in some ways was worse than when I had a compound fracture of my RT fibula (footbal, 2 plates, 6 pins, 3 screws).


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## sunYnelson (Mar 22, 2007)

5ribcrk said:


> Cracked five ribs in September '06 as well as some really deep "road rash" down my right side. Still hurts to lay flat on my back and stretch, still have scars on leg. Was almost three months before I was able to tolerate the vibrations from the handlebars and ride.It was the most annoying pain I have ever had, really screws up sleep, in some ways was worse than when I had a compound fracture of my RT fibula (footbal, 2 plates, 6 pins, 3 screws).


I sympathize with you 5ribcrk as I'm sporting a rib injury myself , it's only been 3 weeks and I'm having major MTB'ing withdrawls. The pain is only now subsiding except for when I lie down , I'm hoping I'll be back in the saddle in another 1 to 2 weeks ( even if it's only a road ride ).


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## Dirtman (Jan 30, 2004)

nowheels said:


> discolated knee a few years ago


What was the result of the knee dislocating? Any tears, rips, and how long were you dwon? I just suffered the same fate this past weekebd. Thanks.
DM


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## nowheels (Apr 6, 2007)

Dirtman said:


> What was the result of the knee dislocating? Any tears, rips, and how long were you dwon? I just suffered the same fate this past weekebd. Thanks.
> DM


I had a small tear in the minicus with a lot of swealing. I spent 3 months in a soft cast and about as much time on crutches. Because it was only a small tear I could get on a bike/trainer and do some indoor miles for rehab. It took a good 6 months before I was back to normal and a couple of years before I felt I could do anything that required lateral movement. Lucky for me I like riding the bike. I recently had some knee pain and thought that there was a reoccurance of the problem, the MRI came back with just some arthritis and some swealing around the joint......more rehad.....no cast this time.


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## ODB (Sep 15, 2005)

Longest recovery: Broken left collarbone that now has a metal plate and several screws (three months and counting; see post below in Rider Down)

Most painful: Dislocated left shoulder in Moab. Thank god i was near the trailhead when it happened.

Honorable mentions: Dislocated left elbow twice, fractured both thumbs, seven stitches in elbow.

Off the bike: Broke my right femur in an ill-fated attempt to get back into skateboarding, at age 36. Not recommended, no matter how enticing all those perfectly sculpted skateparks look. :nono:


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## iscri (Apr 4, 2007)

Busted my collarbone in two, broke two fingers, a toe and various scraps and cuts... Surprisingly the toe was the worst because it was just so bloody annoying.


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## motowncyclist13 (May 5, 2007)

i hit a truck, that cut me off, at about 25mph on my old cannondale m1000 about a week after i installed all my good components. it snapped the frame in two and at the time i was more concerned about the bike than i was myself. well, it turned out i thrashed almost 50% of the soft tissue in my knees. i woke up the next morning with 152cc's of fluid on my left knee (that much fluid kind of hurts ya know). ant to top it all off my parents wouldn't get a lawer or try for more settlement money. all i got was my hospital bills paid and $750 in damages, even though the bike was built up with xt/xtr components, AND i had an appraisal from my LBS that it was worth $1500. got screwed pretty bad i think. i'm 21 and i've got rheumatism in my knees. but biking does seem to help.


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

Wow, that sucks. Stay off the pavement.


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## motowncyclist13 (May 5, 2007)

*that's kinda hard to do*

when you commute on your bike it's a little hard. i now have the disadvantage of living in a college town in WV, where it's bad enough to drive to work. you know the worst thing about that wreck though? my good friend calyn watched it happen. see we were on our way to his house and he got a pinch flat so he put his bike on the city bus. so i was keeping up to the bus in traffic when it happened. actually i was lucky it was a suburban and not some [email protected] honda or something because i would have flown into 4 lanes of traffic. but the one thing that pissed me of the most at first was that it didn't even scratch the truck, yet my bike was in two pieces. but by far that was my worst crash. many others caused slight fractures and other small broken bones, but none as serious or crazy. i should tell you guys about the crashes my buddy's from high school had though. we all have our scars and permanent injuries.


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## DaRxRell (May 12, 2007)

Severe road rash on my left hip and sprained wrist. Lost a fight with a railroad crossing (see profile name)

Broken Collarbone August 06. Superman'd over the handlebars on my Surly.


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## dusthuffer (Nov 30, 2006)

OK 

I have next to nothing compared to almost everybody here, I don't even have good photos or x-rays. 

This thread made me sick.

Having said that, my winners are :

- both guys that broke their necks
- the guy that smashed his liver and ribs and passed out in the snow
- the smashed testicle 
- the smashed urethra 
- any of the really bad "shattered" bone ones

I used to think I'd had a hard life, but after reading this thread I'm a freakin pansy lightweight.

Mtb Damage:

- Separated Shoulder
- Broken Wrist

Why so few? I'm smartening up in my old age. Not going to make all the same mistakes with mountain biking that I made in my previous sports.


Non Mtb Damage ( all different events ):

- cracked skull
- busted r-patella in half
- broken l-fibula
- broken l-tibia
- broken l-ankle ( basketball - ouch )
- broken r-ankle ( basketball - ouch again )
- broken l-ankle again ( basketball - ouch again )
- broken r-ankle again ( basketball - enough already )
- broken toes (a few)
- broken fingers (lots)
- broken l-wrist
- broken r-wrist
- broken l-wrist
- broken l-wrist
- broken r-wrist
- broken l-arm
- busted l-elbow bursa
- busted l-hip bursa
- busted r-hip bursa
- a couple of grade III concussions
- spinal compression; momentary full-body paralysis 

The last one was the worst. Took a short (4') but powerful wave on the head (not sand, just water ) compressed my head I went limp for 5 minutes only my eyes and breathing worked, except I was breathing in a lot of water and sand. 

I think what makes Mtb injuries extra bad is they can happen further from civilization than anything else except maybe mountaineering, so getting help takes longer.

edit : forgot to put in these ones 

- broken r-clavicle ( twice in 6 mths )
- teeth thru cheek ( riding bike on ice slipped out )
- and I'll put my total lifetime ounces of lost skin from road rash up against anyone


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## Scottie Rox (Jul 1, 2003)

dislocated shoulder 1st time downhilling and it was out for 4-5 hrs.


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## p0Ke'[email protected] (Apr 13, 2004)

Geez....frightening stuff here. Makes the reruns of "ER" look like a Disney movie.

Worst injury was OTB in 2006; broken ribs (Rt. T-10, T-11); hairline fracture Rt. shoulder blade; and torn rotater cuff - Rt.shoulder. 6 months off bike, and no desire to do spin classes...:

Maybe playing golf in your 60's ain't so bad after all.


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## akashra (Dec 30, 2006)

Clearly I don't push hard enough*, because in 12 years (maybe more) or riding, the only ones I can ever remember are falling and grazing my arm/bruising my leg about 7 weeks ago (boo hoo), and about 10 years ago attempting to hop up a gutter, missing, and going straight over the bars chest straight onto concrete.

That's seriously the worst of it! I mean, I've taken falls, but none have left marks.

Don't worry, I know there's injuries to come now that I'm racing.

* Evident by the fact that on Sunday my fastest lap was a full 4 minutes faster than my other three, and the whole race I felt like I wasn't pushing it.


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## ryguy79 (Apr 12, 2007)

I broke my tibia and fibia dropping off a picnic table on a bmx bike at age 6. No joke. Thats the only serious cycling related injury. The usual cuts, scrapes, bruises, a couple concussions. Tore both ACLs skiing.


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## TrekJeff (Oct 12, 2006)

*Braaaaaaaaaaaains......*

subdermal hematoma, three weeks in coma....this is a pic in the ER:thumbsup:


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## Bluering (May 15, 2007)

*Raw N Broken*

A few years back I was riding through some forshore trails, pretty flat, and untechnical, so I was riding my hardtail not cliped in almost flat out when I decided to mono down a slight downslope in the trail, I overcooked it and flipped the bike. I threw the bike away and started running. Ha... one maybe two eight foot steps then went down on one leg and ground to a stop using the side of my left calf as a brake pad.. After a week of the district nurse comming to my house injecting me with antibiotics and anticoagulants I had a pretty awesome scab but I could ride again.






.

Then a few years later an hour and a half into a night ride with a buddy I get locked into a rut turn the frount wheel to get out of there and lock the front wheel up in the rut and launch over the bars and land colar bone first on a big old pine tree root and smash my colar bone into three bits...... That was a sorry two months off the trails not to mention painfull.. My wife was starting to question my choice of relaxation...... Then I upped my life insurance, She's cool again now....








And a few other less painfull cuts n stuff.... Its all good ... Keep on pedaling


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## Bawitdaba (Sep 9, 2005)

fractured elbow 2005, exploded tib fib 2004, sitting home right now with a fractured thumb


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## macaw (Feb 11, 2007)

Dang these are some bad injuries. I can't help but post a link to my friend's site:

http://www.deadmike.com/

He had a skydiving accident which involved recovering some of his teeth from his lungs, reconstructing his face, and repairing any bone that was big enough to break.


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## skyphix (May 29, 2007)

And my friends say I've been injured too much...

In one accident (while training, none the less), I received a severe concussion, dislocated my jaw, cracked two ribs, and received various abrasions. Hand slipped off a slick, rain covered bar end while out of the saddle in a sprint... face first into the pavement, all 240lbs landed on my bar end. My feet stayed clipped in, so the front wheel acted as a pivot point and sent me straight into the ground. No launch. Untrued the wheel, but it didn't taco (I was sprinting at ~28mph).


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## akashra (Dec 30, 2006)

Well, nice. Just a week after saying "never had an injury", I break two bones, sprain a finger and taco a wheel all in one accident. Left Clavical, Right middle finger, Sprained right thumb, 5x25mm gash on leg... nice ;(
6 weeks on a trainer, I vow to come back faster than ever.


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## GHolland35 (Apr 26, 2007)

I was coming down this trail I knew like the back of my hand and hit a small jump. When I landed, my bike veered left straight towards a tree. The left side of my head caught it at about 20mph and when I woke up my buddy was standing over me in awe. I had bark embedded in my face and thought my earring had lodged in my neck. Luckily I just crushed the earring. Although I didn't seek medical attention, I most likely had a concussion or a mild one at least. A few months later, I went over the bars and smashed the right side of my face on some gravel and still made my date with my girlfriend that night. In the first race of 1999, I got caught behind a slower guy and when I came upon him, smashed into him and fell onto a boulder and cracked my right elbow. Haven't raced since. There are lots more injuries but I don't want to take out the unofficial medical record.


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## scottyperkins (Oct 29, 2006)

*This here is a little game we call "tempting fate"...*

Broken collarbone and more sprained wrists than I can count. Once I finally learned how to sit back and stop being such an case study in how to endo things have been much less entertaining for my local urgent care.


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## artoledo (Jan 11, 2007)

Torn ACL, Torn bucket handle, Torn Meniscus. I'm contemplating leaving the sport.


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

What kind of riding are you doing?


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## Guest (Jun 28, 2007)

I was wondering what kind of riding people do also. I have been riding two to three times a week for the past two and a half years aggressive xc. I have ridden downhill twice and the results were a broken finger my first time and a shattered collarbone, a plate and six screws the second time. I just recovered enough from the collarbone surgery in early May to ride on the road and smooth trails today. Even though I was hurt riding dh, I have to admit I think I'm going to have a cringe of intimidation when I get back on my local xc trails and get to a sketchy decent. Anyone wind up a little afraid of their bike after breaking themselves? I feel that way a little now but should get over it with time I assume.


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## SkiBikeMan (Jun 22, 2007)

*3rd Degree Separated Shoulder*

I had just gotten back in the fold of riding with the guys again last November after having our second child and building a house. Rode on a sunday ride, went to the top of Mount Pleasant on the coast of Maine, overlooking the mighty ATLANTIC ocean, beautiful!.

Cleaned a treacherous downhill, rode all of the ride just fine. In the last 30 minutes of the 3 hour ride, minutes from our vehicles, I crashed HARD. We were flying down a trail with cobble style rocks, one let loose and sent me into a tree. The most pain I have experienced in a long, long time!.

Collarbone torn from scapula (shoulderblade), and front ligaments shredded, shoulder dropped several inches and collarbone stuck up. Had surgery in December, today was my last day of Physical Therapy and doc has stated that by September I should be able to get back on the ole Turner and give it a try again.

WIll post pics of the after shots of surgery tomorrow. Sucked big time!!!!


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## b_chance5 (Mar 27, 2005)

*Just got out of hospital after three weeks*

7 broken vertebrae
several broken ribs
tib and fib fractures
collapsed lung (and re-collapse with complications) + assorted interal injuries.

Absolutely no fun! Still another month before I might be off crutches, let alone ride a bike. Glad to be alive and in no hurry to get back on the bike.

A friend told me: "It won't hurt so much after the pain goes away". Can't wait for that to happen.

Stay Safe!!!!


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## Berkley (May 21, 2007)

EDIT: Double post


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## Berkley (May 21, 2007)

Never been seriously hurt riding, but I've had my fair share of injuries (some of which affect me when I'm riding).

[Because I like the timeline idea....]

2002: Sliced my hand open on shale rock when I tripped as I was running.

2003: Took a dive over the handlebars, nasty sprained wrist.

2005: Suffered a compressed fracture of the C6 cervical vertebrae at the pool I work at. This was a fun one: 11 days in the ICU, $88,000 worth of surgery, $16,000 worth of doctor's bills, $1,000 and 2 months of occupational therapy and over a dozen MRIs, X-rays and CT scans. Had to wear what they call a HALO vest (nothing to do with the game), consisting of a plastic, padded vest with titanium rods connected to a titanium ring resembling a halo. The ring has pinholes, through which 4 titanium pins are drilled directly into the skull. 75 days in that, then another 2 months in a Miami J collar (soft plastic). The nerve damage that I sustained completely paralyzed my hand for over a week, it still bothers me especially in cold weather. 


2006: Hit by a car riding through town. Bruised my leg like nobody's business. X-rays turned up nothing but every once in a while it still acts up.

2007: Ripped my shoulder out of its socket swimming. Pics below.


...2004 was a good year...

EDIT: Slid the shoulder out again on sunday...bummer too, just installed my BB7s a couple days before....ahh well, at least I got in a Buffer Zone ride...


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## Sawyerdog (Sep 6, 2006)

last weekend on the Downhill at Winter park...hit jump wrong...posterior dislocation of my left shoulder and fractured right thumb! Bummer both arms/hands are useless due to cast and splint...can hardly go to the bathroom by myself...


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## Kawi (Jul 20, 2007)

nickobec said:


> Smashed collarbone (it was in four pieces) - five weeks ago, still recovering
> 
> Suppose you want to see the x-ray, nasty bruise I had and the big lump of bone pushing against the skin I now have?


hahaha i broke my collarbone last season to for the third time, the lump of bone pushing up definitly is a different site isnt it?


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## dlmlaw (Sep 9, 2004)

4 weeks ago I crashed while racing in a 12 Hr race at Pats Peak in NH. I suffered a grade 3 AC joint seperation in my left shoulder, a dislocated left elbow and a fractured radial head in my left arm, along with various other bumps, bruises and scratches.


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## jdr999 (Jun 4, 2007)

I've heard golf mentioned a few times in this thread. I actually know someone who was quite injured playing golf.

He was using a composite / graphite club I believe (I'm not a golfer!) and his club shattered mid-swing. I have a feeling the club head hit the ground and the force of the swing caused the shaft to fail. At the end of that swing there was nothing left connected in his hand -- his fingers were dangling by a thread, all the tendons and ligaments in his fingers and hand were completely severed. Not nice at all.

My worst was nothing all that serious compared to what many of you have been through. 

Before we married, my wife and I used to tent camp and mountain bike up at High Point State Park in NJ.

It was the end of the day and we were heading back to camp. I was coasting down a twisty, paved fire road at about 35MPH. I was going a little too fast to make the upcoming curve so I took it wide and road off the pavement into the grass. (I should have quit there!) I then tried to swerve back up onto the fire road (about 4-6" above the grass). Front tire hit at a funny angle, and I started sailing across the sky!!  

Somehow I managed to tuck and roll. When I was able to get back up I had a huge gash in my elbow, sprained wrist, broken helmet, taco'd wheel, cracked frame, bumps and bruises and my entire body looked like raw hamburger for weeks after! The wife dragged the bikes back to camp while I limped behind. I did give the ER doc a chuckle -- he said he's never seen that much road rash on anyone. EVER.  

I'm 38 now with four kids - the oldest is 8. I just started back up again :thumbsup: 

But I can't afford to get hurt anymore! I bit the bullet and ordered up a Rockgardn jacket and legs for me, the wife, and the oldest kid. So try not to laugh at me too much on the trail -- I've got too many responsibilities now to be limping home in a bloody heap!

Joe


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## Berkley (May 21, 2007)

*Since I last posted.....*

...disclocated my shoulder again (same one)

also, endo'd friday bombing down a hill that was bigger than my skill level.

Mild concussion, plus extensive shoulder bruising and cuts/gashes. Could've been much worse if I had dislocated again or, god forbid, damaged my neck...


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Broken Leg is definitely the worst. You can see the pics by navigating to my cycling page or clicking the broken leg link in my sig .


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

just broke my collarbone yesterday


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## wilddogmoon (Sep 6, 2007)

Went off a three foot drop going pretty fast and after i landed my left foot got smashed between the pedal and big tree root. I ended up with two broke toes and a black and blue foot.The worst part of the whole thing was (get this) i hit the ground so hard my upper and lower teeth slammed together and i broke a tooth that had a root canal done on about two weeks before and havent had crowned yet.It hurt so bad i think i peed a little.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

You guy sure crash alot!!! Me too.. three bad ones on my road bike. separated hip and shoulder every time. the last one I was racing 3 other riders and hitting an appex at around 20 plus mph. hit a patch of sand and flip I counted three bumps to my helmet as i tumbled down the bike path. then a long slide. Needless to say I don't race on the MUT anymore. 

on my mt bike. the worst i was commuting to work. going into to afternoon sun. someone tampered with the local high schools chain link fence and stretched it across the bike path. it was gray the same color as the path. I hit it fell awkwardly and t fractured my left knee. I was off the bike for 7 weeks then start doing laps around the block. with the cast.
never fully recovered my knee limits my power and is giving my other knee problems, probably because I favor it. and it has been 7 years. It takes about 10 miles to warm up now. and forget about climbing. oh year the last one was when I fell into a tree planter dug out of the sidewalk. know my left should is about weak as my left leg.

I still ride whenever I can and am building an AM bike. I don't know how well I'll be riding it lol.


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## Surlyman1 (Sep 28, 2007)

I was about 14. Cruisin' down the road goin' pretty fast. started to slow down and my front brake came off. Old style side pull caliper. So the flailing brake is still connected to the bike by the cable. Brake goes into the front wheel and the fun begins. Over the bars and face first onto the chip n seal road. Skidded on my right shoulder and my face. When I came to I was in the ditch and my right shoulder was under my chin. My gloves were shredded. I touched my face and then looked at my hand. My glove was dripping blood. I blacked out. Came to in the hospital. Broken collar bone and lots of cuts and rocks in my face. The force of the sudden stop bent my fork back to the downtube.


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## CrAzYbIkEr on a jack2 (Sep 26, 2007)

well i was at the local bike park at the beginning of last summer with my friend. we were going down a pretty nice hill, but the huge, sandy jump really blended in. i didnt see it until i was right on top of it. I got huge air, tried to land the jump, but my fat ass just bent the seat, and i slid backwards. then, my ass hit the back tire, and the shot me forward, leaving a scar that u dont wanna see on my groin. then, i fell off, pedal came up and took a chunk out of my knee. i hit my head on the ground, cracking my 120 dollar helmet, and i cracked my elbow. WAAHOOO i came back about a month later and worked on that jump, and now it is pretty wicked.


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## bighit2 (Jul 17, 2007)

we didnt need the pic of the injuries lol
i disloated my knee in high school football had surgery and my knee is pretty good compared to a guy i go to college with he use to ride pro trials back when he lived in england or something like that and just got picked up by sinister bikes. his bad knee is kind of like floating he can move it all over and his good knee his doc said is destroyed too.
then i wrecked on the 5 foot droop at keystone hurt my back and chest ccouldn't move or breath good for a few weeks nothing serious.
then a week ago i dislocated my ankle doing a 360 on my dj at the skate park been in a splint for a week now a walking cast for 4 weeks then i dont know what next the doc in the emergency room said i wont be riding for the rest of the year but will be able to ride again though


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## carstenschaltz (Oct 24, 2007)

broke my wrist in an 8 hour race, finished the lap tho  the worst part is this goddam cast, I broke off the thumb peice so i can ride, (not intense trails, im not that stupid) but im only a week and two days from getting it off. cant wait!! oh, and the cast smells like someone pooed in it


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

carstenschaltz said:


> broke my wrist in an 8 hour race, finished the lap tho  the worst part is this goddam cast, I broke off the thumb peice so i can ride, (not intense trails, im not that stupid) but im only a week and two days from getting it off. cant wait!! oh, and the cast smells like someone pooed in it


Maybe someone did!! lol

I had a cast on my left leg from the calf to mid thigh, it was really fun when it starts to itch. I was riding at six weeks with a soft caset very carfully and slowly. my knee still pains me from time to time. the leg shrunk down to the size of my arm.

big mistake is to smoke when you have cast on. it will make you crazy, trying to escape.:madman:


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## monkies (Jun 10, 2007)

stupid injuries...ever since this one i've been skiddish for the last year (since this i've broken my pinky and the fingernail popped out, and a big shoulder crash with a giaganto scar on my whole shoulder). doing some freeride junk, came off this easy jump and landed on my arm apparently. funny thing is i was thinking more up the trail where there were some bigger drops...goes to show you shouldn't let the mind wander during riding. broke the forearm, and had to get it plated. i had to push my new job out a week because i had surgery scheduled. haha:thumbsup:


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## Stinch (Aug 22, 2007)

A few days ago, I broke my scapula and damaged the rotator cuff doing a downhill run over a jump. Screwed up the take-off, landed wrong and hit a tree. It all happened in about a second. Surgery may be possible on the shoulder, too soon to tell. Looking at three months of no riding and six for a full recovery (I hope).

MRI of shoulder:


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## enduro (Jan 30, 2004)

*Broke my back...while riding alone.*

Early sat morning on July 14th, hitting the local dirt jumps. Just one more then I'll head home. Went off the jump, foot came off the pedal, front wheel rotated on landing, and catapulted me head first into the next berm. Completely knocked the wind out of me and I thought "this is it, I'm done", then passed out. I wasn't out for very long b/c I could still hear the air coming out of my front tire as the tires had rolled off the rim. Trouble breathing and getting up. I just laid there for about 30 mins, then gathered myself and my bike and walked .5 mi back to the car. Couldn't load the bike on the rack but after a couple tries was able to get it into the back of my wagon. Drove home. There was a gouge in between my eyes and I knew i'd need stitches so I had the wife take me to the ER. xrays, ct scans etc. Found I had 3 Vertebral Compression Fractures to T3,T4,T5. I thank God I can still walk. Was back on the bike in about 6 weeks. But staying away from the dirt jumps for a long time.


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## beareeyeaan (Oct 20, 2007)

dislocated my shoulder a few weeks ago while falling off a fat log.
surprising part was that they found an old fracture in my arm with scar tissues healed over.

apparently i was hit by a Benz when i was in middle school (7 years ago) while riding my bike and did the dumb thing of "walking it off."


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## Nut! (Nov 2, 2007)

Absolutely shattered my collarbone at Keystone, had to have surgery and all. Definitely the most painful thing I've ever gone through.


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## jackal_rider (Oct 10, 2006)

well it started one morning a few years ago, during exam week in grade 9. i had just done an exam and had another in the afternoon and i was at my friends house who lives close to the school and we had some food and decided to go for a quick ride. i was cruisin down the road and saw this concrete hip thing, i'd done it alot before, so i didnt think anything of it. when i hit it i was going to fast and i kinda flew/manualed down the other side and when i hit the ground my bike landed on my right leg. i didnt think i had done anything at first, just a minor hit. i tryed to stand and there was immediate pain so i decided to wait for the ambulance. turns out i had brokin my tib/fib in 7 places and the bone had shifted bad enough they had to stretch it and pull it back into place before they took me anywhere. had to have a big metal plate and a bunch of screws put in for like a year and a half, im good now but its been 3 years. it took along time to heal(about 2 years)


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## robicycle (Nov 5, 2007)

saturnine said:


> just broke my collarbone yesterday


I broke mine left collarbone sunday afternoon , multiple fracture of my wrist and bruises everywhere ,, surgery scheduled on thursday...... Just overshoot big jump and no armor on my body. Be careful out there


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## A Grove (Nov 12, 2006)

basically the extent of my injuries. im kinda a puss tho, so what do you expect.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

yeah, been there too, too many times . been down on road bikes several times. broke things on mt. bikes.


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## hutter (Sep 19, 2007)

*First major injuries*

After 15 years of mountain biking, I have finally had a serious crash. I endo'd to a face plant.

Broken wrist, Broken nose, Broken nasal cavity, 5 stitches to nose. The rocky t says it all. Yo Adrian..................I did it

I'll Be Back

p.s. Yeah, big guy's ride too










not a scratch on th fuel


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## kahiwa (Nov 8, 2007)

2 worst injuries from riding:

-Broken Ribs
-Torn ACL ligament in shoulder.(4 weeks off the bike)


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## 62daver (Aug 9, 2007)

*Not even out on the trail yet*

While waiting for my ten-year-old to helmet up and come with me on a ride a couple of years back I wheelied up the alley uphill past the house just to pass the time-second trip through I accidentally hit the trigger shift when I wheelied and jacked it down a gear. Needless to say, the extra leverage translated to a hi-ho Silver moment, sending the bike upward past my face. Wasn't ready when touchdown came, and hyperextended my right knee to the point that I came down looking at my shin. Swelled up like a soccer ball. Couple of xrays showed nothing cracked or dislocated, but the MRI showed a torn ACL and when the swelling went down, hurt like a mother to walk on for a couple of months. Turns out riding more helps strengthen the joint (surgery not an option right now) and that excuse gets me out more. I've already been told I won't be riding in the snow and ice this winter-better look for a trainer//:madman:


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## derrgti (Sep 4, 2007)

The only real injury I have had besides the normal scrapes and bruises, was when I broke my collar bone in a race back in Waco Texas (Cameron park) 
I was passing a rider on the single track between the river and the cliffs and hit a rock tha
was hidden in the grass went over the bars landed on my shoulder and got up kinda dazed. The person I was passing stopped and asked if I was ok, I said yeah told him to go on then when I reached down to pick my bike up by the grip I felt my arm pull away from my body a good inch I dropped the bike and felt my collar bone and said Sh#$.
I had to walk back and every couple of minutes another group of racers would come by so I have to stand in the grass as they passed while doing so I got stung by this huge bumble bee on my ankle twice before making in back out finding my buddy and going to the hospital. 
I think I ended up being the first person out of about 50 that ended up there from that race..


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## NashvilleBlur (Nov 9, 2005)

When I cut it open I could put my finders inside my knee! I was cut open that wide! Hopefully it will be the last time I look into the inside of my knee!!!!!! I started physical therapy to get movement in my leg yesterday after 3 weeks of it being straight. PAINFUL, but I can bend it >90 degrees now & improving!





Cure for going over the bars moving forward....


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## Bluering (May 15, 2007)

That Looks nasty ......Cant believe you get away with your bike in the dining room... I would be so single if my wife came home and found my bike in the house...mmmmm that would open up alot more time to ride... I see where your going with this... Ill be back in a minute......Cheers Bluering


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## NashvilleBlur (Nov 9, 2005)

She is really into biking too & it is brand new. Once it goes to the trail it will be in the garage. It's great having a wife as into cycling as you! We keep our road bikes in our office. That is pretty cool!


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## Got_Pedals? (Nov 29, 2007)

Ok... I was 16 and was still racing BMX, i had only gone around the track 2 times before the qualifying race. I get up to the gate and like a bat out of hell i take off, i am just wooping the competition into the first berm, but low and behold there is a 4-6 pedal gap between the berm and the first double, it leads into a triple set, so i speed up and try and speed jump the first double as i would usually do, but the landing is a little higher then i anticipated... i clip the front tire and fall right on my head. i broke T5, T6, and compacted both, spent some time in the hospital, luckily i did not touch my spinal cord or getting back on my feet would have taken a lot longer then it did. Was 8 months before I touched my bike (doctor still said I shouldn’t have) and another 4 months before I could take off the half body cast I had.


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## mtbmonk (Jun 3, 2004)

*A Little Mountain, A Little Road*

*Mountain:* Broken collar bone, three broken rib and a broke finger. I've since been down the same trail 50 times and I still have no idea what happened. I guess gravity just didn't like me that day?

*Road:* Dislocated elbow, shattered radial head. Cars hurt! At one time, I use to think PT meant "Physical Therapy". Now I know I was completely wrong, PT means "Pain and Torture!"


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## olegbabich (Dec 28, 2007)

a new shoulder


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## T_N (Nov 5, 2007)

i was riding home from school one day, my back tire slid from under me, hit the curb, and my head went into a telephone pole... i got a minor concussion and broke a helmet i got 5 days prior to the incident. the next day i was riding in a forest behind my house, i was on a gravel trail, new gravel had just been put down so it was pretty loose, i lost my balance probably because of the concussion, and fell on my left arm, dislocated my elbow (went back into place about a second later) and i was tangled up in the bushes with my bike. I got cuts on my knee because of the gravel and my shin because of the chainring too. I went to the hospital, got a half-cast put on, four days later it was taken offf, then two days after that i was getting into bed, put to much weight on the elbow, and it dislocated again, the x-ray showed about an inch of space between where the bone was and where it was supposed to be. what followed was 2 hours in the emergency room, 3 weeks with another half-cast, and 5 weeks with a full arm brace.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

last feb. while riding through baylor campus a chick got me with her car.

my worst injury from that incident wasnt so much a single injury as the synergistic effect of the multiple injuries i sustained from her failure to yeild. they included...


shattered right clavicle
completely separated right shoulder
cracked sternum
several broken ribs
serious concussion
badly sprained wrists
lots o' road rash

been fortunate on a mtb, and other than splitting my ear completely through after hitting a tree my worst injury on a mtb happened on the way to the trail while i was in moab. we were riding out to amasa back and right past the coin laundry i hopped up onto the curb and was riding the edge of it at about 22 mph when my one of my tires slipped off and sent me head first into the sidewalk.

got a real bad concussion from that one. cops/ambulance showed up and when they were trying to get me into the ambulance i started screaming "dont take me to jail, im not drunk" and ran out into the middle of the street and tried to walk the solid yellow line, then leaned my head back, held out my arms, and started touching my nose. then i ran from everyone when they tried to get me out of the middle of the road and into the ambulance, kinda like ricky bobby did when he thought he was on fire. 'cept i had my clothes on. oh, and in the emergency room i apparently had a "man itch" that i scratched with wild abandon completely oblivious to my surroundings. gotta love concussions.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

Ouch. you must love pain! 
I've been there so I know. when I was in the ER for a broken knee the nurses totally killed me. however they were very hot. one decided to test the knee for stability and twisted it back an forth. I almost passed out and yeah it was broken!! T fracture across the joint. 

Then while I was leaving one of the nurses was kinda pissed because I was flirting with the hot nurses. so she took over the wheel chair and "accidently" swung it around and collected a post with my bronken knee. I love pain. but not that much!:madman: :eekster: 

They put on a soft cast after 6 weeks and started riding. It was doctors orders to start on a stationary bike. I figured if i can ride a stationary i can just as well ride my mt. bike., so I began riding again.:thumbsup:


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## MultiRider (Dec 27, 2005)

Compound fracture of the fib and tib in lower right leg. Broken right femur. Crushed right shoulder requiring surgical repair. Numerous concussions. And, lots lots more minor injuries.

But that was motocross. Glad I gave that up!

Mtb -- lots of cuts and scrapes and bumps and bruises, but just the right clavicle as far as broken bones. Noticed a family on a hike with kids playing on the rocks. Watched a little too long because when I looked forward again I was headed off the trail. And over the bars. And to the ER. Ouch!

Apparently I tend to fall on my right side . . . 

I whacked my right leg with the bars during an awkward moment a while back. Golf-ball sized lump formed within minutes. I was trying to decide whether to ride back to the truck or continue on, so I asked opinions of other riders. One guy said "What is your body telling you?" I snapped "THAT WAS STUPID!! DON'T DO IT AGAIN!!!" I continued the ride, no ill effects.


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## bagpipes (Feb 3, 2007)

Here is the point form version.....

Full tilt on a slight decent with a mild bend to the left.
Some dolt filled in a huge pothole with gravel and covered it with dirt.
hit the "dirt over gravel" patch
wheel slightly turned, sank in the gravel and turned all the way left.
(had bar ends back then) went over the bars but my wrist hit the bar end
landed on my shoulder and head
got up and kept riding for another few hours and drove home
went to a BBQ with all the riding group
sitting on the deck and said outloud "I only see sparkling tinsel out of my left eye"
off to the hospital and blacked out..........
woke up in a stange place with a person shining a light in my eye
freaked out and ended up being pinned down by security due to my screaming
after calming down they explained the brain swelling, concusion, temporary blindness, the arm sling for the separated shoulder and the cast for the broken finger, hand and wrist.

Amazing what you can still do when your brain has been jarred to the point that it doesn't react to your body's injuries. I scared the crap out of that nurse though, kinda felt bad after.


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## kalooch (Jan 14, 2008)

*i love mountain biking*

I have gone over the handle bars to many times to count... each time has knocked the wind out of me(always have landed on my back). couple of weeks ago was doing some DH on a local DH trail, nothing complicated at all just fun, i made it down the whole mountain without a hitch, until i got to the bottom, i don't know how fast i was going... probably 25 mph, but at the bottom is nice compact dirt with nasty loose gravel all over the top. i was going into the turn at the bottom when my front wheel sliped all the way off the side of the trail and i found myself sliding down a massive rock in the ground. whole right side was cut up and got 7 stiches in my right elbow. rode down the whole mountain the next day.:thumbsup:


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## Wampuscat (Jul 22, 2004)

5 weeks ago in the A M. You can bet your arse if the sun is out I am going to get a ride in to celebrate! F...ed up My spring races though.


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## lumpy81 (Jan 22, 2008)

I was racing bmx in 95 when I completely missed a landing. I broke my hand, separated my right shoulder, broke my left shoulder, broke my nose and lossened my two front teeth. The kids I went to school with though I was in a car wreck.


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## fitrider (Dec 12, 2007)

*Scarred*

Nothing too serious!

I broke my collar bone on my road bike - check tis out, it was the day before my weeks mountain biking trip to slovenia! I was too bus worrying about the cars behind me not to notice the bushes sticking right out in the road!

Another time I was doing a really steep downhill on my local training hill, like the one I know off the back of my hand! and for some reason (and i have never seen this before) the front wheel just locked and catapulted me through the air - took a severve blow to my head which knocked me out! Luckily I always wear a helmet - the helmet was split in half & the doctor told me I would probably have suffered brain damage if i wasn't wearing one[although we will never know]! MY head was proper ****ed - all swollen on the right side of my face, I was getting some proper looks!!

loads of small cuts and scars on arms and legs & chest from small tumbles over the 
years -

i'm thinking we should set up a 'scars 1 year later' section or something,


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## goat (Mar 5, 2004)

*split my head*

I once busted my head wide open. Broke all my fingers in one crash. I had to walk from the trail to the car with blood dripping everywere. I did not know I was so bloody and why people were looking at me horrified until i looked in the mirror. 
I cracked my head literally above my eyebrow, and you could see the bone of my skull. The fall was on some lame corner, nothing techincal at all, I was just tired and did not pay attention.


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## steve001 (Mar 17, 2008)

nothing too serious touch wood got some pretty good scars though and of course the mandatory shin scars for pedal slip


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## alex131 (Mar 21, 2008)

*injury*

Nothing major, just starting out..


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## BushPilot (Aug 29, 2007)

Some gnarly carnage on here. Guess I'm lucky:

MTB:

2000 -- Broken / Bruised ribs
2001 -- Clavicle Break
2002 -- Compressed disc c6/c7
2007 -- Bruised Hip
2008 -- Deep Thigh Bruise (Bad)

Skate/Snow/Surf/Work:

1978 Broken right wrist - skate
1985 Broken left wrist -skate
1986 Puncture wound / Lacerated Hamstring - surf
1992 Partially torn Achilles Tendon - work
1993 Broken Right wrist -snowboard


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## the-dude (Mar 3, 2008)

Worst injury so far. Torn ACL and medial meniscus. Physical therapist thinks parital PCL tear. Looking at surgery. I am not aloud to ride my bike for at least six weeks.


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## jpine93 (Aug 7, 2007)

had a pretty good one today.....
was out doin some dirt jumping, hit a jump that goes down a hill. Its about a 13 foot drop to where the "sweet spot" of the landing is. Went off super squirly today for some reason, even though ive hit it like 50 times, went bigger than usual, landed sideways, skidded down the hill on my side and elbow. Should have gotten stitches on my elbow for some deep cuts, but I didn't. My knee is swollen and hurts to move, so i will have to wait and see about that one, but mostly pretty darn sore and scraped up really bad...


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## Ixquiac (Apr 23, 2007)

1st injury that puts me out of comission on my mountainn bike, I have had several in other sports inclduing hockey. 1st time trying out dual slalom, and I should have known better than to clip in. Having fun in the 1st lane, then switched over thinking I am good to go. Didn't see that this roll in was steeper and off camber. Dropped in full force, buried my wheel, and landed on my head and shoulder. Anyway, got what they called an AC separation, basically didn't break the bone, just permanently dislocated it and have the bone wanting to poke through my body to show for it. Steve Peat was on the course as well and saw me go down, he came over and had the diagnosis spot on. Then he proceeded to show me his, very pretty... I will post my Xray when I get a chance.


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## ssbeeritual (Apr 26, 2005)

*Best Birthday Present Ever!*

The morning of my 35th b-day, after a month of lower back pain but feeling good this January morning, I hopped in the shower and dropped the soap. Like a gorilla I bent over and picked it up. I could hear the L5S1 disc blow in my inner ear and I, well, bent and screaming still went to work for a little while. I was really messed up and tried to tell myself it would get better. I tried odd therapies and stayed somewhat active for a month and then began to hear the soft whispers of the 'S' word. I saw my doc after 25 days out and he said I should see the neurosurgeon. I did. I failed his little test. On this Wed afternoon in 1997 he asked me if I was busy at 5am on Friday. I wasn't. Got real drunk Wed nite and hurled on the wife's drapes at 3am. That pissed her off some.

So, the doc surgically removed the busted chunks of disc, shaved some of the 5th lumbar off (the 45 min video of it is actually sort of boring), and - here I would surmise b/c I was heavily sedated, somehow tucked my spinal cord back into the ventral (?) hole of my lumbar and sewed it up. Yeah, the spinal cord was pinched shut from my waist on down and I was 80% numb. Shouldn't have been able to walk, let alone ski or shovel snow off my garage roof, but I did. _Shouldn't have_, I was later informed. My buddies had a very applicable nickname for me for those few weeks though... ??

Three more things: 1) coming off Morphine sucks, 2) the worst PAIN of my entire life came a week following the surgery when the Lortab painkiller/muscle-relaxant drugs bound me up for 8 days straight and the hemorhoids I received as a result - oh-my-God, my eyes are watering again as I recall those moments, and 3) I did the therapy and gave up on running pavement. Healed up, and then began mtnbiking seriously at the age of 38. Raced Expert hard in '03 and won the old guy class. Still riding...


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## mlepito (May 1, 2007)

Of all the injuries I've had, I have to say the worse one was dislocating my elbow. Mostly because when I was in school they said adult elbows don't dislocate, they break. 

I was coming down a steep decent where there were a bunch of humps in the trail. Probably so you will slow down. They were too close together to jump. I was doing good until the last one, when my suspension fork broke inside and jammed up causing me to go over the bars. I thought I was ok. I hit my head, no surprise and I only had minor scrapes. When my buddies caught up with me (they went slow, good for them) they asked if I was ok. I said "I'm fine, but my arm is stuck"

One of my friends pointed out that it won't move because its dislocated. I looked down and sure enough, both the ulna and radius were pushed out the back of my elbow and the skin was torn a little from the tension. I told them to go back to the car and call an ambulance since I obviously needed to go to the hospital. 

To make a long story short, when all was said and done, I had a dislocated elbow with bone chips, a grade II concussion, chip fracture in the right wrist and a grade III shoulder separation. The shoulder separation took over a year to feel better. Grade three means you tear all the ligaments at the AC joint. Still looks funny, my clavicle sticks up a couple of inches. The xray showed 15mm of separation, supposed to be 3mm.


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## w00t! (Apr 28, 2008)

Two busted teef.

Out on the trail is the only place I can smile proudly now.


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## gallorody (Feb 1, 2004)

Broke a bone in my hand catching myself flying over the handlebars and poison ivy.


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## erikeilers (May 16, 2008)

*Broke my neck 2 weeks ago...*

I broke C1 C2 C6 and C7, and am lucky to be walking!


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## Bumpy (May 25, 2008)

Busted hip and 10 months on crutches


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## OnePointFive (Aug 13, 2007)




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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

gonna need some history on that one...


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## elder_mtber (Jan 13, 2004)

Good grief, I guess that was a knee.
Get healed + no infection!

Terry


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## OnePointFive (Aug 13, 2007)

Yes, it is a knee. No good story, simple Friday afternoon ride, front wheel washed out, knee hit rock, knee explodes, tears patellar tendon. I wrapped it up, rode out and went to the ER. Took 2 hours to clean it up, dirt was packed in my knee. Been on some strong antibiotics since the accident. Had surgery 3 days after the accident, had to repair the tendon and re-clean everything. Stapled up and all good now. Not much movement, full weight bearing, will start my PT next week. Hopefully will be back on the bike before too long.


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## jackmcmanus21 (May 19, 2008)

I had a nasty spill and got a nice compound fracture of my forearm when I was about 17....it was fantastic haha


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## SpartaSpartan (May 22, 2008)

I was riding with a cast (broke my thumb messing around on some hurdles off the bike) and went off a jump. Of course, I couldn't hold onto the bars firmly and endoed right onto my cast. Rebroke my thumb and had to explain to the doctor why my hand wasn't healing and why my cast was crammed with dirt and ground down. Could also be my dumbest injury.


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## FROSTYBREWS (May 21, 2008)

completely all around crushed arm pulling a jump on one of these bad boys when i was like 12


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## cmktech (Jun 6, 2006)

medial cuneiform fracture in my foot.


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## cruiserman (Jun 9, 2008)

Got hit by a car last year. Concussion along with 2 broken ribs and a 3rd degree separated shoulder.


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## pslovo (Jun 18, 2008)

MTB: cracked thoracic vertebrae and damage to end plates in several cervical and thoracic discs (too a header, literally, into a ditch off a bridge section).

Road: concussion, severe bone bruising to both knees, numerous abrasions, after getting hit by a car. lucky, could have been much worse. I don't like cars anymore.


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## Swift Rider (Feb 7, 2005)

Chance fracture of L1. 
Dual Spiral fracture of left Tibia.
30+ Shoulder Dislocations. 
Dislocated Thumb.


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## Dirty Bert (Jul 1, 2005)

Currently, i have 5 broken vertebrates in my lower back.

1 year ago, i broke my finger and 2 years ago, i had a lateral release and orthoscopic surgery in my right knee.

the back injury takes the cake.

~db


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## potato28 (Jul 1, 2008)

Broke my nose, might have fractured my left arm, concussion, lots of memory lose, bruised rib and all on no pain meds. It was a horrible 2 weeks while it was healing fully.


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## atrane21 (Jun 29, 2008)

my worst was actually a BMX accident but still in the trails (dirt jumping). i cased the lip of the landing and went up over the bars and slid in a head stand position for about 5 feet. 

broke 3 teeth, broke my big toe, pulled a muscle in my neck and lower back(lower back is still messed up and this was about 4 years ago), and had a severe concusion (1 of the 9 in my life haha)

overall it wasn't to, to bad. my big toe pissed me off the most though!


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## ca7erham (Jun 13, 2008)

Not quite sure what I did, but a month or so ago (28 hours after I got my new C'dale F5) I was riding on the road with a friend, when I suddenly ended up on the ground. I had to have been going atleast 25-30mph becaues my cycle computer said 20mph was my top speed at the top of the hill and when I checked after the crash it said 32mph. Ended up with a rather crooked nose (and lots of blood on the top of my shirt), a couple of scrapes, and a spraned wrist, but worse than that, my rotor and brake levers got bent making the bike unridable. And of course there were many good sams. near by, which would have been a good thing had I not been feeling fine and pissed about the bike("Are you ok?" "Should we call 911?") . Not my worst crash, but I was the one where I got hurt the worst.


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## Christ D (Sep 2, 2007)

Some small scratches with or without stitches,torn my ligaments in my right anckle getting my bike out of the garage:madman: 
Some bruisses,nothing ever serious besides those ligaments.
Friend of mine broke his back in a marathon in the Ardens(Belgium) and still finished the race "I think there's something wrong with my back"he said.After 2 months he was back on the bike for gentle ride's.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

*worst ever*

I just crashed big time almost cost me my life and limbs. found out later I had 3 fractuered vertebrae, 1 neck c1, 2 spine t2/t3. I was solo on Chesebro road in Agura, Ca, been down this trail almost weekly, but this time crashed going down hill on a stepped terraced revine. I hit a large rock dropping into one of the steps. the bike stopped and I went over the bars downhill and hit head first into rocks. probably 5 to 8 foot drop after being catapaulted over the bars. helmet flattened and cracked on inside. I'm sure it save my life.

I was stunned and temporarily lost motor control of my limbs. saw stars, head hurt like hell, neck and back pain. rider came along and kept me still. couple of riders rode down to contact rangers. horse back rangers arrive about 20 minutes later. they called in sheriffs Medvac. They pulled my out from about 1000 ft. up or more the clear the trees.

I was in the ICU for 4 days. on my back.w/ iv, oxy sensor, cather, blood pressure, and ekg attached to my chest and calf massagers to prevent clottine. Just like ER but not as much fun.They had me standing on 2nd day. walking on 3rd, I had to learn how to walk all over again and after PT on 4th day was discharged.

So after all of that, and the pain and after my second crash at about the same spotl, I have seriouse doughts about ever returning to single track mt. biking. will probably start again on short paved bike path stents. but no more down hills for me. 
I was lucky, and had angels looking over me. I could have been a quad or dead. it was that close. I started work today after 3weeks out.

so for now no more mt. bikes. I'm not feelling it right now.


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## Christ D (Sep 2, 2007)

Best of luck,nagatahawk. Cheers and take care,maybe one day you get the "mood" again.Just cruizin' with a bike can be a joy to.


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## Stacy123 (Jul 9, 2008)

*Disslocated Tailbone...*

I'm 8 weeks post-op for shoulder surgery and am doing better, still can't ride off road, however I have a severely disslocated tailbone which is killing me. I was told yesterday that I need to have it removed. I can't live with the pain any longer and I can't ride my bike comfortably anymore.

Anyone else dealt with a tailbone injury? It occured when I did an endo over my handlebars on the Schweitzer downhill trail. Now I can barely sit for five mintues. Need it out ASAP so I can start recovery to ride again this fall maybe.

Stacy


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## miamimitch (Oct 7, 2005)

*Hurt*

Decided to play around in a BMX area that we found while riding the trails of a local state park.

I was having fun riding over some small gaps and then decided to put two together. Bad move.

Front tire hit the back of the second gap and over the bars I went, I have never hit the ground that hard before.

Damage broken right forearm ( closed compound fracture) and a cracked left radial head(elbow joint).

After three surgery's to repair everything I am healing well with some PT to get the left arm to work right again.

I will be off the bike for a few more months.


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## Scudweiser (Jul 13, 2008)

it was so badly shattered that my hand even swelled up, lost most distal nerve function too, it kept me off the bike for 3 years... and it didnt even happen on one!


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## juscruzin (Nov 22, 2007)

Just released from hospital last night. 5 broken ribs, 3 front 2 at back, broken and dislocated collarbone, and a partially deflated left lung.
I knew I was going to get hurt when I was looking down at the ground from 4 metres up, and going 50 km/hr.


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## HardRockCop (Jul 16, 2008)

Man, I've been seeing some of ya'lls surgeries and they look pretty gnarly. If you ever bust your stuff in SA, see if you can get Dr. Pete McGanity. He fixed me up nice, considering the intense condition of my break (picture putting your foot in a log, then falling sideways). Plus my leg doesn't look like Frankenstein put me back together with all the scar trails (despite 2 surgeries). :thumbsup:

Tib/Fib fracture....Fib in 2 places:


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

jcruzn,
I'll bet your glad to get out of ICU, except for the really nice nurses and pt therapist.(Los Robles Hospital) 
Ive been there. 
have a speedy recovery.

Wayne


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## MTU (Dec 27, 2004)

I had a front tire blow out on Mt. Tam's Railroad Grade. Took a spill. I felt ok, but it turns out I had a mild concussion. I did get a new helmet from Bell out of it through their replacement program.


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## twentysixinches (Aug 14, 2008)

*worst injury*

A couple of years ago, some friends and i were riding a area where dirt bikes frequent. I walked my bike up the steep hill, jumped on rode down, hit a jump probably meant for a DB cased the landing and got ejected from the bike. I land on my side and broke my femur and hip, DOH, a lifestar heli ride and some surgery (TI rod, ball joint replacement) and i was good as new. Well in a six months or so i was riding again, just a little more aprehensive about jumping now.


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## 71 10-7 (Nov 8, 2004)

Crashed on 07-31-08. Broken left shoulder (fractured Caracoid process, fractured Scapula, dislocation):madmax:


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

erikeilers said:


> I broke C1 C2 C6 and C7, and am lucky to be walking!


erik, I feel your pain,
I broke the same, c1 et al, and have been told I am lucky to be alive not to mention walk and swing my arms. I now have 4 weeks to go to remove the my Neck collar. "Miami."

After starting to feel proud of myself, I have had one set back. I now take it slow and day by day.

have a safe recovery
WN


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

nagatahawk said:


> erik, I feel your pain,
> I broke the same, c1 et al, and have been told I am lucky to be alive not to mention walk and swing my arms. I now have 4 weeks to go to remove the my Neck collar.
> 
> YIKES! How did that happen (so I can NOT do that)?


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

swoodbrn said:


> nagatahawk said:
> 
> 
> > erik, I feel your pain,
> ...


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## photoguy1000 (Apr 5, 2008)

I went down July 7th in Downieville… caught a log/root with my pedal I think going about 20mph. Did a superman over the bars and my 280 pound Clyde body hit the ground hard… dislocated my left shoulder & broke my right wrist. Had to hike out about six miles… was not fun. Doing PT now on my shoulder and my wrist is still in a cast you don’t heal fast at 41.

Steve


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## ivy (Aug 13, 2008)

*broken jaw, broken arn, same accident*

My third time riding. I was wired shut until a week ago (6 weeks total). I drank a LOT of Ensure. A broken jaw is awful. I'm actually on my way in ten minutes to the orthodontist to see if I can get help with my bite. My ears pop, my jaw crackles. It's really a bad injury.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

Ivy,
I have 3 weeks an 3 days to go (out of 12 weeks total) to remove my cervical neck brace. my migrains have subsided to early mornings only. I have learned to take it slow an not push it.

It has only been 6 weeks, thing will get better, i can assure you. After a hard hit, the body takes a while to heal. 

Hang in there,
wn


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

Ouch - how'd that happen?


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## MPD409 (Sep 6, 2008)

Thought I was gettin good at this and we all know what happened next. Bike dumped me hard and broke my left shoulder blade 2 weeks ago. Didn't eat it on a technical part, just a dirt single track...hit some leaves and SEEEEE YAAAA!!!! Had to ride another 5 miles to get out, gotta love adreniline:madman: Any ideas on how long this will keep me out???


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## lazyracer (Apr 11, 2004)

*1984: *got hit by a 25 ton water transport truck that blew a stop sign = broken pelvis, shoulder, ankle, concussion. ruined my day
*1986:* crashed on the NORBA Shimano Carlsbad Downhill, compressed 2 vertebrae, blessed with an upper body cast uh, yeah ...

All better now

have determined I am allergic to emergency rooms,


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

six week to 12 weeks to heal broken bones. then some rehab to strengthen you upper body.


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## MPD409 (Sep 6, 2008)

Greaaaaaaaaaaaat.....


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## kafromet (Sep 7, 2008)

OnePointFive said:


> Yes, it is a knee. No good story, simple Friday afternoon ride, front wheel washed out, knee hit rock, knee explodes, tears patellar tendon. * I wrapped it up, rode out and went to the ER*. Took 2 hours to clean it up, dirt was packed in my knee. Been on some strong antibiotics since the accident. Had surgery 3 days after the accident, had to repair the tendon and re-clean everything. Stapled up and all good now. Not much movement, full weight bearing, will start my PT next week. Hopefully will be back on the bike before too long.


:eekster: :eekster: :eekster:

That's pretty damn impressive. I wouldn't have been able to see the trail through the kindergarten girl like tears I would have been crying if I'd looked down and seen that mess.


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## JeepXJ3 (Jun 3, 2008)

Fell trying to clear a table top on my 29er Bent the rear hub on the bike, I didnt ride for 2 weeks afterwards.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

lazyracer said:


> *1984: *got hit by a 25 ton water transport truck that blew a stop sign = broken pelvis, shoulder, ankle, concussion. ruined my day
> *1986:* crashed on the NORBA Shimano Carlsbad Downhill, compressed 2 vertebrae, blessed with an upper body cast uh, yeah ...
> 
> All better now
> ...


Dude!
I'm glad you survived both your life threatening traumas. I hate ER's and ICUs.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

lazyracer said:


> [
> *1986:* crashed on the NORBA Shimano Carlsbad Downhill,
> QUOTE]
> I'll wonder if that is the same downhill i used to race motocross on? I remember the downhill on the International track was probably 1/4 of a mile down. There were a couple of ramp jumps on the downhill where we would sail about 30 feet. I was a lot younger then and thought nothing of it, actually loved it! we were running 12 inches of travel, full body armor and boots. I would never do that on a mt. bike. :eekster:


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## Hopping_Rocks (Aug 23, 2008)

I've never been hurt on my bike except for scrapes and bruises. The only serious injury I've ever had was a dislocated shoulder and torn rotator cuff when I was in 10th grade, about 6 years ago. I had to have it surgically repaired. I was snowboarding, and I went over a jump that was way beyond my skill level. I don't do jumps anymore.


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## mojojojoaf (Sep 9, 2008)

Besides breaking my back mountain biking. collapsing a lung, dislocating/seperating a shoulder? I was about 11 years old I had a new schwinn BMX bike which I had not taken the rear axle kick stand off of, you remember those. Well I wrecked pretty hard on the track practicing and the kick stand opened I got tangled in the bike and the kick stand ripped open my knee- it took 35 stitches to close up, beside my shoe coming off and taking the skin off my left foot when it dragged on the ground.

Thats about it.


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## willem3 (Apr 14, 2007)

Faceplant last year... Photo attached... Broken nose, 10 stitches, etc.....


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## Berry Stevens (Aug 31, 2004)

*VERY painful, but not an impediment*

I broke six ribs coming down Bunker Hill in Downieville several years ago. Two of them, the ends didn't meet & it was months before cartilage formed an then, later, turned to bone. About a year & 1/2 before they were something other than a hinge. Was on Vicodin for for 3+ months. Big mistake. should have weaned my self off much sooner. Couldn't sleep on my back for over a month. I was riding again, cautiously, in a couple of weeks.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

Berry Stevens said:


> I broke six ribs coming down Bunker Hill in Downieville several years ago. Two of them, the ends didn't meet & it was months before cartilage formed an then, later, turned to bone. About a year & 1/2 before they were something other than a hinge. Was on Vicodin for for 3+ months. Big mistake. should have weaned my self off much sooner. Couldn't sleep on my back for over a month. I was riding again, cautiously, in a couple of weeks.


It's always good to hear about recovery. I am slowly recovering from a head, neck and back injury. As for the pain medication, from what I have learned during my recovery the doctors are directed to give the patient comfort first irregardless of any resulting, addiction, constipation or other issues. They say the patience comfort is first then deal with the consequences later.

I prefer riding as my cure.


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## turnerreturn (Jul 13, 2007)

*Biking injury*

broken arm. double compound fracture and shattered five bones. it took me a long 6 mos. before I got back on the saddle again.
fortunately, i'm able to ride again with my wife to places like d'ville, mammoth, SDF, moab, etc., etc.


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## Maadjurguer (Mar 22, 2008)

Perhaps mine aint so bad compared to broken things or bleeding things....but I have the injury that keeps giving and giving....IT band issues. Sometimes I wish I could trade it for a broken bone...at least that has a decent chance at healing.


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## iridexc (Sep 21, 2008)

almost compound broken clavical, fixed with a Ti plate


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## decamun (Oct 25, 2008)

broke my collar bone last season on the last jump of frieght train. It sucked big time, but im back on the bike now. I was sitting a little off the trail after i wrecked, and a 
bunch of guys rode by and yalled at me for gouging the trail. Does that make any dense to you? any way, you prolly wanna see the x ray, though it looks like someone beat me to the punch. I cant fint it. Sorry. Anyways, other than that, i havn't broke much. I get lots of padel wounds tho


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## Idriver (Nov 14, 2007)

I have never broken anything yet ! The worst injury so far is a herniated disc in my lower back.


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## ibisrox (Apr 22, 2007)

Ripped a sirloin steak sized chunk of meat off of the side of my left knee in late Sept. 05, exposing my patella, my LCL and part of my lower leg bone when I bounced off a rock garden. Had 6kms to ride down the mountain as I was riding solo, and then had to drive 70kms to the hospital with a 5-speed manual transmission.(That was the most painful part!) Put an airhole into my knee joint and had to have it scoped & spent 3 days in hospital.
Back on the bike in 26 days!

My GF knocked out 4 teeth during her last lap of the 24hrs of Adrenaline in Canmore in july when she endoed off a jump, twisted her knee, and did a face plant. Tough girl was mad they wouldn't let her finish her lap!


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

It's been 5 months since my crash. I am recovering from a concussions, compressed and fractured neck and back vertebrae. At 3 months I began riding around the block, then gradually built up to 20 miles. I ride my road bike and take several breaks to rest. so far I am staying on the beach bike path.

Last week end will be almost 5 months since the crash and I took my first mt. bike ride with a beginners group. I should have waited another 3 months, but it really felt good to get back on the bike and on dirt trails! I bonked out after we reach to turn around point. I thought I was in the wrong gear, but it was me. I bonked. My head, neck, back and knees all started complaining all at the same time. I also had balance issues, my chiro will be giving me excercises to improve the balance.

Wayne


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## longhaultrucker (Jan 24, 2007)

no serious injuries on the bike since the late '80's,but on the job,i broke my neck (C4 & 5) 3-31-01,and split my left index finger in 1/2 (bone,nerves,tendons/etc) 11-1-01,and put a hairline fractue in my right big toe yesturday.:madman:


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## cpeterson (Nov 9, 2007)

I tore my acl this summer. I was coaching a kids camp and we where at a bmx type track and I was jumping with all the kids watching and I crashed, pretty hard. I set quite the example. It was the second to last day of camp, I had made it all summer long upright.

I had to leave early and go to the ER, good thing there was another coach there. It effectivly ended my race season, which was a bummer because I was pretty fit and having a good year. And it kept me from cross racing, I was really bummed about that.

It has been almost 3 months and my knee is still all swollen and hurts. I can ride and run and stuff, but it really takes some fun out of it with the pain. I still have to ice it daily and am favoring it.

I just wish that if I was going to crash that hard that I was going off a big jump and trying to go huge instead of the little jumps that the kids could clear.


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## bigpedaler (Jan 29, 2007)

Far and away, the shattered collarbone on 10-22. 6 pieces, repaired with 8 screws and a stainless plate. Still not back to work, either.


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

How? These people who report the injury, but not the cause...how can I learn?


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

swoodbrn said:


> How? These people who report the injury, but not the cause...how can I learn?


You can ask them?


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## rbtcha (Nov 17, 2007)

*Compartment Syndrome*

Date : September 2,2007
Time : 10:30am 
Location : Undisclosed to protect the rider.

It was a beautiful morning, sunny and calm with temp's in the low 90's. Had been out on a local XC trail before the group headed to the local bagel shop for some mid ride refueling. We had a 5 mile road ride back to the homestead. About half way back I decided to practice my wheelies which I had been getting pretty good at after the purchase of a Muni. 
all of the sudden I started to fall over backwards so I simply stepped off the bike which decided to trip me since its plan to make me fall on my A** didn't work. Luckily for me I was in a patch of grass so I basically did a dive roll only bumping my right Quad on the seat in the process and stood back up.

Fast Forward 5 hours (about 3pm)

Sitting down with friends to play cards and get ready for a good BBQ Rib Eye, I notice a pain in the quad that I bumped and decide that its just a minor cramp. Problem is, that "cramp" keeps getting worse and more painful.

Fast Forward 6 hours (about 9pm)
Here I am laying on the floor with 3 friends all that had been telling me that I need to get my leg looked at when I realize that my entire lower leg is going cold. So I call the fire department and see if they can send someone up to help me to my friends car, to which they reply " Sure, be there in about 2 minutes ( can see the station from the house and know the entire crew)." They help me to the car and ask what hospital I am going to and tell me to go to another one instead. Turns out It was very good advice from them.

At the hospital they get me a wheelchair and get all my info then roll me to the waiting room. While I'm sitting there waiting for what I think will be at least an hour, a passing Dr. sees the size of my swollen leg and tells the check in nurse to get me in the back (Good ER Doctor). They decide after a few basic checks that they need to get a pressure reading on my quad that's now about 2x the normal size. Now normal pressure is between 5 and 7 PSI as a reference for those who may not know. When they checked mine the pressure had built to 26 on the top of the quad and 36 on the side.

To this point I had refused all pain killers due to the fact that I'm stubborn and like to know what going on.

from the time they got the pressure readings, things started to get a bit crazy. within 5 minutes of the reading I was in or prep where they told me they had to open my leg up to fix whatever the problem was. That was the moment that i said I would take the pain killers. Its really odd when a Dr says they don't know whats wrong but we have to look inside to find out.

Fast Forward to 2:45am
Wake up in the hospital with an incision from my knee to my hip with the muscle sticking out about 2 inches. Not a good sight to wake up to.
2 weeks in the hospital
4 surgeries to close the leg back up
No work for 16 months 
Leg muscles in both legs shriveling away leads to 3rd ACL replacement on Left knee on 3-17-08 along with removing scar tissue build up in the right knee from the Quad
9-19-08 more tissue removal from left knee

Dr's Diagnosis as to why this happened is I blew a blood vessel inside the quad. One has to just love having an aneurysm.

For those with a morbid fascination of gory pics I have included a link.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...iewPicture&friendID=147184460&albumId=1763783

Be warned before looking they may turn your stomach.

Other than that:
1 rotator cuff tear from a K5 Blazer making an illegal left turn
1 Right Wrist socket shattered
Countless scrapes, cuts, gouges, and bruises

Finally in the last month I have started to get back on the bike and am working to get back in shape between PT and Rides. Though the quad will never be the same, one still has to get out and ride through the pain.


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

So what was the deal? Why did it balloon?


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

rbtcha,
wow, what drama
at least i got a ride in a helo.
Actually I hated it! 
Keep riding it's the only thing that keeps me sane.


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## rbtcha (Nov 17, 2007)

swoodbrn said:


> So what was the deal? Why did it balloon?


Thought I put that in there but seems I shouldnt post when im half asleep. 
Anyways Ive edited it in.

Had an aneurysm inside the muscle of the quad which caused the pressure to build.


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## thedumbopinion (May 15, 2008)

Pretty minor league compared to most in here but hey..I just started riding. It was my first trip to the desert.


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## JimmyAU (Jun 15, 2005)

about three weeks ago while commuting home from work I swerved to miss something (dog maybe a srub trukey) when off the path, bike stopped i went over the bars and landed hard on my head and left wrist.

at first i shook if off and kept riding home, with a very bent front wheel, not the best thing to do.my neck was starting to get a bit pianful and i could no longer grip the bars with my hand, but made it home.

the result was a intra-articular fracture of the discal radius.

CT scan images

















post opp Upgrades


























hopefully will be back on the bikes early next year


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## freaknunu (Jan 19, 2009)

went off a kicker some jack off thought it would be cool to leave some **** on the landing, got bucked off my bike left side of my body hit a tree traumatic dislocation left shoulder and my shoulder was in my cracked rib
kept me off the bike for a couple o months.


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

i think you said that your shoulder was in your cracked rib...


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## harry2110 (Oct 18, 2008)

having a chainring dig into your calve i still have a scar from it.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

It's been 8 months since my almost catostropic crash. concussion symtoms are gone, neck has about 80 % rotaion, back has pain after long rides. 

first single track ride this year after coming back from head, neck and back injuries, was 8 + miles on flats and mild single track, longest ride was 16 miles with 1300 ft climb. Then next week bonked in the heat after 1 mile. yup pushing to hard too soon. this week end watched the boob tube. Go Lakers! next weekend I will be trying out my new wheel set, derailer and crankset.


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## Sunnmax (Feb 10, 2009)

*2Nd degree*

2 degree burns from a wipe out on a short road area beween two loops 

Abrasion to bone on elbows from wipe out after small jump on gravel&earth........what made me realize it was serious was the looks on the peoples faces after I resumed to ride back home


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## Andrew_Unruh (Feb 22, 2009)

*Spinal Cord Injury*

On Saturday, I crashed hard on a drop off after my right foot came off the pedal. Besides the usual cuts and scrapes, both hands were burning like mad. I brushed off the injuries and continued to ride. Monday morning, after my MRI, I found I had severly compressed my spinal cord when a disk exploded. I now have a titanium plate in my neck.

Take my advice, if you have any unexplained pain, especially if it is in both hands and/or arms after you crash, get emergency attention immediately! I had no idea how badly injured I was. I'm told by my doctor that I am lucky to be walking.


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## bcjoker04 (Feb 27, 2004)

This thread is great; you guys are hardcore, mad props! I love it...

My pathetic contribution, compliments of Bootleg Canyon:


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## Elfbkr50 (Jan 10, 2006)

I have Digital X=rays somewhere. Last fall I did the classic flip over the handle bars rolling along at about 20 mph down a tight single track run in AK. The trail was peanut buttery mess and I slid off the natural fall line into a tree I sawed out of the way years before. Rather than landing on my face, I tried rolling to my shoulder. I thought it was dislocated, like when I was playing football. I threw my arm around in big circles and after realizing how bad that hurt I felt my left shoulder with my right hand and could feel a sharp pointy bone sticking through my shirt and skin. 4 miles later I was home and to the hospital to get bolted back together. 2 months later I was 100 %. Kind of a nice break from work, and since the transition between ski and riding season was on, I didn't miss much. Scared about my Moab/St. George/Whistler trips this summer. Stuff could go terribly wrong.


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## Redriderpro (Dec 20, 2003)

Ok, let me say at the start I'm 50 years old, so I've had time to add a few things up.

MTB-Since 1985

Collarbone 1986

A rib or two 2006

Right arm just below elbow, required plate and 13 screws. 2007

Right Femur- 4 places, required 24" rod, large bolt into hip socket and a clamp around the femur 2" below the hip.
(This happened Dec 7th 2008, I'm walking now, not great but will get there)

Off Road Moto racing 1977-1992

Various toes
Three different fingers
Left hand
Scapula
Colorbone
Compression fractures of T6-T7 (back)
Ankle

What is strange is that the femur was done a very slow speed in place you would never expect anyone to get hurt.
The arm was done in a kinda bad place, As I had got off the trail.
(Over the edge) 
Those were the only one's that required surgery to repair.

One of the earlier posters had said reading this was kind of like a train wreck. That's true but at least some of us now feel like we are NOT the only ones to get hurt doing things we like or that we may be good at.

Hopefully I'll get back to the "good at" part later this year.

Good luck to the rest of you.


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## zadey1234 (May 7, 2007)

The only serious injuries I've had it a couple bruises. lol. I've never broken a bone. My sister has been hit my a garbage truck and went under the front and out the side and she rolled an atc onto her back climbing a hill. Absolutely no broken bones, just bruises. I think its all the milk my family drinks. lol


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## Becky Thatcher (May 18, 2004)

*My mouth hurted for a while*

I landed hard on my face. Broke my cheek, my nose, my upper jaw, and wound up with 4 fake teeth on titanium screws.


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## 1of4Horsemen (Apr 26, 2009)

Left knee shattered tibial plateau.


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## ctyjones (Mar 17, 2009)

Haven't had too many injuries beyond scrapes and bruises, except a couple years ago.
One wreck: Dislocated shoulder, displaced clavicle, fractured thumb, fractured sternum, some pulled/torn shoulder ligaments, and 9 stitches in my elbow and side.
Good times.


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## shmukle (May 3, 2009)

Flipped over my handlebars doing Dowhill at Whistler and the bike smashed my head. No visible marks or bruising on my head, but once I started getting headaches, ended up at Squamish general with a concussion and a 600 dollar bill.


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## conbon (Apr 23, 2009)

Man, you guys are making me feal bad. I went mountain biking for my second time today. I was flying on a downhill section and there was a big root then a right had turn. I didn't realize the root was there until I was airborne with no way to stop. I locked my rear brake in the air so when I landed I would start slowing down ASAP. I figured I wouldn't be able to make the turn, so new plan of action was just to go straight, and just crash off through the woods. The trail wouldn't have any of this nonsense, it wanted me to go right, I wanted to go straight, we met halfway and I just took a slight right. Guess what was also slightly to the right.......a tree. I managed to scrape my forearm, the side of my leg, and then kick the bejesus out of the tree. I launcehd of the bike bike, but my head/shoulder broke my fall about 10 feet later. I bent the double wall rim pretty bad, but my friend at the bike shop retrued it for me for free. RIght now I'm sitting with a bag of ice on my foot because my big toe is really swollen. Hopefully its not broken, cause I'm not going to the doctor.


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## stuntz (Sep 16, 2008)

i know this is a common one...back in november somehow, i was riding and had my pedal down near the ground resting my legs and hit a small stump on the ground...foot somehow popped in front of the pedal and into the ground and big chainring proceeds to grind into my calf...received about 9 lovely bloody tattoos on my leg...stayed infected for about 2 wks and almost 8 months later still have some pretty ugly scarring from it..


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## mouseslave (Apr 8, 2009)

No real serious injuries other than bruised ribs. Isn't it funny though how much time you have to think about the pain as you are going over the bars and heading for sandstone.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

mouseslave said:


> No real serious injuries other than bruised ribs. Isn't it funny though how much time you have to think about the pain as you are going over the bars and heading for sandstone.


Me too! I tried to pop over a couple of very small roots, washed out and landed on my rt. shoulder and bruised up my ribs on that side.:madman: The third day was the worse, i could barely get out of bed. I'm at work (4th day, not as bad today) and hope to be back in the saddle this weekend.


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## mrclortho (May 12, 2009)

Two years ago I pogo'ed off of a couple of 3' drops, over the handlebars and onto a soft bed of solid limestone. I split the top bone in my arm in two, at the end right, at the elbow.

The doc said, "This will take 12 months to get over." I thought, "No way, I will be back at it in 3." I carried a 5lbs weight in my left hand for months at work trying to get it to straighten out. It finally did...in about 12 months.

2 years later, it reminds me every ride after about 10 miles.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

What happened(pictures please)? crash 1 yr ago, now fundamentally recocverd from fractured c1, t3,t4 and concussion. But! Friday, was riding a fairly easy low intermediate trail, tried to pop over a couple of very small roots. Although I have sucessfull accomplished this several times before, somehow I caught the front wheel on something, over the bars onto my right side. It hurt like hell, but I could tell no broken bones. 
What broke?
Ribs felt ok, it hurts to cough or laugh.
.
How long were you out? Are you back riding yet?
Day after felt no to bad but 3rd day I almost couldn't sit up and get out of bed. 4thday, I'm getting better, and will probably do some road biking this coming Memorial Day. 

How's your riding now? Any long-term effects? now I have the residual from last years injuries, coupled with this weekends fun. I am keep Tylenol in business!

How much did it cost you?
no money, only pain, 
How's the bike?
the bike only got dirty, nothing broken or bent. I didn't feel like cleaing it with sore ribs. 
heh! Today I part of me misses riding and the other doesn't really want to look at a mt. bike for a while.


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## mrclortho (May 12, 2009)

Sorry no pics. I lost about 10% movement in my left arm forever I guess. This is not from lack of trying to bend it all the way either. I spend hours in agony trying.

I actually cracked my helmet's foam but the shell kept it together. I guess it saved me from a serious head injury.:madman: 

It cost me about $2k when it was all done.

I was back on the bike in 6 months but nothing too hard for about 10 months and not from lack of trying either. The arm just would not work right.

The wreck blew the seals on my fork and it puked all of the fluid out of it. It was junk anyway. It is a Trek 4500 and I think that they made them from some indistructable metal from outer space. I am still riding it now...with the same wrecked fork. It sucks but almost have enough money packed away for my next bike, a G.F. Hifi.:thumbsup: 

Yes, it hurts a little, every ride. But, it is just a little less each time and I stirve for better fitness. It used to hurt after the first mile and now it is aroudn mile 8.


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## chowder_pants (Jun 1, 2009)

Back when I was 15, my buddy and I decided to get our old BMX bikes out and jump them into the river. We set a small ramp on the end of his pier and jumped off many times. After about 30 minutes, the pier is soaking wet, I came down the hill and onto the pier and the ramp fell into the water. I hit the brakes on the bike and, seeing how I was on wet wood with really bald tires, the bike washed out from under me. I flew in the air and next thing I knew I was on shore trying to breath. I gained composure after 30 min or so and looked at the pier. The posts come to a dull point on top and the entire pier was canted to the side about 10". From what my buddy told me (I totaly blacked it out), I flew from my bike and landed on one of the posts with my chest and went into the water. He looked for me under the water for a minute or so and finaly was able to drag me to shore. Went to the hospital and had xrays taken. I had tore my sternum on one side and seperated it from my ribs on the other. The doctor said I should be dead after taking a blow to the heart like that. I still have a dent in my chest from where my sternum USED to be and a huge chunk of scar tissue/relocated sternum right under it. 

Needless to say, that buddy was my best man in my wedding.


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## jersey0826 (Jun 4, 2009)

*Worst Injury*

Broken scafoid in my left wrist a couple years ago. Trying a technical descent that I was not ready to be trying. Worst part was it was on Father's Day.:sad:


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## dantheman762 (May 12, 2007)

*Compound/spiral Tib + oblique Fib fracture; surgery*

Now I've got more titanium inside my leg than on a small-sized Litespeed frame-set... My season is OVER. Happened on a training ride two weeks ago for the Canada Cup and I was alone, so I spent an hour and a half holding my leg together just right so that I wouldn't pass out until I finally got a signal on my mobile phone to get help.:eekster: After ten years of racing MX and riding MTB for 15, this is my first broken bone (I've had an AC/SC separation and two dislocated fingers), so I was due... And I made up for lost time. Brutal thing was that it didn't even happen through super-techy section of trail (I always back-off 5% in these sections when riding alone, even doing a race sim) - it happened coming out of a simple, flat corner when I washed-out the front end after miscalculating the available traction (and running a little too much tire pressure - Stan's conversion, here I come!). For some reason, I decided not to clip-out and save it and then just decided to go down with the slide. The ground then ripped my foot off the pedal facing 180 degrees backwards. Why couldn't this have happened in October?:madman: Gotta love Canadian universal health care.:thumbsup: Enjoy the pics!


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

dantheman762 said:


> Now I've got more titanium inside my leg than on a small-sized Litespeed frame-set... My season is OVER. Happened on a training ride two weeks ago for the Canada Cup and I was alone, so I spent an hour and a half holding my leg together just right so that I wouldn't pass out until I finally got a signal on my mobile phone to get help.:eekster: Brutal thing was that it didn't even happen through super-techy section of trail (I always back-off 5% in these sections when riding alone, even doing a race sim) - it happened coming out of a simple, flat corner when I washed-out the front end after miscalculating the available traction (and running a little too much tire pressure - Stan's conversion, here I come!).


the metal detectors are going to love you! Yes I know your pain! 
Ive had two on simple training runs that I have been over many times. the first on a down hill, I took a different line hit a boulder, results concusion, compressed and fractured c1, t3 and t4, that was last year. and yes it did hurt!! this year, it was flat and a missjudged popping a couple of small logs that I could have simply rolled over. results sore ribs and probably torn connective tissue. I'm on my third week, i fore see probably a monthe off the bike and starting all over again.
as you can see in this thread, though you may feel alone, your are not.
speedy recovery!
Wayne


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## flying tomato (May 25, 2009)

*Crap*

I have recently started mountain biking, and have been riding my old peice of crap raliegh serengeti, I have excelled quickly in single track, technical, and light downhill. I usually ride with my buddy who's been goin hard for about 4 years. So with a bunch of buds, we go to this abandoned ski hill, hes been raving about. I was ripping up the trail on the way there, but it was evident it was gunna be a bad day. One kid lost his pedal, another wrecked his tube. So we get to the hill and im just starting to get rolling and I hear in my head, oh crap, im not ready for this, i look down, and the hill 200meters long, straight down, 3meters wide, and littered with lose fist sized rocks. so 50m down, my back tires are drifting, and i turn way left, i hit the ground rolling, (im wearing knee/shin pads, gloves, and a helmet), and i dont even stick my arm out, but my side wrist was taking a lot of the blow. I get up, my buddy shout: " u ok?' i reply, " my wrist is broken. Evreyone rushes down concerened. We use my pads as a sling, and i then get delivered to the hospital via freinds parents. So at this point, my wrist looks like a fork, tht is slighly twisted ( wish i had pics), the nurses all are saying this is the wrost theyve ever seen, after x rays, im informed ive broken both bones in my wrist, 4 compound fractures, and i need surgery. I know have like 5 screws in my arm, and im outta the saddle for 6 weeks, and summer just started. Fist thing i get when i heal?? new kona blast 'o9 So i dont think i did to bad for newbie? (the buddy's mtbr account is headstrong 356, apparently hes a veteran on the forums)


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## headstrong356 (Feb 20, 2008)

Hope you get better man... And the DH course was really hard, not maintained and 100% natural. Last week some guy broke his neck on the hill... time to use my employe discount and hook the boys up with armour. Damn is the hill hard. Last week a kid broke his neck. Time to pull out the employe discount and hook up the boys with armour and the real goods. As a mechanic the bike is offiacially bust. The frame has slop and blown hubs. I have never seen such a bad bike ripped on like that. Well he sure is killing it.


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## ianTG (Jan 22, 2009)

Broke:
nose
fibula
both wrists
both ankles
multiple fingers and toes
couple knuckles
jaw
left arm
left collarbone (twice)
multiple ribs
right foot
right hand
cracked skull (small crack)

compressed vertabrae
sprained back (that really sucks)

And 9 concussions :madman:

There's lots of sprains and soft tissue stuff, but I forgot most of those. Kinda hard to single out which is the most serious. One of the concussions had me out for a long time and left me with memory problems, so I'd have to say that qualifies as my most serious.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

*all at once?*

I assume these were all separate injuries! heh! You've bee a very busy boy!


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## ianTG (Jan 22, 2009)

Most of them were separate. I like to spread out the breaks so my body has time to heal for the next one. Walking on crutches with a broken collarbone and broken foot is challenging. I tell ya, it helps to have an understanding (and supportive) girlfriend.

A friend of mine broke both scapulas once and both arms were immobile for a couple months. He told me that he really found out who his friends were when it was time to go to the bathroom.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

my other hobby is rc cars/ trucks. I race vicariously, and when I crash it doesn't hurt, just the pocket book. just saying.:yesnod:


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## bome (Aug 1, 2009)

Broke my collarbone on a dj'er when I was in high school thats has been the worse of the injuries


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## Mr Pink57 (Jul 30, 2009)

Double post


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## Mr Pink57 (Jul 30, 2009)

Broke:
Arm twice in same place

Lacerated:
My scrotum

I dare any man to beat this.

pink


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## albertf15 (Jan 13, 2007)

In the same crash

Cut botton lip 3-4 stiches
Nucked down the 2 front upper teeth and a few chipped teeth in button row
Fractured right scaffold bone 
Bruises on my right arm and shoulder.
Scraps in left leg.

I ride both mtn and road and during a collegiate road race last year in Massachusetts, I took a turn too wide and end up crashing into the road guard rail. Flew into a sing post in the other side of the guard rail, where I smashed my face and thanks to my helmet I only ended up with the damage listed above to my face.

I physically recovered in about 8 to 9 weeks and slowly started riding soon after with a supported right wrist. Finally 3 days ago I got my teeth fixed after a year of wearing a fake tooth since my insurance didn't cover the tooth implant.

Here is a pic of the helmet


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## phil_rad (Dec 28, 2007)

*close call*

about two hours ago I had the worst crash that I've ever had on a mountainbike. front wheel got caught in a rut and I went over the bars, first my knee touched down then my chest slammed into a boulder. knocked the freaking wind out of my, couldn't get a breath for what seemed like a long time. I don't think anything is broken but it hurst a bit when I laugh or cough. knee has a nice furrow in it. oh well, **** happens, I thought I was dead meat when I saw that boulder coming at me. I wasn't goning all that fast, maybe 15mph. it was enough though.

Happy trails and get well soon!

Phil


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## Joel. (Aug 16, 2009)

Nothing serious compared to you guys...
But when I was younger i was ridding my fathers bike with clipless pedals, in normal shoes. Foot slipped off landed on the ground in front of big ring which went straight into the back of my calve and a fairway through the muscle. Had a row of holes up my leg it left quite a fancy scar.


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## Skid Lid (Sep 19, 2009)

*Stuffed Collar bone.*

I Am Two weeks Into A Broken Clavical, I went out for a Fairly Innocent Sunday afternoon Ride, Went down a slope Up a Berm, Did a Beautifull Jump, SO I decided to have another go (the old one more go and we'll go Home:nono: ) situation, Did the jump, I hit a bump on take off, which threw the bike off to the side, I ended up landing on my head/shoulder, I have properly, snapped the collar bone approx 1/2cm off being an open fracture, the clavical is in two with a bit of bone floating around, won't be riding for at least 3months, May still need operating. That is my worst injury so far. Not as bad as some of you poor guys on here, But I don't Recomend It to anyone... TO add Insult to Injury I am supposed to be In Wales Riding this weekend. :madmax:


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## Elfbkr50 (Jan 10, 2006)

*That sucks..*

I flipped over and landed on the back of my clavicle a year ago last night. I was in surgery a year ago today. Fully recovered in 2 months with help from a plate to hold the broken off piece with the non broken piece. All is good. Every time I crash now though, I wait for something awful to happen. Good luck with your recovery. Welcome to the club.


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## ZoeBike (Aug 26, 2009)

No pics to share but a separated shoulder that took forever to recover from. Went off a bridge and dropped about 5 feet and landed with all of my weight on my right shoulder. As luck would have it, I am right handed. Spent 8 weeks in a sling and another 8 weeks of PT to get my flexibility back. 

Also have suffered one concussion and lots of cuts, scrapes and bruises.


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## Skid Lid (Sep 19, 2009)

*Thankyou*



Elfbkr50 said:


> I flipped over and landed on the back of my clavicle a year ago last night. I was in surgery a year ago today. Fully recovered in 2 months with help from a plate to hold the broken off piece with the non broken piece. All is good. Every time I crash now though, I wait for something awful to happen. Good luck with your recovery. Welcome to the club.


Ouch, I am Glad you are fully recovered, I am just hoping the MRS will Let me back on the bike without Fileing for Divorce...
I am hoping they won't operate, I have movement in my lower arm and the Infamous "BUMP" has gone down dramatically. Just the daytime T.V. to suffer.:madman:


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## taquar (Nov 17, 2009)

Front wheel got caught at a bump on the top of a downhill slope, and then went over the handlbars. Briefly popped my shoulder out and then back in all in about 2 seconds, grazed my right hip and scarred my left shin from the handlebars going down the 5m hill which had concrete blocks on it. Bike followed me down naturally. Doesn't look like I popped my shoulder out, but I had to drive home in a manual using only my left arm and could barely move it for at least a week.


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## devilish_dwarf (Nov 4, 2009)

last year at 'labin xc marathon' (croatia) i've exaggerated a little bit with speed on one slippery downhill singletrack... 

(photo was taken a week after)


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## devilish_dwarf (Nov 4, 2009)

a year after...


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

devilish_dwarf said:


> a year after...


I hope your back on the bike now! I'm a lot slower now after almost catasrophic crash. probably out of fear!


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## devilish_dwarf (Nov 4, 2009)

don't worry.. i'm back on trail! 

and you're right!
i have to admit that i did, a little bit, slowed down on wet and loose trails.
not much, but...


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## bgfthntr (May 18, 2009)

Right shoulder AC separation 3 degree.... nasty and 6+ months of recovery....


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## mrben0101 (Sep 16, 2008)

My worst was a dislocated right shoulder, countless scars all over. I have all broken one helmet.


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## Breakable (Dec 15, 2009)

*Boulders always win.*

Fractured C-3 and totally tore all the tendons and ligaments holding my noggin on at Whistler in September. I didn't know it was fractured (just thought I had jammed it good) so I rode there for 2.5 more days. Had an MRI when I got home and found the fracture. I feel lucky since I did a head dive into a boulder doing 20 + MPH.


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## Blksocks (Dec 22, 2009)

> Aaahhhh
> 
> hand cooter


Hahahahaha.

First scare was when I was 10... pedals got out of control going down a hill and smashed the chin on the edge of a sidewalk. They had to bleach that sidewalk the next day because the blood practically colored two slabs.

Second crash when I was riding in the morning. I was riding down a sidewalk and the front tire slipped and I smashed my left knee cap on a sidewalk slab that was overlapping another slab. Whole knee was blood red and didn't even notice till I got into the building and left blood droppings in the hallways. Couldn't ride, run, sit, and bend the knee for 5 years and had to have the knee drained due to too much water building up each year. I was told that If I had taken pictures of the accident and sidewalk I would of been able to sue the township but **** happens.

All I have are scars so sorry no pictures of when they were bloody and knee was showing bone. 

Sidewalks are not my friends...


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

Breakable said:


> Fractured C-3 and totally tore all the tendons and ligaments holding my noggin on at Whistler in September. I didn't know it was fractured (just thought I had jammed it good) so I rode there for 2.5 more days. Had an MRI when I got home and found the fracture. I feel lucky since I did a head dive into a boulder doing 20 + MPH.


your probably a little shorter! I fracture c1 t3,t4, and am lucky to be here and am a lot shorter, due to the compression fractures.

take it slow. I keep making the mistake of coming back to soon.


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## mrwjobs1972 (Dec 1, 2009)

i had to get into this one..face vs blacktop... for the record this is from march 11 2005..got 3 ti plates 2 under the eye an 1 above but this wasn't the worst of the wreck.. on my way over the bars my right kidney caught the bar end an tore it up a bit...cause of this i was critical.. laid in bed for a week before they even touched my face..


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## Blksocks (Dec 22, 2009)

So I am going through the replies in my email and this comes out. I click the link and as I grab a chocolate chip cookie to nibble on and this bloodied face comes up. Some might spit their cookie out but I had to say "Damn! that's a nice bruise!" and ate another cookie. 

Good going on that eye!


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## mrwjobs1972 (Dec 1, 2009)

oh yea i forgot to mention. that was day 21 when they let me out of the hospital...ill tell ya after did this i was really dizzy on my feet but for some reason i couldn't write anything for the most part..seemed that i couldn't concentrate on nothing without getting all dizzy..that was weird to say the least..guess i was really really close to becoming a vegetable.. i thank god everyday trust me...:madman:


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## Blksocks (Dec 22, 2009)

That was day 21? they suck at cleaning your face. That's how my knee (worst) and chin looked and with a bottle of rubbing alcohol and peroxide (Yes, completely full bottles!) I was able to clean them up. 

Now, if your smiley continues to bang its head off that brick wall it's gonna look like you! Haha, teasing!


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## mrwjobs1972 (Dec 1, 2009)

lol..yea there was alot of blood under the skin cause of the surgery to the sinus[skull].. as the swelling went down my eye began to wanna open every time it would open alittle bit. blood would run down like a tear..lol.. it was awesome really.. the nerves are damaged an Ive lost alot of feeling on that side.. i couldn't feel when the blood would drip out of the corner of my eye..lol i remember i went to home depot one time with my wife an people were freaking out...every few minutes blood would run out of my face an i kept needing more tissues...when i went up to the counter an asked if they had some the lady was like OMG do u want me to call an ambulance....i was like oh no I'm fine just a tissue...it was great really..id have to say not being able to do the things a man needs to do for his family sucked but the pampering is nice..hahaha.. i miss it really...

OHHHH..yea.. i forgot to say HELMETS ARE UR FRIEND....i didnt have one on but i assure u that ull never see me without one now..


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## Joel. (Aug 16, 2009)

nagatahawk said:


> my other hobby is rc cars/ trucks. I race vicariously, and when I crash it doesn't hurt, just the pocket book. just saying.:yesnod:


Until ya get a runaway straight into ya leg. That wouldn't/shouldn't happen to the driver but does happen.


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## MTBERMISS (Jan 2, 2010)

I experienced a seperated shoulder several months ago after I fell off of a 2x6 bridge and fell 8 feet straight onto my right shoulder. I was lucky I didnt break my neck, but I have stuck to cross country riding the last few months due to constant shoulder pain. Not a major injury but it still hurts like hell.


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

Joel. said:


> Until ya get a runaway straight into ya leg. That wouldn't/shouldn't happen to the driver but does happen.


the 1/10th electric ones don't hurt. it's the big 10 lb 1/8th that will take you leg off. I don't racre 1/8th!

and don't stand around in the way!!


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## biggoofy1 (Aug 24, 2009)

broken: left collar bone 

stiches: 8 in my chin 6 in my leg 

countless shin scars and chunks missing from my shin bone also got a pretty nice scar from snapping a pedal in half and having it go into my calf muscle


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## mtnbikej (Sep 6, 2001)

*Tib / Fib Fracture.....................*

Rang in the New Year with trip to Palm Canyon.....Palm Springs, CA.

9 miles into 24 mile ride. 2 wheel drift turned into 2 wheel washout. Right foot/pedal grabbed the dirt and twisted. Got up and the right foot was bent over 45 degrees and rolled up a little.

No access to getting a vehicle back where we were. Was not going to call the chopper in.

Splinted me up with a tube, cut a waterbottle down to cup the heel and back of the leg, bandana, electrical tape, yucca plant and athletic tape. Removed the cleat from my shoe so I would accidently clip in. Got back on the bike and rode 85% of the trail for the next 14 miles.

Here is what it looked like 7 hours later when I finally got to the ER:










And after surgery:



















Ended up with broken tibula and fibula along with the foot being dislocated. Actually ended up with 2 brakes in the big bone. 

Been off the bike 5 weeks now....starting to go crazy. Another 5 weeks or so and I can start to think about riding again.


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## bikeuphill9 (Apr 23, 2006)

Was riding with a friend to edge of a park so we could get cell service to make reservations at a comedy/rock club. On the way back in we started sprinting for the parking lot. At about 29 mph my front tire blew, cracking my new Scalpel (aptly named) in half and putting me on my head in front of my friend. My hand wound up getting caught up in his front rotor. Took my right ring finger off just bellow the second knuckle. My index finger lost most of the nail and tip. 

I started riding again about 5 days after the wreck and raced again about a month later. I now send all new full finger gloves to my mom for modification.


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## Elfbkr50 (Jan 10, 2006)

*Jesus Christ*

You win. Holy f' dude. That is crazy. Sorry about your finger loss, that is scary stuff. You can be grateful it wasn't your thumb. Couldn't even spank it then. I will tell this story to everyone I know. Good luck and keep riding. You are the new bad a$$ in town.:thumbsup:


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## mtnbikej (Sep 6, 2001)

bikeuphill9 said:


> Was riding with a friend to edge of a park so we could get cell service to make reservations at a comedy/rock club. On the way back in we started sprinting for the parking lot. At about 29 mph my front tire blew, cracking my new Scalpel (aptly named) in half and putting me on my head in front of my friend. My hand wound up getting caught up in his front rotor. Took my right ring finger off just bellow the second knuckle. My index finger lost most of the nail and tip.
> 
> I started riding again about 5 days after the wreck and raced again about a month later. I now send all new full finger gloves to my mom for modification.


DING DING DING!!!!!!! We have a winner!!!!! :thumbsup:


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## bikeuphill9 (Apr 23, 2006)

Trust me, I am grateful every day that it wasn't my thumb... I work as a bike mechanic so that might have been career ending right there.


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## ralph3 (Dec 16, 2007)

bikeuphill9 said:


> Was riding with a friend to edge of a park so we could get cell service to make reservations at a comedy/rock club. On the way back in we started sprinting for the parking lot. At about 29 mph my front tire blew, cracking my new Scalpel (aptly named) in half and putting me on my head in front of my friend. My hand wound up getting caught up in his front rotor. Took my right ring finger off just bellow the second knuckle. My index finger lost most of the nail and tip.
> 
> I started riding again about 5 days after the wreck and raced again about a month later. I now send all new full finger gloves to my mom for modification.


You win hands down:eekster:


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## ak_cowboy (Nov 17, 2008)

I've dislocated my shoulder 5x, but none of it biking lol Otherwise its just been scrapes and bruises, I also wear my helmet whenever doing anything technical, probably saved me at least 3 concussions


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## philcruz (Apr 1, 2010)

i had a bike accident 4 yrs ago in june but was a motorbike accident not mountain bike and ive just started riding again mountain bike that is,i had 68 breaks 790 stitches and 7 months in a coma my injurys were both hips shattered,both collarbones broke,my right leg was shoved up inside my body taking my spline out and breaking 2 ribs on way and finishing up damaging one of my heart valves,a pole went through my helmet and took my left eye out and left eye socket damage,6 breaks in my lower back,3 breaks in my neck and swelling of my spine left me paralised for nearly 2 yrs,broken arms,left foot shattered,and was brought back to life 3 times in first 2 weeks,i used to live for training and gym i was 22 stone 6,6 when i had accident was 10 stone when i got out of hospital a yr and half later,still have to have morphine all the time for pain and cant walk more than 100 yards but i manage to ride bike as lots less weight and stress on my hips,any one else had worse lol?


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## nagatahawk (Jun 20, 2007)

Phil, Welcome back to Planet Earth!
you win as far as any recoverable injuries yours is the worse that I have ever heard of! I guess getting off on a motorcycle at 100 mph can take its toll! I used to ride them. I was doing about 120 and the CHP couldn't get a clock on me until I slowed down to 80 mph! I was just gassing it!

Anyways welcome back to being alive! keep on cycling, I might suggest road bikes on bike paths for now. you don't want to go otb out on the single track. Ive been there too. with a concussion, 3 compression fractures of the spine and neck. 

it's been 2 yrs and I almost have full rotation of the neck. my back will always have issues at the compressed verts


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## stover (Jul 30, 2007)

Worst biking injury I have to date is three ruptured discs in my back. Still recovering from it but getting better everyday.


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## headstrong356 (Feb 20, 2008)

Worst I did was a couple weeks ago, broke some rips on a failed no hander. I ended up lossing the bike and taking the front wheel in the ribs for a landing. The laughing part was in emerge when the doc all guess bike from the tire marks on my white shirt The front wheel became a taco and I'm currently waiting to order a new one. CRC still doesn't have the saint hubs in yet


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## DBY (Mar 9, 2010)

today was my worst. typing one handed blows, btw. tire peeled off rim at speed, didn't even see it coming either. ended up approx 20 ft from bike with left shoulder taking honors for first contact with mother earth, followed by head. god bless that helmet, left a postage card indentation about 1/4" deep in the shell right on the temple coverage area. dislocated shoulder and cracked scapula. worst part- riding solo, no other riders on trail at all. had to put front wheel back together (rim didn't fold, but the tire and tube needed to be remounted) just to push bike 3 miles back to car, threw up twice but obviously could have been worse. bike made it out okay which kind of surprised me and i was happy with my trail side repair skills. 

safety advisory- don't run racing ralph 2.4 at low pressure on narrow rim.


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## rockthrower (May 21, 2010)

Wow, I thought I had some injuries, but nothing compared to you guys. I've gone through the separated Shoulder, herniated discs, The most annoying has been a broken ankle. Doc says that if I want to keep riding, I should wear an  ankle brace. Heck, I should just wear armor.:thumbsup:


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## lanuch1110 (Apr 18, 2010)

my worst injury every... I broke 1 rib and tore apart that cartiledge that holds a few of them together so now the left side of my ribcage sticks out way further then my right. Worst part, I did it screwing around in front of my house before a ride, in front of all my riding buddies. Other then that I have been very lucky. Knock on wood


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## markparra (May 31, 2010)

Riding early one morning with a buddy of mine back in 07 I failed on a technical climb, ended up shattering my tibia into 3 pieces and fibula was cracked too. Needless to say, there's no walking out of any trail when your leg is flopping mid shin. My friend had to call for a bus. He rode out to the ranger station to meet up with paramedics so he could bring them back to where I was held up. So deep in the woods took em an hour to get to me. Of course while I'm sitting there counting rocks to keep myself occupied it starts to rain (as if it wasn't bad enough). 3 paramedics that reminded me of the 3 stooges were in charge with my well being. Didn't even know how to work the air cast. 

About another 20 min hike on a stretcher to the fire road where I got put on the bed of a pickup truck, 10 more min till the ambulance, 30 min to the hospital. FINALLY got some damn morphine. No surgery but a holy long recovery time. I spent 3 months on my back. 5 more months on crutches. At about 9 months I had to start learning how to walk again. Till this day I don't have the same range of motion in that leg. 

But we love riding. Got back on the horse and kicking ass. Getting ready for a race in 2 weeks. 

I'll post my xray as soon as I find and scan it


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## nation1979 (Jul 13, 2008)

i think the worst bike related accident was my senior year.wrecked on a very fast fire road run.the crash landed me in a drainage tube which sliced my helmet in half and shoved 2 broken spokes through my calf and upper thigh.


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## finerbiner (Nov 5, 2004)

Was being lazy climbing out of a creek bed with a step-up and layed down the power when I realized I was going to slow to clear the rocks. the bike reared just like a horse would and i went backwards into the creek. I broke both wrist bones and chipped a big chunk off of the bone where it meets the wrist. Six hours of surgery, one 3" T shaped plate, 14 screws and a wire 4" long later i was in for about 4 months of seriously painful rehab. ( I had ACL replacement from a skiing injury and this was WAY worse). That was 3 yrs ago and i really only think about it when there is a serious weather change coming. I had a Tomac Eli literally break in half on a long descent but came away from that one completely unscathed. Weird how that works sometimes.


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## Winghnut (May 10, 2010)

ac separation - i get surgery tomorrow.


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## Mr. D (Jun 1, 2008)

about a yr ago I was all happy to ride my first full suspension bike that I bought used off craigs list. Well I missed the turn to the trail I wanted to be one and got going to fast on a trail I should of not been on missed a turn went over a drop of about 5 ft.

Really missed up my rt wrist:
compartment syndrome
tore ligaments and tendons which during the 5 hr surgery the doc had to go up into my forearm to reattach and pull back down
fractures many wrist bones and turned some 90 degrees

I fell down on a snowbank offroading and now the wrist is acting up but still riding

1 wk after surgery










this one shows the compartmental syndrome I had


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## williaty (Apr 20, 2010)

Worst so far was in about 96 or 97. Shattered my $$$ Giro helmet, then proceeded to shatter my skull in multiple places. Literally changed the shape of my head for the rest of my life. Also had road rash that removed skin down to the connective tissue all along my right side from my upper ribcage down to my knee.

Freaked the hell out of the college kids that found me unconscious.


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## Bob12676 (Sep 10, 2008)

Last summer I smacked a hidden stump with my pedal. I don’t know how, but it stopped the bike dead and I was thrown over the bars. I lay face down in the dirt for a few seconds, stood up dusted myself of and noticed I had blood pouring out of my knee. Whatever I hit left a six inch, smiley face shaped, gash in my knee, down to the bone. I biked a little over a mile out of the woods, got to the hospital, where I spent 4-5 hours having crud pulled out of the wound. The doctor sent me home, on crutches, with some killer antibiotics. Unfortunately, I was back at the hospital 2 days later for an infection the set in. My wife and I spent our first wedding anniversary in the hospital watching basic cable while they pumped me full of I.V. antibiotics; I really owe her this year. Was back on my bike 2 weeks later.


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## Dawgless (Jul 12, 2010)

Thus was a while ago, but still aptly applies. I was practicing for a DH race and ended going over the bars about 400 feet from the finish line. I landed on my forehead(thank God I was wearing all my gear) and immediately knew something was wrong.

I laid there for a bit and kind of relaxed. A buddy was with me and told me to just hang out. After about 10 minutes, I got up and hopped on the bike and basically coasted to the finish line. I had to cross under some ticker tap an couldn't lift my arms above my shoulders. I immediately went to the ambulance for an assessment.

The EMT's cut my jersey off and took off all my pads. They put a hard collar on and strapped me to a backboard standing up. I got a 15 mile ride to the local hospital in Chelan where they did x-rays, but didn't have a tech to read them... So....

I got to go for a 60 mile ride to Wenatchee still strapped to the same board. By this time I'm uncomfortable and in a bit of pain. At Wenatchee, they did an MRI, but didn't have a tech to read the results.... So....

I got a helicopter ride to Spokane, still strapped to the same board. There they had a neurosurgeon that read the MRI and cleared me off the board. All in all, this was a 10+ hour ordeal.

I ended up having two fractured vertebra in my neck that required a fusion on C4 and C5. That was 8 years ago and I have no problems now, other than I can predict the weather...


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## overmodulated (Mar 26, 2010)

tibial plateau fracture, depressed.

however, not from mtbing, from sledding - does that count?










photo's not showing


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## kch88 (Aug 6, 2007)

Jeez, compared to some of the ones in here, mine isn't even a scrape.

Went OTB on a dirt jump after I went long (when you're expecting a transition, flat ground is a surprise, and not a good surprise) hit jaw first (half helmet).

Broke my helmet, ripped my bottom lip away from my gums, leaving a big hole where that thing is that connects your lip to your gums, messed up the nerves in my jaw. Only 9 stitches or something to put my lip/gum back together. Not too bad. I was back on the bike the next day.

Still can't feel that part of my jaw, but I only really notice when shaving.


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## spnce (Jul 23, 2010)

bent my forearm 25-30 degrees, ulna sticking through the skin, resulted in 2 plates, 14 screws and 40 staples

once i was drugged up at the hospital i asked my mom to take a picture but she didn't have the stomach...


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## Dragon Soaring (May 23, 2009)

On the first day of summer I blew my whole summer

two spinal compression fractures on opening day at Keystone

Got up and walked /rode off the mountain

here it is 10 weeks later was feeling great for 3 days then did some therapy and i hurt again 


May be up to a full year for complete recovery


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## wheelnuts (Jun 7, 2010)

Almost one year ago to the day I am riding down a pretty major street next to the curb. It was a windy day and I had a strong tail wind so I am clipping along about 25 mph when a car (or rather the driver of the car) came blasting out of a parking lot without even looking and T-boned me - direct hit. Her front license plate hit the chain ring. I went sailing across two lanes of traffic. Luckily there were no cars coming up behind me in those lanes or I would have been a gonner.

Bike was trashed (see pictures, ya ya I know it is a road bike - not a mtb). A trip to the emergency room in an ambulance followed by countless xrays. I landed up with a broken left wrist, broken left elbow, separated left shoulder and broken right hand and lots of aches and pains. 2 1/2 months off work and physio for 6 months. At least her vehicle insurance bought me a new bike.


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## philcruz (Apr 1, 2010)

ive had yet another injury 3 weeks ago on the 20/8/10 i was up gisburn section for the first time as im usually a xc rider,but this time up id brought a brand new full face helmet and all armour got it into my head i wanted to do dh,so off i went to try had one of lads showing me how to do the drops and jumps he was brilliant gone over it 4 times and 5th time down it was really windy and raining i was straight over but as i landed front wheel hit a root and threw me straight over bars face first into a loads of rocks smashing my new 661 helmet and hitting my shoulder,after weeks of going doctors and hospital told yesterday my shoulder is broke on end of collar bone and ive torn my ligament off one side said at least 3 months to calm down so gutted


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## 304wheeler (Jan 31, 2008)

Compound Tibula - Fibula fracture. August 28th, 2004, Snowshoe, WV bike park, at 11:00 A.M., Something I will never forget.


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## doesyourchainhanglow (Sep 27, 2010)

just a few hours ago i built a janky jump and ate it . cut up every pivot point on me ie elbow knee etc


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## wheeledwarrior (Oct 1, 2010)

I have no exciting story. Just an idiot friend (one I refuse to ride with ever again). We're slowing on a rail trail, me on my Kona Cinder Cone, she on a Canadian Tire (think hardware) Store pos road bike that cost 199 dollars. I see something cool and point left. She rides right. Right into me. I am all bloody but grateful the bike works. Her front tire didn't (cost her half what the bike did to replace) and I walked the 19 km back with her, limping badly. She admitted it was her fault.
Days later the pain is so bad I go to ER and they find a hairline fracture and the bone bruise was coming up so from the ankle to halfway to the knee it's purple and blue. Couldn't walk without a cane, but I could bike. Slight neck injury, again. 
Worst part? She told everyone I crashed into her.

I have a permanent long long scar on my left elbow running up the forearm from Tammany Trace in Louisiana in 1998. On a Rockhopper. I had toe clips (never again) and Stop at a crossing and look both ways. Nothing. I get going and this van comes out of nowhere. I slam brakes, can't get left foot out, fall over. busted chain. Had to walk 30 miles to meet a friend for help. 

When my brother was having a bone marrow transplant in May of 2009 (he died that november), I watched his house and cat in Whitby, Ontario. I road a pawnshop ancient Specialized Hardrock but cheap Canadian Tire pedals. They broke and I flew over the handlebars. Knee mangled. I should have kept the x rays. Gloves saved my palms, helmet quit literally saved my life. My brother gets my email in the hospital and laughed and laughed (worth the suffering for that sound when he was so ill) and I was henceforth called Spaz, the Ironman. Two days later, parcel comes. Shimano clipless pedals from a shop in Toronto. In the midst of chemo, he's sent me these pedals with a note. "It was worth it for the laugh, you Spaz. Got pictures??"

Frankly, since I beat cancer twice, I feel pretty lucky for a Spaz.

Nothing like what I've read here for injuries, but man, wear your helmets.


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## grantpro (Mar 11, 2009)

This was a fun 10 months:thumbsup: .


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## hardtailkid (Jan 25, 2010)

I took a chainring through the calf muscle. 

I was being an idiot, pedaling up to do a jump on a small launch ramp, in the rain. I was on the 2nd chainring and 5th cog and my right foot slipped off the pedal, went up, and slammed on to the 3rd chainring. I didn't feel it, because it was so damn sharp, but it bled like a mother for about 8 hours. Kept me off the bike for a grand total of a day and a half.

My friend on the other hand...broke his neck. He fractured C1 and C2 vertebrae. I was riding with him when it happened. We were just riding around doing some stupid urban stuff, bunnyhopping curbs, anything we can find... He wasn't wearing a helmet, but honestly I don't think it would have made a difference. 

We no longer ride ANYWHERE without helmets.

Here is the picture of the crash site. He tried bunnyhopping the curb in the left of the picture, and his front wheel cleared it but his back wheel didnt, and it slowed him down enough that he front wheel got caught up in the storm drain and he went OTB.


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## haro: the zero one (Oct 26, 2010)

check out my avatar. face plant from about 6 or 7 feet straight down. i got a scar on my forehead from the gash you can see and had 2 pins in my thumb


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## haro: the zero one (Oct 26, 2010)

there was gravel involved. i was goin sooo fast when this happened but obviously not fast enough. three missing teeth, abscess, broken nose, and a spiderweb of hairline fractures all over my face.


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## haro: the zero one (Oct 26, 2010)

philcruz said:


> i had a bike accident 4 yrs ago in june but was a motorbike accident not mountain bike and ive just started riding again mountain bike that is,i had 68 breaks 790 stitches and 7 months in a coma my injurys were both hips shattered,both collarbones broke,my right leg was shoved up inside my body taking my spline out and breaking 2 ribs on way and finishing up damaging one of my heart valves,a pole went through my helmet and took my left eye out and left eye socket damage,6 breaks in my lower back,3 breaks in my neck and swelling of my spine left me paralised for nearly 2 yrs,broken arms,left foot shattered,and was brought back to life 3 times in first 2 weeks,i used to live for training and gym i was 22 stone 6,6 when i had accident was 10 stone when i got out of hospital a yr and half later,still have to have morphine all the time for pain and cant walk more than 100 yards but i manage to ride bike as lots less weight and stress on my hips,any one else had worse lol?


(slowly starts clapping) wow dude how did that happen? your lucky to be alive


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## dmc123 (Jun 14, 2006)

This just happened on Nov 5 th. Took a 2 ft jump, got cockeyed in the air and was slammed to a hard gravel road. Broke 7 ribs (one twice) and clavicle. Slightly punctured a my left lung. Got a plate put on the clavicle. Now I have 6-8 weeks of pain (pain killers are not doing much). I cant work or drive and money was already tight. Wife is not happy.


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## Berry Stevens (Aug 31, 2004)

Be wary of taking Vicodin for more than 3-4 days. Lots of problems if you do, some will not be apparent immediately. I broke 6 ribs & was on it for a month, big mistake. Took months to get right from the drug. Re set my pain threshold, which was a problem for long term recovery. Slept sitting up for a month.


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## dmc123 (Jun 14, 2006)

I not on Vicadin but I am on Oxycontin and Dilaudid. Anyone have problems with these drugs?


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## Berry Stevens (Aug 31, 2004)

No personal experience w/ either, but I know Oxycontin has been a major problem for recreational abuse. Be careful w/ any pain killer in that class. I wished I'd gone to Aleve much sooner than I did.


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## clemsondds (Oct 17, 2010)

Wow reading this forum really depresses me! Making me re-think MTBing. I'm finishing dental school this year...have tons of school loans...not sure I should be risking my career just yet. BTW had my first OTB today...nothing serious though...just some jammed wrists. Are most of the injuries in this forum from cross-country or what?


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## Berry Stevens (Aug 31, 2004)

Can't speak for others, I'm an XC guy. You will get hurt mt biking, no question or doubt. Only a very few, of the most talented riders, manage to escape real injury. Sooner or later................... Given your profession requires your hands in good working order, ride cautiously at all times. Avoid riding in Downieville or any of the more challenging venues. Avoid riding with others who are better riders than you; you'll be tempted to keep up & that's when you'll get hurt. Good luck.


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## DJGoo (Jul 15, 2010)

Tons of soft tissue damage, a sore jaw, and a nasty concussion. The worst is proly the flat left foot, from hiking up the trail that gave me those other pains.

No broken bones, somehow.



:headphones:
DJ


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## dkbikes4life (Nov 20, 2010)

Worst I've ever had was back in 02 when I rode BMX.

I went to just do a small endo in a planter in downtown Orlando. The planter was kinda shaped like a Z turned 90 degrees. It went up about 6 inches, then in about a foot, then up about 2 feet. I was trying to just get in the notch that was up 6 inches and in a foot. Wound up with my front tire on the top part that was 2 foot tall. With my hands on the bar I rolled back and went face first into the brick ledge. I wound up breaking from one cheek bone to the top of my nose, back down to the other cheek bone. Shifted my nose over to the left about 1/4". Had to spend 5 days in the hospital and have reconstructive surgery. Wound up with 4 small plates and 16 screws to hold everything together. Chipped the tops off most of the teeth in the front of my mouth and almost cut completely through my top lip. They had to wire my jaw shut for a month and I had to eat of what looked like a huge needle with a rubber tube on the end. I lost over 30 pounds in that month. If I had recked and hit about 2 inches farther back the doc told me it really could have been fatal. The edge of the brick ledge would have hit my right in the forhead. As it is now I have some mental side effects from the crash.


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## SaltySprocket (Nov 26, 2010)

Worst so far was at Bull Mountain in N GA....hot a jump going too fast, landed nose down, tuck & roll time.......category 2 AC separation in my right shoulder, stage 2 concussion, cracked my helmet almost in two. I don't buy cheap helmets anymore.


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## almogaver (Mar 30, 2010)

Well, broke my left clavicle yesterday after my front wheel got stuck in the middle of a steep descent. My first broken bone ever and I hope the last.


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## philcruz (Apr 1, 2010)

haro: the zero one said:


> (slowly starts clapping) wow dude how did that happen? your lucky to be alive


ID JUST bought a brand new yamaha r1 motorbike and was bringing it home,id rode 62 miles and got 2 more miles from home when i came round a blind corner and there straight in front of me was a tractor across road going to enter a field towing a combine harvester blade,but it was across both sides of road and wasnt level enough to get through gap so had had to stop to go back to swing level to enter field,i had nowhere to go and no time to stop went straight though blade,and was left empailed on a spike that went through my visor and took me left eye out and side of my face off,i was pronounced dead at seen and they brough me back round in helicopter on way to hospital and my dad said i died twice more in following week,ive got another problem now though due to all damage on my face my muscles have started to collapse at night causing my airways to shut down and stop me breathing,i had to go to a sleep clinic other week were they put all clips and pipes on you and film you too in a dark room and it registers how you sleep and in the 3 hours i did sleep they said i stopped breathing every 3 minutes so now i have to sleep with a mask on with a pump at side of bed that presurises my throat to keep my air ways open its a night mare,lol


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## HowMaybesGo (Oct 1, 2010)

15ft drop...... went in with my weight too far forward, front tire dug into the landing and i slammed face first into hard dirt. walked away with some scratches on my face (was wearing a giro remedy) , sprained left wrist, deep scrapes on my left pelvis region, and an avulsion fracture on one of my right carpal bones. really not that bad considering the drop. i think im probably super human


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## marc =) (Jul 4, 2010)

broke my wrist 2 weeks ago,still need 4 more weeks till i can ride again.

i know its like nothing for you guys that have broke lots of bones,but im 13 so for me its like WOW if i broke my first bone


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## broberto (Nov 15, 2010)

LOL. reading some of this im never getting back on a bike!
broke my ankle back in june, went out after a storm on a gravel track,came to three large puddles, the first two were a couple of inches deep,the third was about 18 inches deep and so i fell off and was soaked. decided it would be funny to take my mate there, so i went through the first two puddles and went up on the bank and waved my mate past me.of course he hits the puddle and goes flying,im laughing so much i fall off the ridge and snap.....


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## smitham (Nov 9, 2010)

Dec 27th broke right tibia and fibula bone while at an indoor mtb park in cleveland, oh. 6 hours from home I spent the next 4 days in the hospital. Had to have surgery on leg, I now have a rod in the tibia. I will be down for weeks. Worse, I just got a new specialized myka elite fsr for Christmas and I have not gotten to ride it yet


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## hardtailkid (Jan 25, 2010)

smitham said:


> Dec 27th broke right tibia and fibula bone while at an indoor mtb park in cleveland, oh. 6 hours from home I spent the next 4 days in the hospital. Had to have surgery on leg, I now have a rod in the tibia. I will be down for weeks. Worse, I just got a new specialized myka elite fsr for Christmas and I have not gotten to ride it yet


Where did you have surgery? My uncle is a really popular orthopedic surgeon in Ohio. And if you don't mind me asking, where is "home"?


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## smitham (Nov 9, 2010)

Surgery was at Fairview, part of the Cleveland Clinic. Home is in the eastern panhandle of WV, Martinsburg area. I think my surgeon was Dr Templeton.


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## 1362 (Sep 12, 2010)

torn rotor cuff, surgery to fix, recovery was forever after kinda froze up.


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## ep1nephr1ne (Jan 25, 2009)

*the jousting injury*

riding from home to the walmart the source of all american problems, i cut into the woods for the short cut. the 200 yards through the woods turned deadly. i went down the first litle dip that hooked right then a quick left through the berm, a nice feature on a boring flat trail. well go figure a tree branch fell. pointing dead center into my left ribs just below my heart. i got hit so hard i stopped moving the bike kept going. a unknown amount of time passed. i awoke wondering if i was still alive. the bruise was instant huge and i didnt remember what i hit.

4 weeks later my 3rd boob was all better cracked ribs healed up


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## Rubicon73 (Feb 10, 2009)

*Im a believer in helmets...*

In March 09', I was riding Flatwoods in Tampa without a helmet. Toward the end of the ride I came into a corner too hot, drifted into the sandy shoulder of the curve and immediately went over the bars. Luckily, my forehead broke the fall for the rest of my body. A complete new wheel, tire and hospital bill later, I dont think helmets are only for p*ssies anymore. Sometimes you gotta learn the hard way!


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## philcruz (Apr 1, 2010)

i forgot when i added post to actually say what injuries i had lol,right here goes,i had a broken neck in three places
broken lower back in 6 places and fixed
my right leg pushed up through my body had both hips shattered pelvis broke in 9 right hip took my splene out and 2 ribs also damaged a heart valve,
lost 2 inch in length off my right leg and 4 inch of my right calf,
right drop foot lost movement,
18 pins in right leg and 5 pins in left foot,
broken right arm and elbow,
both collar bones broke,
jaw broke in 8 places and lost 5 teeth,
nose broke in 4 places,
letf side of face pulled off and left eye out on my cheek,
and over a yr in a coma and told id never walk again was 22stone and a boxer when i went in was 10 and half stone when they sent me home on a board,5yrs ago this yr and im back up to 17 stone but every days a struggle


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## Lunge Bob Sweatpants (Jun 12, 2007)

Left knee: Torn meniscus, MCL sprain (lucky), ruptured Baker's cyst. 10 minutes into winter training workout. Surgery scheduled for April 27th. 

Feels like my season is over before it started.

At 42, I'm lucky that this is the worst that has happened to me.


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## Lunge Bob Sweatpants (Jun 12, 2007)

Stripes said:


> Healing vibes..
> 
> Meniscus shouldn't take long to recover from (As much as it hurts now). My meniscus surgery is all taken care of, no more pain. ACL recover--different story.
> 
> How long will it take to recover from the baker's cyst rupture? It doesn't sound like a surgery is required for it.


Doc didn't say much about the cyst. I don't think it was that significant and from what I understand are normally are the result of the injury. I can't say when it ruptured, other than the first couple of weeks the discomfort was pretty constant. I have a co-worker that also had a Baker's cyst rupture that was pretty serious, severely swollen knee, unable to bend it, lots of pain. Ended up in the hospital. Nothing like that for me. Unfortunately I know more now about them then I did when I visited the doc or I would have asked more questions.

This will be my first surgery since....tonsils when I was a kid.

Thanks for the well wishes.


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## ranier (Sep 9, 2003)

My first, worst and hopefully last cycling related injury was back in the spring of '07. I was foolishly going too fast on a downhill road (Kings Mt Rd for you Peninsula NorCal folks) and side-swipped a BMW R-moto. My lower left leg and ankle struck the boxer-engined cyclinder head squarely smashing the tibia and fracturing the fibula. I didn't feel much pain initially probably because of adrenaline pumping through. Long story short - two surgeries, crutches, two casts, and some physical therapy and I was back in the saddle by Oct/Nov. The whole summer riding season was lost. Sitting on the couch the whole summer watching TV sucks @ss like you won't believe.


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## crazy03 (Mar 15, 2011)

philcruz said:


> i forgot when i added post to actually say what injuries i had lol,right here goes,i had a broken neck in three places
> broken lower back in 6 places and fixed
> my right leg pushed up through my body had both hips shattered pelvis broke in 9 right hip took my splene out and 2 ribs also damaged a heart valve,
> lost 2 inch in length off my right leg and 4 inch of my right calf,
> ...


How in the hell did you manage all that. And what does "stone" mean?


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## mcseforsale (Feb 14, 2004)

Stone looks to be about 14 lbs. So, 17 stone is about 238 lbs.

Boy, that must've been one LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNGG fall. :thumbsup: 

AJ



crazy03 said:


> How in the hell did you manage all that. And what does "stone" mean?


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## ollllllo (Jul 31, 2010)

*Dont fall on dirt with parasites*


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## FNG RIDER (Apr 2, 2011)

PhilCruz- Wow, i'm sure you've heard this before, your lucky to be alive! You beat mine by several lives, I merely recieved compression fractures of neck and back C1 T2 and T3, concusion that lasted 5 days. I was riding again within 5 months, but I have drastically altered by riding style. No longer ride with abandon and drop in to downhills. 

I hope you recover enough to start riding again. on the flats that is. You will feel much better and it will assist healing your wounded psyche and body. At the least try a stationary just to get rolling. 

BTW I only ride safe and fun trails now, I lead beginners mountain bike groups. I make I preride the trails to make sure they are safe and fun for beginner level riders. 

Take care and heal, don't rush into anything until you are more than ready.
Yours
Wayne


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## ranier (Sep 9, 2003)

ollllllo said:


>


dude! that's from parasites? nasty!

what kind of parasites?


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## ollllllo (Jul 31, 2010)

Zzz


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## ollllllo (Jul 31, 2010)

ranier said:


> dude! that's from parasites? nasty!
> 
> what kind of parasites?


I actually didn't fall that hard however, falling were there are lots of cows and cow ficies (sp?) is not good. As soon as I got to the parking lot I scrubbed the sh%# out of it, then when I got home soaked in the tub... One week later... I got a major infection that landed me over night in the hospital... Nasty


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## bbbr (Nov 6, 2005)

I've undergone multiple right knee surgeries thanks to falls taken when rock climbing/winter hiking/snowshoeing. There have been five surgeries within the past six years, including one done 3 days ago, all arthroscopic luckily. Four have focused on meniscus tears (including the most recent) and a Plica band problem. I'm now on a first name basis with my Anesthesiologist along with most of the surgical team.

My lateral meniscus is all but gone at this point and I just started to work on the medial meniscus. With the loss of meniscus I'm developing some really nice arthritis and can't wait to see the photos taken during the last surgery. At some point in the next 10 years, I'm going to wind up with a fake knee. Not the most fun prospect for someone who's only 33...


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## bbbr (Nov 6, 2005)

Stripes-

I've talked to my surgeon about it a few times but he's not comfortable enough with the surgeries success rate and my history of destroying repair work. Surgery #2 was a repair done in March of 2006; #3 was to clean up the failed repair, which happened a little over a year later. Doing my own homework on Meniscus transplants, it looks like they remove what ever I have left and nail down a newer one and hope like hell it "takes". If it fails, then they pull the whole thing and the damage gets accelerated as the knee collapses (something mine hasn't done yet for some odd reason). 

The photos from #4, a plica band removal done in 2009, showed no increase in the spread or amount damage he spotted during #3. With any amount of luck, it hasn't spread or gotten worse. I'll find out on Monday during the post-op visit and hopefully I can keep a few of the photos.


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## honglee (Jun 3, 2011)

When I first got into riding early last year I used to come off on most rides.


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## woahey (Sep 1, 2010)

My first and hopefully worst bike injury was back in '05. I was riding with a guy nicknamed Dangerous. I didn't realize he got his name because he was dangerous to follow. Wound up going otb. I tried jumping the bars but my feet hooked making for a perfect pivot point to smash my face into solid rock. I wound up with a broken, road rashed nose, split lip, black eye, dislocated jaw and my front teeth shattered. Right after, I went to a bar to try to numb the pain. 6 years later, I'm married to the bartender that I met that night.


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## StumpHugger (Sep 25, 2009)

Compound fracture of my right femur. I fell into a 30 ft deep crevasse while glissading on a solo trip up Middle Teton in 2009. I blacked out for a couple minutes and woke up to excruciating pain. I started to climb out and nearly passed out from the pain of putting any weight on my right leg. Slowly, I started climbing again, letting my right leg just hang loose and started blowing my whistle for help. Luckily, a Denver search-and-rescue team was training on the mountain that day and pulled my grits out of the fire.


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## hombreduro (May 14, 2006)

Paid my blood penance to Bootleg Canyon back in 2009: Shattered left elbow, shattered right wrist, broke both radius and ulna in right arm with compound fracture on one of them. In hospital for a week and a half with three surguries at that time, external fixator, bone graft to rebuild right wrist. Nerve damage in both arms, had no feeling or movement in either arm for 1 month and a half. After month and a half had two more surgeries and nerves started working in arms and hands again...but very slowly. I had to wear custom made gloves to help my fingers move. They were "Edward Scissor" hand looking things that I had to wear for a couple of months until I got movement back in my hands and fingers. All in all, a year in physical therapy, 2 months out of work, limited range of motion in both arms, 5 operations. 3 years later and lot's of snaps, crackles and pops. Yup, still ride...but not like i used to .


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## steverfever54 (Jul 19, 2011)

*BAD broken TIB and FIB with comparment syndrome*

I snapped my right leg jumping off my bike landing on both feet but my leg just blew out. It took eight guys and a pick up truck to get me down the mountain. Four hours of extreme pain at the hospital they tell me I have compartment syndrome. So what they did was slice a deep cut from my ankle to my knee on both sides, so on top of 5 screws and a ti rod in my leg I also have massive wounds that needed to be skin grafted...all of this only a month ago. I REALLY MISS my dh rig...I can't wait to throw my leg over her again, I just hope this never happens again....keep it upright fella's!!!!


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## Proflexrider (Jul 22, 2011)

*My most serious injury on a bike*

Well, I haven't had many "serious" injurys on a bike, aside from the usual scrape and cuts, but I did do something very stupid and paid the price. I was like 10 years old, and I built a little ramp out of a board, and a rock. I took my 20" up it, got some air and thought "Wow! Wonder if I can go higher?". I reset the ramp, and put another stone underneath it. A very round stone... I managed the jump, got some more air, but the ramp fell apart beneath me. I put another round stone ontop of the other one (Yep, 2 round stones and a flat one under a piece of board) and reset the ramp. That's when it went bad.
I went at least 8 feet in the air, and I came down hard. My back tire got knocked sideways when my front tire knocked the ramp over. I landed on my left side. I made a pretty cool dent in my helmet, and my entire knee (and somewhat of my leg) were covered in blood. I thought I'd broken my leg it hurt so bad (Then it went numb and tingly about an hour later). Turns out I somehow broke some cartalidge in my knee, so now it crackles and pops alot.
I still jump 20" up ramps, but now I use a real ramp (and knee pads).:madman:


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## Proflexrider (Jul 22, 2011)

steverfever54 said:


> I snapped my right leg jumping off my bike landing on both feet but my leg just blew out. It took eight guys and a pick up truck to get me down the mountain. Four hours of extreme pain at the hospital they tell me I have compartment syndrome. So what they did was slice a deep cut from my ankle to my knee on both sides, so on top of 5 screws and a ti rod in my leg I also have massive wounds that needed to be skin grafted...all of this only a month ago. I REALLY MISS my dh rig...I can't wait to throw my leg over her again, I just hope this never happens again....keep it upright fella's!!!!


Yeesh. That must of hurt. Alot of people talk about this but I'm still a bit fuzzy about it; there's a titanium rod _inside_ your leg? Or is it one of those temporary things that can be taken out later by a doctor (like stitches). Sorry if I seem ignorant.

Get better soon!


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## Eckstream1 (Jul 27, 2011)

Proflexrider said:


> Yeesh. That must of hurt. Alot of people talk about this but I'm still a bit fuzzy about it; there's a titanium rod _inside_ your leg? Or is it one of those temporary things that can be taken out later by a doctor (like stitches). Sorry if I seem ignorant.


Yup it goes INSIDE the bone... I have a Titanium rod in my right Femur. They basically drill out where your marrow is and stick the rod in there! It hurts constantly... And gets worse in the winter... I swear I can feel it getting cold!

Anyway... My worst ever injury was a ruptured Spleen and Pancreas while I was on a dirt bike. I now have a beautiful zipper around and under my belly button... Amazingly it didn't really hurt!

My most painful injury was a recent knee injury... I was snowboarding in less than ideal conditions (ice) and impacted a 90* ice ledge with my right knee. I was moving at about 30mph and took a direct hit to the tibial plateau! I couldn't walk and my friends hadn't noticed I wrecked so I had to sit on my board and slide down the mountain.

I got to the First Aid area and stripped my pants and under armour off and saw blood running down my leg... The paramedic there cleaned up the pant rash and said go to the hospital.

I was away from home and have had MANY knee injuries before so I wanted to see MY Orthopedic Surgeon... So I hung in there for 4 days self medicating with 800mg Ibuprofin tabs and lots of alcohol.

I get home and schedule the MRI... Doc calls me and says "Yep... Screwed up the LCL and MCL job I did for you a few years ago...

So I ended up with a torn LCL and MCL and a severely bruised tibial plateau... The bruise is still there from Jan of 2010!

Here are some pics...


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## onlyoyster99 (Jul 14, 2011)

Wow I consider myself lucky when I see what some of you have been through. I havent really had too many injuries riding (scrapes, bruises etc.) But today I did something that in my mind anyway is pretty bad. I ruptured my scrotum. I was hitting a local trail called "G-Force" which is a series of G outs on our local slag piles. In the middle of one of the uphill sides of the trail is a jump. I hit the jump going a bit to fast and landed at the top of the slag pile. I slammed on my brakes to stop myself from going over the other side of the slag pile (rocks, trees, the works) and my feet came off the pedals and my nads slammed into my headset cap. I fell over and couldnt move for about five minutes. I then got up and rode home. It was the most painful ride ever but it was much better than walking. I got home and checked myself out. Sure enough blood everywhere and a hole in my scrotum. I dont know yet if Im gonna need stitches or anything but I will update if I do.


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## Proflexrider (Jul 22, 2011)

onlyoyster99 said:


> Wow I consider myself lucky when I see what some of you have been through. I havent really had too many injuries riding (scrapes, bruises etc.) But today I did something that in my mind anyway is pretty bad. I ruptured my scrotum. I was hitting a local trail called "G-Force" which is a series of G outs on our local slag piles. In the middle of one of the uphill sides of the trail is a jump. I hit the jump going a bit to fast and landed at the top of the slag pile. I slammed on my brakes to stop myself from going over the other side of the slag pile (rocks, trees, the works) and my feet came off the pedals and my nads slammed into my headset cap. I fell over and couldnt move for about five minutes. I then got up and rode home. It was the most painful ride ever but it was much better than walking. I got home and checked myself out. Sure enough blood everywhere and a hole in my scrotum. I dont know yet if Im gonna need stitches or anything but I will update if I do.


O.O Uhm..... OW?!?!?!?? Jeezum, man. That musta been pretty painfull.


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## krjr13 (May 2, 2010)

*ouch!*

Not half as bad as some of these! Broken ribs,and wrist racing Dh about 10 years ago!


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## Supercleeb (Feb 28, 2011)

*All Broken Up*

Road Bike Crash: Doing Sprint workout with a friend in Feb, coming off of a steep downhill into a flat where the sprint started. I was running worn out (my fault-recent riding on snowy/muddy gravel roads destroyed relatively new cleats) cleats on my Speedplays. Down stroke on right side at full sprint speed/power and the cleat gave in and "let go". Right leg then stomped the ground at around 45mph and vaulted me over the bars and straight into the pavement, no slide, no road rash...just broken everything.

3" Skull Fracture in right Temporal Plate
2 Brain Clots (Coup-Contra-Coup)
Fractured Sinuses
3 Micro Fractures in Vertebra
3 Break Right Collar Bone
5 Broken Right Ribs
Fully Collapsed Right Lung
Dead on Site, CPRed back 
3 Weeks in Hospital
4 Months in Bed
Gained 70 pounds on meds and crazy heavy diet
Little Scrape on Right Elbow 

Still on Anti-Seizure/Anxiety Meds and probably will be for a long time

All that being said, I was SUPER LUCKY to have died, been brought back healed very quickly and regained near 100% health in all areas.

WEAR YOUR HELMET EVERY TIME


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## FNG RIDER (Apr 2, 2011)

@Super, 
Sorry to hear about your severe injuries, and welcome back!!
I hope your back on your bike, but at a lessor level. I feel your pain as I too had an almost catastrophic crash, and was told I am lucky to be here. spent 4 days in ICU with concussion, compression fracture of C1, t2 and t3. 12 weeks in a neck brace.

I believe my helmet saved my life by taking up most of the impact.


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## Supercleeb (Feb 28, 2011)

Yes I was wearing a brand new helmet. Well, it was brand new for about four days, then it was...not brand new anymore. I am back to riding with Docs approval but it is a different world now. I also have a two year old son so it was most likely the last nail in my "bike racer" coffin. I have been amazed at how much I did not see for years on very familiar roads and trails until I slowed down and looked around. 

Thanks for the help gents, it is sincerely appreciated. Disregard all the hoopla about rolling out of a crash to avoid breaking your wrist and collar bone...stick your arms out. Collar bone breaks do not lead to anti seizure meds, loss of driving rights, loss of memory or just feeling separated from yourself on bad days. 

And buy new helmets...

Happy Trails


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## onehandkeyboard (Aug 23, 2011)

Supercleeb said:


> Road Bike Crash: Doing Sprint workout with a friend in Feb, coming off of a steep downhill into a flat where the sprint started. I was running worn out (my fault-recent riding on snowy/muddy gravel roads destroyed relatively new cleats) cleats on my Speedplays. Down stroke on right side at full sprint speed/power and the cleat gave in and "let go". Right leg then stomped the ground at around 45mph and vaulted me over the bars and straight into the pavement, no slide, no road rash...just broken everything.
> 
> 3" Skull Fracture in right Temporal Plate
> 2 Brain Clots (Coup-Contra-Coup)
> ...


Wow, that's amazing. Hope your elbow has healed


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## blazin05 (Aug 24, 2011)

Just started riding last week commuting to and from work about 16 miles a day. Well yesterday on the way home about a mile from home a car not paying attention pulls out and hits me. Only damage to me was a bruised elbow


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## RoninX (Jul 26, 2011)

A friend dropped me off at the top of a run. He then took his truck on the roads down to the bottom of the run to pick me up. It had been weeks since either of us had been up to the hills due to heavy rain fall. Taking this opportunity to beat him down to the base of the trail, I hopped on the bike and took off. 

The trail was sweet, pristine smooth. Speed was not a problem. The curves were packed nicely, Traction was not a problem... 

The problem was a HUGE washout that had occured on the blind side of a huge jump just after a high speed corner. Sailing into the air was magic, looking down at the landing area to find out it was not only gone, but had become countersunk.. not so much. 

Endo, fly, fall, slide, roll, swear, slide, stop.... 

bike made it farther than I did, but survived intact. 
me... 
2 broken ribs, 
1 lovely puncture just below my floating rib, right side. (stick? rock? I dunno, it went in, then back out)
broken wrist
trail rash covering most of the right side of my body. 
when I finally made it down the rest of the trail.. my MT buddy was just leanin up against the truck laughing. 

Not nearly as bad as some of them on here. But I still take that corner slow. heh heh


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## teggy84 (Jun 29, 2011)

All mine come from multiple wrecks on quads. I have broken both collar bones, my neck, and my back. I ruptured my spleen, which the saved. a 3rd degree burn on my achillies tendon, multiple sprain. My favorite and i think the worst result from coming up short on a 70ft triple. One back tire landed on the face and one on the downside of the landing. The bike and me cartwheeled probably another 70 feet, and i was being stupid and racing with open pegs instead of nerf bars. I get up after the wreck and shake it off, then flip the bike right side up and try to kick it over. Lots of pain resulted, so I pushed the bike to the side and get off the track. I looked down the front of my pants were totally red and my boot was full of blood. Turns out the foot peg went into the side of my shin to the bone and tore about a 6"x2" hole. Took about 2 hours for them to clean it and 35 internal stitches to put the muscle back together and 30 to close the outside. That night wasn't bad but i couldn't walk the next morning. My calf was about 1.5" smaller and the pain from them stretching everything back together was horrible. To top it all off my girlfriend, now my wife, booted me in it like she was kicking a freaking field goal. she didn't mean to, but she forgot about because i was pissing her off.lol


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## TechnicianX (Aug 27, 2011)

Coming up on my 1 year anniversary of my worst. On my road bike, hit a piece of wood and it got thrown between the tire and the fork, locking the front tire. I was clipped in and basically got thrown into the road. Broken collarbone in 4 places, collapsed lung, 5 broken ribs, 3 broken front and back. I'm also in the steel plate club with that and 10 screws in my collarbone. I have a *****in' scar on my left shoulder and some permanent road rash scars on my legs and hands. Still riding but I was off the bike for 3 months and lost a lot of conditioning. It's a lot harder to heal at 45 than it was at 19!


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## Mr. D (Jun 1, 2008)

SuperCleeb, hang in their. I have been recovering from a brain injury myself. That feeling away from your body is a "trip". It had been 5 yrs for me I am riding the best I can and doing my best to enjoy life. I know I am not who I was before, but I am working hard to accept things and knowing that I am alive is a gift. I also never ever took meds for anything as now I take what I call my happy pill everyday/

Good luck with your recovery


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## jrexsimmons (Jul 23, 2010)

*Radial Nerve Compression - Excessive Pumping?*

Hey aggressive Riders!
After 6 months and 4 cortisone shots, I was "further" diagnoseded with radial nerve entrapment as well as the tennis elbow.
I'm supposed to be at 80% after 90 days and wondering if excessive "pumping" on roller coaster trails may have done the damage.

Thanks,
J Rex


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## jrexsimmons (Jul 23, 2010)

4 cracked ribs, 2 compression fractions in the thoracic spine and just had radial nerve compression release and tennis elbow release. And no I don't play tennis


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## racerXX (Mar 22, 2004)

Fortunately, not as bad as a lot of you, but in the last couple years-

bad road rash - legs and arms (with scars - I'm a girl, so not too pretty), stitches in knee, broken rib, orbital fracture, but the worst was a head injury (along with some nasty cuts and road rash). I came around a corner on a road bike ride going about 25 mph hr. and hit another rider head on. I lost consciousness and when I came to, I was vomiting on the side of the road. Luckily, the CT scan was normal. I lost all memory of the accident. The accident sheared the fork off and the carbon frame is littered with cracks. I dont ever want to go through another head injury again!

On the plus side, I splurged on a new cervelo S3. 








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## iradi8 (Jun 19, 2011)

First big accident this week, just got home from hospital. Went over the bars landed on my left shoulder. Broke my left collar bone 4 ribs on the left and when I made it down the hill and to the hospital I had a 40% collapse to my left lung. Good times


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## SuperSoup (Sep 28, 2011)

i never get myself in a serious injury or something, just a pathetic one, and hopefully it wont get worst than that.. last week im skidding in the soccer field at the entrance of mtb park and i fell to the left and everyone is watching at me me. it is not a serious fall but i cant move my left hand for a few seconds (or because i don't know if the handlebar hits my hand) and they all laugh.. so when i continued trailing, i can barely shift the front gear and brake for the rest of the day.. and it got worst when a hardcore masseur massaged my left hand. the pain only last for a few days

and this is my first post at mtbr


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## Alex774r (Jul 22, 2011)

aside from the scratches and bruises associated with little mishaps while riding my only real injury was a partially severed Achilles tendon.


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## twistedmentality (Apr 1, 2011)

i broke my 5th thoracic vertebrae back in 2001. that was the most serious injury ive ever had on a bike or in life for that matter.i just got back on a bike last year and started riding again. ive also broken ribs and got the occasional cuts and bruises from riding. i just recently went OTB and messed up my shoulder for a few weeks and got a hematoma in my leg.


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## unicrown junkie (Nov 12, 2009)

I have 23 screws and 5 rods holding my leg together. Another driver decided to not wait his turn, next thing I know I see my femur sticking out of my leg.

So, the FD came and used the jaws of life to cut me out. Several months of rehab and I'm good to go. Then almost a year later to the day, I fall off of my Ibis trials bike and re-break it!

All is good now, well sort of!


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## dirtclog (Jan 2, 2009)

I just might have yalls beat? I recieved what the docs called a "decapatation break". c2 was fractured in two spots on the right and left sides, just below the rings that catch your nerve packs coming from your brain! I recovered well! They wanted to halo me. Slaped on a super tech neckbrace, munched out on bonegrowth matrix from baby lambs, and wheatgrass! Seven months later the brace is off! The docs are still amazed, me included! Bobbleheaded for a few months because i lost 15lbs of neck and shoulder muscles, but with my love,passion,and dreams of my dh riding ,I was riding in one year from my crash.


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## lucifer (Sep 27, 2004)

Night ride two weeks ago, just riding along on a local trail next thing I know I am eating dirt. I either peeled my bottom lip back enough to tear it or seriously gashed it with my teeth. Anyways after some pretty extensive oral surgery I am now on the mend. Cost me my helmet and sunglasses too. 
As bad as it was it could have been worse. I was really lucky to have no broken bones and no broken teeth.


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## Obgod3 (Oct 21, 2011)

MTB'ing = 0 so far
Dirt Biking: Broken ribs and nerve damage to tissue in hip; Opened knee, 25 stitches; concussion; Tibial Platuea fracture and ACL; Clavical - Plated (this one recently).

Going back to MTB but hope to keep some of the injuries to a minimum.


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## huckit (Oct 13, 2011)

well......i kind of dont have to tell you? just take a quick look and yull see:thumbsup:
http://www.pinkbike.com/v/224574/l/

<a


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## sky42 (Nov 3, 2011)

All I have to say is... Kids, don't drink and ride!

One night I had a few too many. I was riding home, and decided to ride up a curb cut. Well, apparently it wasn't a curb cut. It was just a curb. Luckily I was drunk so I limply flew through the air, over my bars, and landed on my shoulder. Went home in quite a bit of pain, and tried to sleep it off. Woke up in the morning with the worst pain I had ever felt. Time to go to the hospital.

I suffered a class III AC joint separation. Had to get surgery, where they wrapped my ligaments back together with cadaver, then wrapped that in stitching material. After a year of recovery I can finally ride again. The doctors said it's one of the 5 most painful injuries you can sustain, and boy, do I believe that.

DON'T DRINK AND RIDE.


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## sydneyV (Nov 10, 2011)

So far it's been a Grade 3 Concussion, Loss of consciousness for 5 mins and 24 hours or so of amnesia. I wasn't allowed to ride or drive for 6 months, and my memory was still effected a year later. Told by 4 Doctors included a neurologist without a helmet I'd be dead (Helmet cracked right through)
Was riding in the Blue Mountains, and going a little too quick or a gravel down hill section. Came around a sweeping bend at 50kms or so and a rock had rolled into the middle of the track. I obviously hit it, then came off head butting another rock. Friends came along 5 or 10 mins later and I was just getting up. Choices were a Chopper out or ride to the end, so I rode through techy Rock gardens etc repeating every 30 secs or so "Did I crash" Didn't know where I lived, what day it was etc, and didn't remember any of the 4 hour ride. CT scans and a trip to hospital and I was given the ok. Lost from dinner the night before, and first real memory is from 8pm the next night. Docs say I'll never remember that 24 hours. I guess I can ride that route again. as I don't remember anything about it


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## Hardtail 355 (Oct 19, 2011)

Well this was my MTB accident in July '10; open tibia fracture!





































I'm still going through sports med for recovery............I still can't run like I use to. BUT I can still ride.


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## singletrack = good (Aug 16, 2011)

*my not so epic crash.*

well i guess i can proudly(?) say that iv never hurt myself to the extent that some of you have. due to obvious reasons i cant post pictures of my injurie, but about 2-3 months ago while riding at snow summit i somehow ripped my sack open. and im not talking about the bag that was on my back.... :madman:

8 stitches and two grand later im back on the trails!


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## mackt (Jan 27, 2008)

Managed to get to 45 before the big one!

Riding my local tracks as you do, fantastic evening, enjoying the wind in my face and then picking my self up after an embarrassingly non-technical bit of track took me out!!

You know how it is - lying on the ground and full systems check, limbs attached and pointing in the right direction, no obvious bleeding, but severely winded, took a few minutes to get it sorted, then the half hour walk back to the car - knew the right collarbone was toast as trying to push the bike...

Bike is fine, and now I am trying to grow bone while we have the best weather - agggh.

Oh well - hopefully quick recovery - week 3 now.


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## James K (Nov 9, 2011)

My last ride I crashed. I don't know how though... I don't remember it.

I got a concussion with minor anterograde and retrograde amnesia. I can't really remember anything that happened that day. Kinda scary trying to think back and replay the series of events.

They told me that I just "flipped" or something. I was bringing up the rear of our group as I usually do. \

I ended up breaking my cheek bone, which is even more scary since my helmet should have helped a little bit. The helmet is toast. My wrist, shoulder, and elbow are all cut up, nothing major though. I'm just glad I'll be able to ride again soon.


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## LunaC (Aug 30, 2011)

lucifer said:


> Night ride two weeks ago, just riding along on a local trail next thing I know I am eating dirt. I either peeled my bottom lip back enough to tear it or seriously gashed it with my teeth. Anyways after some pretty extensive oral surgery I am now on the mend. Cost me my helmet and sunglasses too.
> As bad as it was it could have been worse. I was really lucky to have no broken bones and no broken teeth.


Pretty similar to me. I did similar about a month ago., halloween night.Tore my bottom lip off after a faceplant into a root. Hands never left the grips. Expected teeth gone, but none. MRI showed no concussion but I think my nose broke and separated shoulder.

Fortunately the degloving was internal, oral surgeon reattached the muscles,lip and tendons to the gums under local that didn't take in the ER room. Took forever to remove the debris. Probably 23 stitches was his guess. A week later nobody could tell that wasn't close to me.

Cause? New bike with improperly torqued bars. Hit a rut after a foot or so and Frenchkissed mother earth at about 10-15mph. I have quick reflexes but I was blindsided by this , full impact and no defensive measures taken.

Cost about 3k, plus the Verace sunglasses I wore because I didnt have any others with me.


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## Conklin11 (Dec 16, 2011)

Fell ten feet off the trail and landed in a poison oak push. Poison oaks all over my body and face for two weeks.


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## cestfacile (Dec 17, 2011)

Eight weeks ago I crashed my bike cycling to the station to go to work - I made a bad choice and was wearing a new hat, not my helmet as I normally do, and the wind blew up as I came down the hill behind the station.

I instinctively grabbed at it, lost control, went flying - my bike spun round and although I don't remember, I think the handlebar smashed me in the mouth. I ended up with a very nasty split lip, wiping off the skin above me lip, smashing out most of my front teeth - three bottom, broke two top, one root canalled so far, will need two crowns, have chipped another up top and badly chipped one next to the ones i whacked out - and giving myself severe whiplash, which I've been having physio for over the past few weeks.

I'm still recovering from it, am having to have piles of dental work including my first ever op, which was horrid. It's really messed me up physically and mentally - I returned to work a few weeks ago and it's been a huge struggle, had surgery for implants on my teeth earlier this week and am banned from exercising for about four months in total. Never had to deal with anything like this before, it's been appalling, I've been a wreck - anyone else dealt with this? Having said that I was certainly lucky to escape anything more serious - it's just a pity I smashed the one bone that doesn't regrow itself...


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## JimInSF (Oct 30, 2010)

Most serious mountain biking injury (though far from most severe overall) was in October - OTB at 20mph merging from trail back onto pavement in the dark and using insufficient approach angle over a lip that was bigger than estimated - two broken ribs, badly bruised collarbone (still hurts), lots of lost skin down to the dermis, cracked my helmet and woke up bleeding profusely. 

Called the wife to be aware of my location and route in case it got worse on the road, then rode home and realized halfway there the ribs were toast, and stopped to rinse my wounds out with my water bottle which had not occurred to me when I first got up. Then called the doc as I pedaled home and he told me I had to get to the ER to get checked for pneumothorax for an impact that hard (making sure I had not punctured lung or liver or created an air pocket in my chest cavity that could collapse a lung) - keep this in mind kids, if you go down hard enough, what feels like just broken ribs can kill you dead if you don't get checked. I wish I'd known that the first couple of times I broke ribs! 

The huge scar on my arm will likely be a permanent reminder to slow the f##k down at night.


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## cestfacile (Dec 17, 2011)

Wow Jim - can't believe you made your own way home after that! I cycled in the middle of the night the morning of my accident - nobody around - just thought to myself afterwards 'what if I had crashed with nobody around then?' Glad you're okay


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## JimInSF (Oct 30, 2010)

cestfacile said:


> Wow Jim - can't believe you made your own way home after that! I cycled in the middle of the night the morning of my accident - nobody around - just thought to myself afterwards 'what if I had crashed with nobody around then?' Glad you're okay


Thanks! Yeah, with the benefit of hindsight I probably should have let the wife come pick me up, could have made it worse trying to ride home, but luckily I survived.  And now I have a reminder to ride more cautiously at night and pay more attention when shifting across parallel surfaces! You think suspension will help you with such things but a one or two inch ridge hit at a 20 or 30 degree angle rather than 60 degrees plus can throw you right over the bars.

Seems pretty lame compared to some of the YouTube bails going over huge jumps and whatnot I see posted here though! :eekster: I've gotten too old and broken for the craziness of _my_ youth, let alone the craziness of _modern_ youth.

EDIT: How's the dental work going? I know I've had a bit of PTSD-type not wanting to be on the bike since then, but I got out and rode a bit this past weekend and will be back in the saddle as spring comes around. Just gotta get back on and go, and go somewhere you really love to remind you of why you were doing it in the first place.


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## RaptorTC (Jan 22, 2012)

Several years ago I came up a little too short on a pretty long double. It threw me up onto my front wheel until I faceplanted into the lip of the next jump. I just remember wondering what happened as I laid in a heap on the ground with my bike on top of me. After I got up I went to get back on my bike when I realized my collarbone was toast. That effectively ended my summer of riding. When I'm getting really tired my collarbone still aches to this day.


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## cestfacile (Dec 17, 2011)

Hey Jim

Luck is a weird thing... accidents are even more so - mostly preventable, things happen we never normally would do and then life changes! Bike control is so tenuous...

RE dental work - fine thank you! I'm just sitting on my hands at the moment as I've got a temp bridge in at the moment and just waiting for the jawbone to heal up enough for them to put in the final implants, and then hopefully get going on crowning the top 'uns and fixing the white filling needs of the other chipped one! I guess the test will come over the next couple of years as my mouth gets used to it all...

I haven't got back on the bike yet - physio still won't allow it and back, although it's been getting much better, is still not ready for that. Part of me is ready but the rest (mainly the physical, but probs mental too) isn't. Can't wait till I can, though. Have agreed to go out with a friend for that first one, cycle somewhere easy and get a cup of tea or piece of cake or something!


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

High ankle sprain, kept me off my MTB for about a month.


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## MemphisFan (Jan 28, 2012)

I went of a ramp downhill and went over the handle bars and stuck my wrist out to catch me. I ending up fracturing my wrist and had my hand pushed down out of place. I had to have plates put in and Physical therapy for a few months.


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## JimInSF (Oct 30, 2010)

cestfacile said:


> Hey Jim
> 
> Luck is a weird thing... accidents are even more so - mostly preventable, things happen we never normally would do and then life changes! Bike control is so tenuous...
> 
> ...


I'm mostly healed other than skin/elbow, but the mental part has been hard. I've been reticent about getting on the bike and some of this is just laziness (hard to get back into exercise after not doing it for a while!), but some of it is trepidation - I've been hesitant about riding my motorcycle too. It's no way to live though, so this week I've ridden to work and put in a quick 20 on Saturday, and hoping to get my first 100 mile week since the accident. Back to life! Hope your healing continues to accelerate.


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## 53skidoo (Feb 4, 2012)

*Whoosh, snap, grind, bam, skid, owwww!!!!*

Last Sunday afternoon, some buddies, my son and I started out on one of my favorite rides, looking to do about 2 1/2 hours out on the trail. It wasn't 10 minutes into it, still on the fire road going down, riding at a pretty fast clip, maybe 20-25 mph, my front tire hits a rut that was obscured by grass in the middle of the trail.

You know how when you're crashing, and time slows down and you have that heightened sense of reality, with your mind noticing every detail? That didn't happen. It was just whoa, something's wrong here, whoosh, snap, grind, bam, skid, owwww!!!! I endo'd sort of sideways, then the bike flipped over me, and it all came skidding to a halt. Pain in my left arm, I'm lying there doing a self-check, and it comes up no, everything's not allright.

I had to walk myself and my bike out about a half mile to a lower trailhead with my left arm hanging limp so my buddy Curt could ride the 3 miles back up to get his truck and drive around to pick me up and bring me to the ER.

Turns out I broke the radius and the ulna near the hand, and the humerus at the top, which is the ball of the ball and socket shoulder joint. Also got some nasty scrapes and bruises in various places including my face, and my right leg is one big purple and blue/green ugly mess that's making it a little hard to walk.

Ruined that ride for everybody.

Other than that, I've had a hip/groin injury, bruised or sprained ribs, some pretty good scrapes, scratches, and bruises, and my head has bounced more than once (with a helmet on of course) etc., but this is definitely the worst. And the most expensive. And painful.


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## JimInSF (Oct 30, 2010)

Sorry to hear it 53skidoo - heal fast!


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## BozoBiker (Oct 23, 2011)

Got my most serious biking injury today/yesterday. Supermanned it off of a washed corner and popped the shoulder out. Wasn't the worst dislocation I've had, but couldn't get this one back in myself. So, a nice fella helped me back to my car - where I then had to drive myself the hour back to town, but sadly it took another three hours (four in total) for the docs to get her back in place. Hoping to avoid surgery this time!
My dad, uncle, gf, and buddies first question was on the status of the bike (just got a Yeti SB66 in December) but luckily I was on my hard tail! Still I was quite entertained that was everyones first concern!


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## MemphisFan (Jan 28, 2012)

Dislocating your shoulder can come back on you, my sister dislocated hers about 5 years ago and always has problems with it coming back out. She just not got surgery on it and wished she would have done it sooner because she had just kept putting it off. If they say you probably need it might just wanna go ago ahead and get it.


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## BozoBiker (Oct 23, 2011)

Yeah, this isn't the first time I have dislocated it. I had a reverse dislocation 5 years ago and had to have surgery, it ended up putting me out about 14 months total. Then I've had trouble with it lately (past 2 years or so). This was just a "normal" dislocation this time.. Just sucked it was out so long, I was able to throw my other one in myself. 
Now I have to go see an ortho this week and go from there.


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## MemphisFan (Jan 28, 2012)

Well good luck man, I know thats the kind of thing that if you don't do anything about it, it just keeps getting worst. Does your ever pop out randomly or just when you are doing stuff?


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## BozoBiker (Oct 23, 2011)

Yeah, but when it pops out randomly it will usually pop back in by itself. This one yesterday my shoulder was down on my peck by my nipple. So it couldn't of gone back in on it's own. 
Thanks for the well wishes.


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## MemphisFan (Jan 28, 2012)

Yeah my sisters would pop out while she was sleeping sometimes, wouldn't be fun to wake up too.


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## GoingOffRoading (Oct 16, 2011)

Had a crash Sunday... Got xrayed today... Fractured my elbow... Superlame


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## Ruski1989 (Apr 29, 2010)

My worst one was back in May 2010 where I ended up hitting an unseen huge bump on a paved trail (which was on a tight curve too), fell on my side, and really scraped up my right arm bad. The skin on the tricep muscle had a bloody stripe all over it, on top of my wrist being in severe pain too since I fell hard and landed partially on my wrist. That same bump is still there to this very day and nothing is being done about it despite the visible danger.....


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## Bowen1911 (Nov 3, 2011)

I just got surgery a few days ago for a 1 cm avulsion on my hamstring tendon. The tendon completely ripped off my pelvis. 12 month recovery here I come!


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## 2slo2endo (Feb 15, 2012)

Dislocated Right Shoulder w/ fractured Femur - 2 years ago, still don't have my confidence back entirely, but I was finally starting to let go and relax before winter hit w/ about 90% mobility... Chomping at the bit to see if I can get back to where I left off... No idea how my collarbone survived..


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## lancelot21 (Feb 25, 2012)

Compression fracture of first lumbar vertebra and pelvic fracture. Riding an intermediate single track trail I've ridden a hundred times. Slow speed uphill, didn't clear an obstacle, and tipped in slow motion into a ravine. Hurt like hell at first, then eased and we decided I hadn't broken anything so we didn't need to call the helicopter. Rode out painfully, went to urgent care, and found out I'd broken my back. Only later did the hospital diagnose the pelvic fracture as the reason I couldn't walk. 

That was six months ago, and I'm at the point I can think about riding again. I'll be starting on fire roads.


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## TRaGiK (Feb 23, 2012)

Hard to say which is the "worst" for me. Both have been 16+ years ago.

-Went over the bars, broke my collar bone, and got a concussion.

-Hit by a car, fractured several ribs, got a concussion. I don't really remember much from this one, but my friend that was with me told me what happened. 

Both sucked!


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## aerius (Nov 20, 2010)

There used be a fence with a section cut out of it near the local trails. The chicken wire was cut out but the steel support bar on top was left in place, conveniently it was right around head height so you had to duck under it on the way through. 

I had a massive brain fart one day and forgot to duck, the steel bar creamed my helmet and damn near broke my neck. It gets worse, after getting clotheslined off my bike I hit the back of my head into the ground which destroyed the back of my helmet and got a bad concussion. That was 16 years ago, my neck still hurts if I've been sitting on my butt for a couple days and makes crunchy noises if I'm not warmed up and working out. Also had occasional dizzy spells for nearly 5 years after the crash, ended up passing out for no good reason a couple times in the first year. It sucked hard.


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## jjvibes (Mar 4, 2012)

*Lots of injuries*

Hello and injuries are inevitable here's my story.
Four broken ribs, major concussion, torn up knee, bruised lumbar, black eye. This all happened in a circuit race and 80 guys ran me over. The hardest part was the concussion as I didn't know that I was trying to get my bike and race again. And then my sympathetic nerve wanted to play in my heart stopped, medics were there and then I have stopped again the ER. I don't have photos, but I have x-rays...

That summer sucked. I am selling any road items and will be a mountain bike for life for for many reasons. However I'll be posting soon a more tragic injury that has left me to make obvious athletic decisions.

jjvibes


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## lubbockrider (Dec 19, 2011)

Definitley has to be tearing the end of my finger off in my brake rotor


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## [email protected] (Mar 2, 2012)

*Broken Neck (C2 split into 4 pieces)*










Hey,

The most important thing with any injury is to keep a good attitude and work hard at your therapy. I came back (from a broken neck) to riding full speed. I broke it while riding Anderson Truck Trail (San Diego County) in 2008. I have written about this frightful experience on my website: Mountain Bike Diaries (I can't make a link as I have not posted 10 times on this site). My website contains many fun and interesting stories you might enjoy while you are laid up.

Joe


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## roosterboy39 (Oct 14, 2011)

Riding solo, I went over the bars and fractured my C2 vertebra. I spent 20-30 minutes unable to move--finally got one hand to work, managed to drag my pack around, get my phone and dial 911 (luckily I had a signal). Four hours later I ended up in the ER. In that time I gradually regained feeling and use in my other limbs. I ended up with surgery, two titanium rods and four screws, a week in the hospital, and four months of recovery. I'm just now getting back on the bike--had hoped to race this spring, it'll have to wait. But I'll get there.


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## ihaveagibsonsg (Nov 29, 2010)

ihaveagibsonsg died riding yesterday. he wins.


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## JimInSF (Oct 30, 2010)

ihaveagibsonsg said:


> ihaveagibsonsg died riding yesterday. he wins.


Oh that's horrible! My condolences.


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## jjvibes (Mar 4, 2012)

*This is so sad&#8230;*

Did he have a heart attack? What happened? My heart goes out to his friends and family.

I have to say I don't think we should be competing, especially,if a rider dies - no one wins.:nonod:

I always thought this thread was to encourage each rider to persevere through their injuries and help each other to get tough times. Not to compete, as it's not fun to be off your bike and in pain.


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## JimInSF (Oct 30, 2010)

Agreed jjvibes - certainly not a competition here but a source of encouragement to get back on the horse and look forward to the good times again.


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## LunaC (Aug 30, 2011)

Note the author's name.


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## JimInSF (Oct 30, 2010)

Yeah, I saw that, hopefully it's a joke and not the wife or someone else posting from his account (which would not be the first time I've seen bad news posted by a spouse or buddy in a bike forum unfortunately).


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## ihaveagibsonsg (Nov 29, 2010)

sorry guys didnt expect people to take my 1 upping so seriously.


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## jjvibes (Mar 4, 2012)

glad you are ok...ride on!


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## JimInSF (Oct 30, 2010)

No worries man, glad you're ok. There's another forum I'm on (road related) where a few people have died of other causes and a few have also been killed on the road over the years.


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## jjvibes (Mar 4, 2012)

Yeah no worries, but I knew a mountain biker who simply had some bad luck and did not descend well when over the bars broke his neck and died. Another incident I remember a young high school mountain biker who unfortunately crashed and messed up his back and central nervous system. As a result he is permanently paralyzed. So, I am like all us somewhat sensitive to the stuff.


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## Slyp Dawg (Oct 13, 2007)

on sunday, I had a bit of a fall trying to roll a small double/gap (it can be done, the two guys ahead of me did it and I've done it before!), the upper collar of my EVS neck brace dug into the dirt and forced the shoulder plate straight down onto my clavicle, doing this:








ended up getting a plate and 8 screws in it, here's the post-op xray:








first follow-up orthopedist visit next wednesday, then I get to find out if its healing right and if they lock-tighted the screws


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## jjvibes (Mar 4, 2012)

Hang in there and don't rush recovery.


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## teamccloud (Apr 5, 2012)

I crashed last fall when my front wheel hit a rut going about 15 mph downhill. The thing is, I knew the ruts were coming, and I was slowing down -- just not soon enough. I went over the handlebars and banged my knee pretty good. I didn't realize I'd hurt my right shoulder until I got in the car to go home. It was sore for a good month, to the point initially that I could barely lift my arm over my head.


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## mtbfyrefyter (Oct 11, 2011)

My current injury that's almost fully healed is bruised / cracked ribs! 

I was trail riding at night with my Mrs. and I slowed down to let her catch up.....for some reason....I decided to pump on my front fork and wound up squeezing my front brake as well....I went endo, flew a few feet, and when landing.....my arm came between me and the crushed gravel and forcefully smashed my ribs! Pain.....luckily the damage wasn't worse.


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## Pooch (Apr 6, 2011)

My worst happened 2 weeks ago. Riding into a drainage area and didn't / couldn't see until the last moment that the opposite side had been washed out from a rain a week or so before. Couldn't stop in time and when the front wheel hit the other side I went flying (not easy for 225 lbs). Luckily I turned my head out of the way and ended up taking a hit to the right side of my body. Thought at first I broke the collar bone (already broke that one twice), but when I started having trouble breathing, I knew I was in trouble. Ended up calling 911 and Fire / Rescue took me to Trauma Center.

Broke 3 ribs on my right side and collapsed my right lung. Chest tube hurt worse than anything. The collar bone wasn't broken but I did do a lot of soft tissue damage that's making the shoulder hard to move. 

My doctors are all riders, mtb and road, so none of them told me I should stop riding. Girlfriend was with me and also rides so I'm lucky that she just wants me back riding. Stuck walking dogs for next 6-8 weeks.


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## Daniel Soh (Jul 13, 2011)

Had a 40% compression fracture on my T12. Manual down a pavement didn't noticed a rotten branch, looped out so fast that grabbing my rear brake did nothing. Landed heavily on my rear end, heard a faint pop sounds and had the mother of all pain. The rest is history, this is the third day and it still hurts despite all that painkiller.

Take care fellow MTB riders and speedy recovery to all whom are on the mend.


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## 2000Z3M (Aug 14, 2006)

Nothing major from biking other than 3 purple scars on my hip. Chainrings landing there.

Now, running. I stepped into a 1.5 foot deep hole that was covered in water. I lost my arch and 9 months later I was in the OR getting it fixed. I also had a bone removed and many scopes to see what else I messed up. That was about 2 years ago and I am still having issues to this day.

I also blew out my shoulder moving a gun safe. I stretched the "cup" and now I can pop it out when ever I want.


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## 7point (Apr 29, 2012)

Took a dive on Power Pole at Bootleg Canyon. Took the handle bar in the ribs before rolling down the hill a little ways. Broke a rib. Scrapes and bruises on arms and legs. It was AWESOME. Still hurts to breathe and forget running. Also scared to death to sneeze. Lol. Surface bruise gone after like a week but internally still painful.


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## Wibbs (Dec 5, 2011)

Not my most serious. Just the newest.


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## Bucknbronc (Jul 13, 2006)

Failure to negotiate ramp: sprained left ankle, knee and wrist. Broke my left middle 
finger four ribs and shattered my clavical into five pieces. Surgery a week later on 
clavical - eight screws and a plate installed. Also, neck sprain that has limited my left 
rotation. That all happened in August of 2011. Waited eight months to ride again, but I was back in the gym three weeks after the accident. Waited three months before I started lifting weights again.


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## mattel (May 7, 2006)

I was out training three weeks ago on my standard round I usually run my interval workouts on when I, between intervals, fiddled with my GPS. that little gap in attention made ​​me miss that the road barrier was closed and sent me flying over the handlebars. since I landed on my head instead of any other body part the result was a neck fracture of the vertebra C7 and 8 weeks with support collar. note to self: analyze your workout at home and not while cycling.. 

I'm glad I can stand/walk/move around and still has full sensation and I guess I could say I was lucky as it could have been so damn much worse! 

8 years ago I cracked the urethra, but that is a different story.


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## esocko (Jul 20, 2011)

Figure it's about time that I jump in on this thread. Although after scanning through the posts, my injury pales in comparison to some.

My buddy got me into riding about a year ago, having never been on a MTB or really anything 2 wheeled since my used pale yellow Schwin 10spd in junior high. I got absolutely hooked and after about four months of bombing around XC trails I agreed that it made sense to try something more technical. So off to SoMo and National trail.

I didn't know what I was doing, couldn't do many of the obstacles on the trail, but couldn't wipe the grin off my face either. After four rides, I got a new wider set of bars, put them on Friday night and hit the trail the next morning. Amazing what an extra 1/2" does for your control, and unfortunately, confidence. Soon my speed greatly exceeded my skill, I took a bad line and launched myself over the bars.

Put my hands down to stop from eating the rock approaching my face and came to a stop about 5yds short of my bike. Nothing hurt, but I glanced over at my left hand. My wrist was in a rather disturbing S-curve. After some loud cussing about the riding I would miss, walked my bike to my buddy further down the trail and started the 2 mile hike down. Thank god for adrenaline, didn't feel a thing the whole hike or drive to the hospital.

It says something when the ER doc is impressed with your injury. I managed a displaced distill fracture of both the radius and ulna in my left wrist. Chipped a bone in the right wrist as well, but hey that's nothin. Had surgey 2 weeks later, got plated and have 8 screws. Back on the bike in 2 months and back on XC trails in 3. During my convalescence, I stayed connected to riding by upgrading most of the components on my bike, because it's always the arrows, never the indians. I'll tackle SoMo again this fall hopefully with a little more skill.

I had to memorialize the event


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## huntermos (Mar 7, 2011)

I've had more than a few bad ones. This was last Sunday:









2nd worst was the fall that led to the 3 titanium screws in my shoulder (don't have the x-ray of that available), and the worst happened in 1996 and eventually led to this last year:









Still riding as much as possible, though I may have to tone down the speed and technicality of my riding; I break a lot easier now...


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## Iluv2adjust (Jun 19, 2006)

Cancer..Stage 3B colon cancer. Diagnosed August 29th 2011, spent 13 days in the hospital. My motivation for recovery (besides my wife and kids) was walking to the bay window every morning counting bike roof racks, being jealous that they were out there and I was stuck inside
6 months of chemo followed...trying to get back into cycling again.


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## torque29er (Oct 11, 2011)

Iluv2adjust said:


> Cancer..Stage 3B colon cancer. Diagnosed August 29th 2011, spent 13 days in the hospital. My motivation for recovery (besides my wife and kids) was walking to the bay window every morning counting bike roof racks, being jealous that they were out there and I was stuck inside
> 6 months of chemo followed...trying to get back into cycling again.


My prayers are with you brother !!! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

The Mountain Bike Gods are smiling on you !!!


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## bacon11 (Jul 3, 2009)

esocko said:


> After four rides, I got a new wider set of bars, put them on Friday night and hit the trail the next morning. Amazing what an extra 1/2" does for your control, and unfortunately, confidence. Soon my speed greatly exceeded my skill, I took a bad line and launched myself over the bars.
> 
> View attachment 703150


Same thing happened to me after I bought a new helmet.

I hate quoting pictures, but I showed that to my girlfriend and her response was "That's not happening in our living room." I think otherwise.


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## trance3 (Sep 5, 2011)

Broken clavicle on saturday in a bike crash. Took the sergeon 2 hours, 7 screws, some bone puddy and a plate to put me back togeather. Dr Kim is the same Dr. that did Michael Floyd's (Notre Dame Football ), so I feel like I am in good hands.


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## Ravenzclawz (Jun 24, 2012)

No real serious injuries for me. Normal scrapes . No skin on knees type thing. However I finally got my wife to come out with me on an easy ride . First ride out - Got down one trail and had to cross a stile passed bikes over and hop over all ok. Wife hops over and manages to land her foot on a nice two inch rusty spike from the old gate it went through shoe and into foot. Queue plenty of blood. I inspect it and decide its nothing too major but give her the choice carry on or we go home and fair do's she carries on for another hour or so. Then up casualty for a tetanus shot but I got her hooked and she has been out three more times since then with foot still sore and got her signed up to a little 45 k trail in November so all good.


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## Bike Maverick (Jun 26, 2012)

My worst one was when I was around 10 years old, meaning many many years ago. 
I was racing with friends and was leading the line. Did not see a car coming the wrong side of the street and went head on. Flew over and I think my rolling judo training, and a lot of luck, prevented more serious injuries than a broken arm. Bike was destroyed.

All my subsequent falls were a lot ligther and I have to thank judo. I am planning to enroll my son in those classes also since he's already showing he will ride hard.


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## lmsweatherman (Jun 22, 2012)

My worst is my "Chain Ring Tattoo" and I started a thread for other "Tattoo Artists" check it out at:
http://forums.mtbr.com/rider-down-injuries-recovery/chain-ring-tattoos-796916.html


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## doodoobaby (Jun 19, 2012)

Dislocated my elbow taking gap, well, the gap took me really. out for the count after that nasty spill.


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## 0wen0 (Apr 30, 2008)

Last weekend, cruising along a trail I've ridden many times. Front tire caught a root on a step down and turned 90 degrees instantaneously. I got catapulted into the hardpack dirt trail. Ouch. Ended up breaking my left collarbone. The kicker is that I broke my right collarbone less than four months ago. :madman: 

I can only be thankful I've had many many years without many serious crashes.


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## suzyq (Jul 20, 2012)

Crashed off a DH jump. Concussion, broken hand, lost conciousness. Out of work 4 months with concussion, dark rooms and no noise. A year and 12 days ago; can finally do light trail rides as of a month ago, any more than that screws with the head. Awful, but getting better. Living vicariously through friends and fuel tv.


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## FireDog46 (Jan 13, 2004)

suzyq said:


> Crashed off a DH jump. Concussion, broken hand, lost conciousness. Out of work 4 months with concussion, dark rooms and no noise. A year and 12 days ago; can finally do light trail rides as of a month ago, any more than that screws with the head. Awful, but getting better. Living vicariously through friends and fuel tv.


Don't mess with a concussion. Whatever time it takes to feel normal, take it.
I'm in this thread somewhere with a fractured pelvis and a shattered clavicle.
Both took 4 to 6 months to completely heal. I've never experienced anything
that took more than a year. But you can't rush it. You will live to regret it.

As my doctors said to me, 
"it's healing slowly, but at least that's the right direction, give it time"

I know your frustration. We all heal at different rates.
But we do heal...if we don't do anything silly.


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## Muffinhead (Jul 30, 2012)

I ran against a fence trying to go over some log step things and somehow landed my leg directly on top of one of these logs causing a bad thigh contusion. I was out of action for about 3 weeks and it gave me a noticeable limp when walking.


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## S4Dave (Jun 15, 2012)

My epic July 1, 2012 crash:

Broken neck (C7), broken back (T3,T4), 2 broken ribs

Small/medium size drop off, with a downhill landing. Front wheel hit first, then proceeded to fly over the handlebars. I got twisted and couldn’t brace my fall with my hands so I landed on my head and then rolled over onto my shoulder and back. When I hit, I could hear 2 cracks and I knew I was in trouble. Thankfully, I could move my arms and legs, so I was hoping there would be no permanent damage. 

I consider that day to be the luckiest day of my life. It could have had an outcome that was very different. Fortunately, I didn’t require surgery. I just need to wear a neck brace for about 6 weeks (4 down, 2 to go ).

Can't wait to get back on the bike, (with my wheels firmly planted on the ground)


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## cbd5600 (Jul 6, 2012)

I got this on Saturday. I went over the bars an my knee hit the front brake rotor. 5 internal stitches and 14 external. I was told injury was inevitable, I didn't expect it on my 5th ride though.


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## otis24 (Apr 1, 2004)

cbd5600 said:


> I got this on Saturday. I went over the bars an my knee hit the front brake rotor. 5 internal stitches and 14 external. I was told injury was inevitable, I didn't expect it on my 5th ride though.
> 
> Brake rotor to the knee! OOoh, that's a good one!


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## otis24 (Apr 1, 2004)

*zygomaticomaxillary complex, Fractured 5th Metacarpal*

On July 11th I was riding with two friends. I don't remember how I crashed but I crashed hard. I had a minor concussion but enough that I didn't know where I was or what the year was. I thought 2015 sounded too high and 2007 sounded too low so I settled on "I don't know"
I landed on my face. I had a zygomaticomaxillary complex. Your cheek bone is connected by 3 bones. I broke all three. These 3 showed up on the CT scan. The other 3 fractures above my lower jaw didn't show up until surgery. I ended up with 4 plates and a bunch of screws. They made 3 incisions. One near my eyebrow, one through the conjunctiva to put the bones back in place in the orbital floor below my eye and a 3rd in my mouth from above my 2 front teeth all the way back beyond my molars. Plus one tiny one in my cheek so they could fit a screwdriver.

I might need an implant to bulk up my cheek bone where some of the bone is missing to look symetrical.

3 Weeks later I'm doing much better. I have very little pain. My hand seems to be doing great. I still have some swelling in my face. I have a lot of numbness. The nerve that comes out of your cheekbone was right where one of the fractures was. So at least some of the numbness is here to stay.

My hand just needed a soft cast.

Broken Face - a set on Flickr


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## dencard (Dec 18, 2011)

slipped on sand, landed on my shoulder-totally detached my rotator cuff. had surgery yesterday.
Doc said operation was successful, tendons and ligaments in good shape, cleaned up old damage.
Will be off the bike for at least 12 to 15 weeks. guys, you just dont bounce as well at 63 years old compared to 23


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## fahza29er (Jun 26, 2012)

Hmmmm all I have is a few shin scars and a perfect inprint of my disk brake burned into my calf.


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## MTBadvocate (Aug 14, 2012)

1.)Separated shoulder in 2005 bombing down a descent, got airborn, landed funny and tried to save it. Clipped a tree going 22mph. Two surgeries to fix shoulder. One to put bolt in, and one to remove.

2.)Going in tomorrow (yes tomorrow 8/17) to get surgery on my broken left hand. 5th Metacarpal is shattered. Needs pins to heal right. Cast for 6 weeks. Went OTB on a washed out trail after taking 3 months off due to unrelated back surgery. No idea the trail i've ridden a thousand times would be so different. Bruised rib/spleen too. 

I keep telling myself 2 surgeries in 15 years isnt that bad....right?


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## MTBadvocate (Aug 14, 2012)

fahza29er said:


> Hmmmm all I have is a few shin scars and a perfect inprint of my disk brake burned into my calf.


That might actually look cool.


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## MTBadvocate (Aug 14, 2012)

SSINGA said:


> Spiral fracture of the 5th meta-carpal. The fix required 2 Ti screws.
> 
> I hit a tree w/o ever letting go of the bars - all the Dr.'s asked me who I punched!


I have this to look forward to. Are you back on the bike?


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## skyak (Sep 21, 2008)

Ruptured Spleen with Punctured Lung and Cracked Ribs. BREATHING WAS SO PAINFUL.


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## FireDog46 (Jan 13, 2004)

dencard said:


> slipped on sand, landed on my shoulder-totally detached my rotator cuff. had surgery yesterday.
> Doc said operation was successful, tendons and ligaments in good shape, cleaned up old damage.
> Will be off the bike for at least 12 to 15 weeks. guys, you just dont bounce as well at 63 years old compared to 23


Ah, yes. We older riders don't bounce. Well, not as high as when we were young.


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## blbarclay (Aug 28, 2008)

Broken collarbone - over the hangers on a MX bike.


To all those with MTB injuries - how many of you used clipless pedals, and would flats have prevented the injury? I'm currently choosing between the two.....


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## propguy (Oct 2, 2008)

Went OTB @ 25 mph. Managed to fracture my shoulder blade, collarbone, multiple rib fractures and a punctured lung. For my efforts I got morphine AND a helicopter ride! :thumbsup:


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## jaystein (Aug 23, 2012)

Reconstructed right Knee, then the usual, broken ribs bashed shins tweaked wrists etc....


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## Jrichmond (Aug 26, 2012)

Broke my tibia in 3 places last month. Doc says 8-12 weeks to recover. No worries my bikes only a little scratched can't wait to get back riding.


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## JDYMTB (Aug 20, 2012)

Years ago I pulled a superman style dismount over a drop of about 3 feet. both shoulders dislocated as I pounded down on the granite landing zone. about 12-13 years later I finally had to get both shoudlers repaired as they would just pop out for no reason. That was by far my worst injury... 

My coolest injury resulted from me dicking around by a drainage easment and flipping my bike only to have the pedal rip open the back of my leg. I was using platforms at them time and have what appears to be a bear claws scar down the back of my leg. :thumbsup:


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## PantslessWithWolves (Jul 18, 2012)

February 2006: cruising back from class one evening, I went off a curb on my bright orange GT mountain bike doing about 20 mph and had my chain suddenly skip on landing. I lost control, went down hard on my left side, got up and threw my bike into the bushes in a fit of rage. Riding home, I realized my left arm felt wet, looked down, and saw that I had a split-open elbow that took five stitches to close. 

July 2008: While trying to escape from a massive thunderstorm in New Orleans, I got hung up on some partially submerged railroad tracks and went down on my left side again. I realized I was hurt, but had to get to cover, so I jumped back on the bike, nearly fainted after two pedal strokes, and fell off on my right side. I patched up some horrific road rash hiding under the porch of an abandoned house, and then went to a local church that was just reopening for more gauze. I was lucky not to get more seriously hurt. 

August 2012: I was climbing up a little, rooty incline on the Blue Loop at Fountainhead, lost my traction going about 5-6 miles per hour, and bearhugged a tree. Slightly bruised my shoulder and calf, but pinched my right foot between the tree and the bike. It hurt like hell then, and I could barely finish the ride, much less drive home. An evening worth of ice, elevation and rest did wonders for it- to the degree that I actually went back to FH the next day and slayed that same climb. Now, I've got a huge, painless bruise that goes nearly from heel to toe, but I can't post any pictures or links until I get around that pesky 10 post limit. 

The closest I've come to serious injury on a bike was riding at UC Santa Cruz. I had just come to the top of a hill, had a decent amount of speed when suddenly my front tire went sideways and I found myself going OTB into a nasty, spiky tree stump going directly at my face. Somehow, I managed to grab that stump with both of my hands and flip my bike over my body, landing safely on my back with my arms still wrapped around the stump. When I got up, the guy behind me told me it looked like something out of the Matrix, and to this day, I have no idea how I managed to pull that off. Probably would have done some real damage otherwise. 

Many in this thread have more severe injuries from biking than I've ever had, and I wish you all a quick and easy recovery! I actually got into mountain biking after I blew my ACL out and lost most of my cartilage in my right knee snowboarding- I couldn't skate, surf, or snowboard for six months, and when I asked the doctor what I could do for exercise, he said, "Well, you can ride a bike..."

Seven years later, and here I am!


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## bbbr (Nov 6, 2005)

just got my left repaired from a jump I took on my road bike back in late April... rotated over the bars and plowed in shoulder first, tore the labrum up pretty seriously (large SLAP tear) but delayed on getting the work done till the summer was mostly over. Still managed to put in 1500 miles in on the road (mtn biking on a regular basis was extremely painful) and 5 DH trips, the last being the day before the surgery. 

This is gonna be a fun 6 months of rehab, no cycling except on a stationary trainer...


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## shulman1144 (Jul 9, 2012)

umm just a side note,,, Pictures or it didn't happen.


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## AUS_MTB_newbie (Sep 6, 2012)

*Broken glenoid (in shoulder)*

Had my first major injury recently . It was on a single XC trail, not a serious DH trail.
Broke my glenoid in two (which is the bone that looks like a ball at the end of your shoulder, I believe the rotator cuff pivots on this bone... But anyway enough of the anatomy) after my back tyre slid out on a slight downhill turn and I fell hard on the shoulder and arm. Had to get it screwed back together in a very painful op. Will be out of action for 3-6 months:madmax:.

Will be investing in some body armour for the next time and have since invested some time in looking at some MTB riding technique videos online (got plenty of time now. It was my left shoulder and I'm left handed )

A painful lesson for a relative newbie.


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## glebas (Aug 25, 2012)

*jump + braking + mud = 7 stitches!*

I must have been riding in Nam, because when I hit the brakes after a jump a Punji stick got me! Bike slid out from under me when I braked too hard on the mud and a stick impaled my forearm. I thought I was a pretty fit guy because I just did a triathlon this summer so I was surprised to see a yellow fat globule sticky out of the hole!

It was also my second day of riding my new 2012 Cannodale Scalpel 29er 4! I was more concerned about the bike than my arm! Maybe next time I'll wait for the mud to dry up! Ah, probably not, I can't wait to get back out, these stitches suck balls!

Bike is ok! Pics of the bike are one day old, pre-accident!


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## JayCo (Sep 7, 2012)

Rotator cuff injury and subscapular tendon rupture.


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## Wasmachineman NL (Jan 31, 2012)

Somewhat big scratch on back because of crash 'n' OTB, nothing serious tho.


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## catfish5 (Jan 9, 2012)

Hit a corner too fast, lost control and bounced right into a cactus. I've been sliced open a few times but man.. that cactus was gnarly. Haven't broken any bones on my bike yet.. knock on wood


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## bridger (Dec 7, 2010)

*it finally happened*

I've been mountain biking since 1988 with no major accidents or injuries. Last week while taking some friends on one of my favorite Oregon trails my pedal caught a root or something (on a perfectly buffed out trail), & I went over the bars. I looked up & saw blood but turned out to just be some random scrapes & bruises. Embarrassed more than anything. 
About a half mile later while descending a steep , rocky section of single track I went over the bars again. this time head & shoulder first into a tree stump. Wound up with a broken clavicle & three fractured ribs. The 4 "inexperienced" girls that were with me rode on ahead to get the pickup at the trailhead while I walked the last five miles out.
Injuries suck! No riding for at least three weeks? my blood feels like butter by not riding. Depressed, but making the best of it. At 50 years old it takes longer to heal but I'm already itching to get back on the bike before the snow flies.


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## bridger (Dec 7, 2010)

skyak said:


> Ruptured Spleen with Punctured Lung and Cracked Ribs. BREATHING WAS SO PAINFUL.


Holy cow dude! how far away were you from medical help? Ruptured spleen can put you in serious shock & near death in a hurry.


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## daleydouble (May 11, 2007)

I suffered a mild heart attack while riding in Oakridge, OR last weekend. It was a total freak thing. I ride and surf a ton and eat decently. I wasn't feeling that hot, had no energy, and had an odd pain in my back. I finished the ride and was trying to relax by my campsite. Then I threw up and decided it was time to seek help. Drove to ER in Eugene, where much to my amazement, the doc said I was having a heart attack and would require emergency surgery. Was rushed to another more capable hospital with a proper OR where I had a cath and 2 stents. What a first day of a mtb vacation. Dodged quite a bullet. Hope to be back in action in 2 weeks.

Wishing everyone a speedy recovery! Glad to still be here.


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## Sayers133 (Aug 2, 2012)

I split my kneecap down the middle after bashing it on the stem of my bmx, couldn't walk for a month was lucky the tendons didn't separate so it all healed up nicely,
Since then I've gotten rid of the bmx been on the mtb for 6 months, so far just cuts from overgrown branches on older trails, oh and 1 broken knuckle from punching a pitbull as it was going for my leg


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## nOOky (May 13, 2008)

I've had my share of lumps and bruises from road and mountain biking. Haven't seen too many serious injuries other than broken collar bones etc. myself.
I also ride a sport bike, now there I've seen some stuff that sticks with me. Broken bones, people left disabled, and yes some people kill themselves on them machines. I have really slowed down and been a lot more cautious as I get older.
Sorry I have no heinous injuries to share though, other than a few scrapes.


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## Mishtar (Jun 3, 2011)

I broke both my arms in August on a somewhat mild xc ride my first day riding my AM bike after spending all summer at Whistler on the DH rig with no major incidents. Was pretty sad;/


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## zk6760 (Oct 8, 2012)

This past winter I moved across the country to live in a place where the ski sport flourished. I got about 30 days in when I missed my landing, hit the ground too hard and blew my knee. Tore my ACL completely (graph'd tendon from behind my knee), MCL (was surgically repaired; most of the time this will be left to heal on it's own if the tear isn't that bad), both sides on my meniscus, and fractured a 30mm piece of cartilage off my knee somewhere. 

Had surgery 8 days later. It lasted ~4 hours. This happened a little over 7 months ago.

I was on crutches for 9 weeks and took a large number of physical therapy sessions multiple times a week. I still can't run or really even jog and I still limp sometimes without realizing it. I started riding about 2 months ago and it has been the best therapy I've had.

Cheers.


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## SlickWilly8019 (Sep 4, 2012)

*Never give up.*

I'm a walking catastrophie- I used to be a gym rat & I started bodybuilding after my back injury.

4 years ago broken back I was paralyzed for about 3 months it could be longer I dont remember too much about that accident-I was scared. I had no feeling from my waist down, I said to myself- self either get up or you'll die sitting in a wheelchair. I forced myself to get up and take charge I had help from a sports injury specialist at my gym, it took me 12 months before I could walk without a cane/crutches, 18 months and it was like a new lease on life, I have Pilates to thank for that.

And last year, (all left arm) I tore up my left supraspinatus rotator cuff I have half of it left, suffered a labral tear (its one of those rare times it started to heal itself, 70% better than a year ago this time) my surgeon said I can't help you its healing, bicep tendon frays, arthritis & narrowing discs in my cervical spine. Deltoid, infraspinatus rotator cuff, tricep muscle damage and AC joint degeneration and I am still dealing with that nightmare. That and constant pain between a level 6 & 8 when Im not doing XC when I'm the Marlin its nearly nothing.

BTW I am only 32 years old. :bluefrown:


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## Doba (Nov 29, 2008)

Just had my big crash this weekend. Got to stay in a Italian hospital overnight(not fun). 20+ stitches and a moderate concussion. OTB and my face broke my fall. Don't remember anything or how it happened.


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## podoco (Nov 21, 2011)

Doba said:


> Just had my big crash this weekend. Got to stay in a Italian hospital overnight(not fun). 20+ stitches and a moderate concussion. OTB and my face broke my fall. Don't remember anything or how it happened.


All you need is the caption "im looking for john connor"... Seriously though i hope you heal up with minimal scarring. Ouch!


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## bridger (Dec 7, 2010)

podoco said:


> All you need is the caption "im looking for john connor"... Seriously though i hope you heal up with minimal scarring. Ouch!


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## Doba (Nov 29, 2008)

Stitches are out now. Going to have some scars from this one. I've had people believe me when I said I got messed up fighting a bear.


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## k_z (Jul 23, 2012)

Hit by a car on my way to work. Ended up with broken heel bone, 6 weeks in a cast in a hottest summer I remember.


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## otis24 (Apr 1, 2004)

Doba said:


> Stitches are out now. Going to have some scars from this one. I've had people believe me when I said I got messed up fighting a bear.


Glad to see you are recovering. Did you break any bones under their? I fell on my face back in July. Not so much broken skin on the outside but broke my cheakbone and upper jaw in 8 places and broke the 5th metacarpal in my left hand in two places. Ended up with 5 plates and 15 screws in my face. I had about 40 or something stitches total.

Falling on your fave sucks, but you sure did get a good pictures. I wish I'd thought of the fight with the bear idea. I told everyone my girlfriend is abusive.


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## aedubber (Apr 17, 2011)

Full Face helmets work . Just sayin , heal up dudes !


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## otis24 (Apr 1, 2004)

aedubber said:


> Full Face helmets work . Just sayin , heal up dudes !


You know, they really do
. 
After my crash I seriously considered getting a full face helmet. Then I got to thinking of the odds of landing on my face again. I got my first NORBA racing license in 1997. I've done at least 120 XC races since then. Mostly in rocky New England on technical trails. Not like the "technical" trails in the Bay Area like the one I seriously ate sh!t on. Anyway, I'd bet that I've gone on something like a couple thousand mountain bike rides in the last 20 years. I've had one bad crashed that resulted in multiple facial fractures. Now, I totally get annoyed with people who do something unsafe and justify it by saying that it's worked well so far. But I'm not saying I'm not going to where a helmet. I'm saying I don't think my style of riding warrants a full faced helmet because of a single 1 in 2,000 occurrence.

And it if happens again I will most likely have to give up mountain biking. Not because of more facial fractures but because of the concussion that came along with it. I had a severe head injury when I was 12. Since then I've had 4 more blows to the head that resulted in some degree of concussion or traumatic brain injury. When a person has a concussion they are more prone to having a concussion from a lesser blow next time. Also you open yourself up to postconcussive syndrome. As far as I know a full face helmet offers no more brain protection than a normal helmet. The smooth shell of a full face helmet may limit the rotational force of an impact. Rotational force is one of the leading factors of concussions. Helmets are designed to protect your head from catastrophic injury like having your skull cave into your brain. They're not so great at protecting your brain from lesser injuries like TBI. I still have a lot learn about this so don't be surprised if you find things wrong with what I've written.

I know many will say I should give up riding now and not risk it. For me this is not an option. Perhaps, if I had children I would, however I do not.


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## ryguy79 (Apr 12, 2007)

No serious bike injuries, thankfully. I've had enough from other sports!

I've torn both ACLs and one meniscus skiing. Over the summer I injured my shoulder kayaking. Broke the glenoid in my shoulder, its the cup part of the shoulder, basically the bone in the back of the socket. Tore the labrum at the same time. Happened whitewater kayaking. It was misdiagnosed and the fracture was missed on xrays the first time around. So then it dislocated 5 times in a week before I could get in to see a surgeon before I found out what really happened. Had surgery in August, and just finished did 3 months of physical therapy. I was given the ok to bike again about a month ago as long as I don't ride anything too technical, so I've been riding easy trails to get back in shape after several months of being very limited. Another month before there are no more restrictions.


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## cw50must (Feb 27, 2011)

Broken arm right below the elbow. Going on week4 now.


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## mpmffitz (Jul 18, 2008)

Sept 4 coming in two hot on the second set of doubles put my left leg down as I landed. Did not know I broke my leg until I tried to get up. Luckily there was an access road for one rider to go back and get his truck. The 4x4 ride down was excruciating with the movement of my bones crunching together. I developed a blood clot so the Dr's had to insert filter into vena cava to prevent the clot from killing me. Now I'm healing can't eat leafy greens and have to consume anti coagulant medication.


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## SteelUrFace (Dec 14, 2012)

Back when i used to ride bmx on the street. A bunch of us would get together and just bomb hills. Well on this day some genius who didn't ride much with us. Decided it would be a good idea to transition from the street on to the side walk were I was on, right in front of me. So me being the gentle soul that I am instead of mowing him over i took a sharp left into a phone poll. Dislocated shoulder/Fractured wrist. Most serious on a bike aside from the occasional love tap from nyc taxi cabs and short dollar buses in jersey.
Looking forward to earning and sharing my new non life threatening injuries on a mtn bike.


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## S2kTim (Dec 7, 2012)

Nothing serious here. Worst I had flipping my bike down a hill when I was about 12. The chain grabbed and tore up my leg. Have a nice scar that resembles 3 perfect links of a chain.


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## uneek78 (Dec 10, 2012)

Cuts on knee and shin. I haven't been biking long enough evidently.


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## sxshep (Jul 17, 2011)

Nothing from biking, fingers crossed. However...










Negligent discharge from a 1911 sent a 230gr .45acp through my tibia... 2 years, a titanium rod and a few screws later and its all better now.


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## dwnhlldav (Feb 2, 2006)

otis24 said:


> You know, they really do
> .
> After my crash I seriously considered getting a full face helmet. Then I got to thinking of the odds of landing on my face again. I got my first NORBA racing license in 1997. I've done at least 120 XC races since then. Mostly in rocky New England on technical trails. Not like the "technical" trails in the Bay Area like the one I seriously ate sh!t on. Anyway, I'd bet that I've gone on something like a couple thousand mountain bike rides in the last 20 years. I've had one bad crashed that resulted in multiple facial fractures. Now, I totally get annoyed with people who do something unsafe and justify it by saying that it's worked well so far. But I'm not saying I'm not going to where a helmet. I'm saying I don't think my style of riding warrants a full faced helmet because of a single 1 in 2,000 occurrence.
> 
> ...


I've had 2 diagnosed concussions and one the was almost diffidently a concussion, but I was 20 and invincible so I didn't seek medical assessment. Of all 3 head blows, the un-diagnosis was the worst, with the most symptoms of concussion and I wasn't wearing a helmet :madman:

I'm due for a new helmet anyway so I asked my wife to put one of these in the budget for my birthday in April. The MIPS system seems like a pretty interesting move forward in helmet technology and is aimed at reducing TBI.

Trabec Race MIPS - POC Sports - POC Sports


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## dwnhlldav (Feb 2, 2006)

My biking injuries have been pretty minor. Assorted scrapes and bruises. A couple big hematomas. Worst was a grade 3 AC separation.

My worst injury/ies came from a skiing accident. Went full tilt into a tree. Even wearing a helmet I was knock unconscious for approximately 10 minutes. The blunt force trauma ruptured my lung and I developed a tension hemopneumothorax (blood and air in the pleural space between the chest wall and lungs that if left unchecked will put enough pressure on the heart to cause it to stop). By the time I was transported to the ER the need for a chest tube was so urgent the trauma surgeon put it in without giving me any anesthesia. That is an experience I never want to have again.

My injury tally for that crash was: 7 broken ribs, 6 fractured transverse processes, concussion, grade 2 AC separation (opposite shoulder from my bike related separation), collapsed/lacerated lung and I bit my tongue. I spent 6 days in the ICU and a week total in the hospital. My insurance run down says I used $3000.00 worth of Morphine.


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## elrollo (Aug 7, 2009)

torn rotator cuff years ago, and now i'm on borrowed time until i have to have a shoulder replacement...


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## Reed_Icculus (Sep 4, 2011)

I broke my jaw and knocked out two teeth going over the bars and smashing my chin into the concrete. Fork came apart and my hands stayed on the grips too long. The worst part was that it happened in front of my sons elementry school and lots of kids (including my ten year old son) saw me after the accident bleeding from my jaw. Usually the jaw breaks at the hinges (on the side by your ears) but mine broke under my chin because of the impact. I had to be wired shut for three weeks and eat everything with a straw. I now have two plates and seven screws in my chin. It has been just over a year and I still don't feel 100% yet. I have been riding weekly since the spring and even purchased Ray's season passes for my son and I to get us through winter. Not sure which injury was worse, totalling an F150 in a head on collision going 55mph, or this. 

Wow, that was hard to write. But somewhat cathartic.


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## "Doc" (Jan 27, 2013)

*Definetly NOT my most serious...*

Cleared the double just fine. Foot slipped dropping a 2ft. wall. On the upside, I don't have to sit in the ER!









DMR v12's vs. shin.......Round 1: Pedals
Well Played, well played


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## Jag Brah (May 14, 2012)

This just happened 2 weeks ago.

I went off a small jump and landed head (face) first. When I woke up, my buddy and some other riders were dragging me to the trail head... Ambulance sent me to the A&E and I later found out that I had seizures after I hit the ground. Tongue had split, corners of my mouth were swollen and torn. Two broken ribs but nothing major broke.

I was worried about my spine because I had slight back spasms and needed help to sit up in the bed. They pretty much left me in the A&E section for 8 or so hours before moving me to a proper ward (no idea why). 

The operation took place the next day. Doctors had to stitch my tongue and the corners of my mouth. Stayed in the ICU for the next 4 days or so. Because my tongue was swollen, they had to stick a solid tube down into my windpipe or something (worse nights of my life). On the 2nd day, they decided to remove the ventilator bc I could breathe on my own but every now and then they had to suck the phlegm and saliva out of my mouth or I could risk pneumonia. 

I'm back home now but I'm still eating through a straw. Porridge, milk and other liquid foods. In hindsight, I shouldn't have attempted that jump as I had a near miss before, and the skate helmet I was wearing did not provide enough jaw protection...


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## Reed_Icculus (Sep 4, 2011)

^^^Whoa, that's rough! I feel for you man, eating through a straw sucks. Been there. I found that Carnation instant breakfast helped me keep my strength up and DintyMoore beef stew blended well and tasted great (if you are a meat and potato kind of person). Hope you feel better soon.


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## Jag Brah (May 14, 2012)

Thanks Reed. Hope you have a good recovery too. When I do get back out on the trails, I'm getting myself a full-face helmet.

I'm now almost 2 months post accident (7 more days) and I've been able to eat solid foods like bread, rice, protein, veggies and ice cream. I would say my wounds are 99% healed (there's a red spot under my tongue that hurts a little but no biggie) so all is good. 

Recover well and ride safe!

:thumbsup:


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## Xavonseine (Nov 1, 2012)

Impressive thread. Great educational effects?

I frequently crashed riding downhill but never seriously as I am quite a beginner and I always wear adequate protections (integral helmet etc.).

I had a stupid crash recently going uphill with my singlespeed and I succeeded to break some ribs. Sneezing and laughing were like torture for about a month but nothing serious.

But my most severe injuries by far occurred on flat asphalt:

- in 1992, I was then young (19) and fit and I crashed into a car. Witnesses said they thought I was dead. A crank from by bike was found 20 meters away from the impact. No memories from the crash. No helmet. Serious concussion.

- in 2011, much less young and supple, I crashed OTB while I stupidly tried to readjust my trouser strap going fast on my brand new Kona Dr Good (sic – I received it the same day…). The sound of my skull hitting the pavement still resonates… No helmet. Concussion and broken ribs.

Immediately after this crash I was unable to see correctly for hours and I swore to myself that if I recovered sight I would always wear a helmet when cycling. I kept my promise since and that’s a good thing! (I had a minor crash some weeks ago against a car, great helmet, no concussion, just broken ribs, no laughs allowed for a month again).

Always wear a helmet, even when commuting! :thumbsup:


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## MountainMike68 (Feb 24, 2013)

I've been pretty fortunate as my injuries with the longest recovery have been of the poison oak variety. On multiple occasions it was on 90% of my body and taken around 2-3 weeks to clear up. The scariest injury I crashed and landed on my face, wearing a helmet, and in sand, but the impact was hard enough to knock me out cold for a few minutes. Air lifted to the ER and after several hours of tests there was nothing wrong. Just a headache for a couple days. Several hours after the crash on the gurney my first conscious thought was is my bike ok?


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## Bryan1113 (Feb 21, 2013)

Went over handle bars at about 25 miles an hour on downhill pavement road finishing my trail ride! Permanent AC joint separation, Concussion, 3 cracked ribs, road rash all over and 4 staples from puncture would on my back  This happened last June and been hitting the trails since December. My friends and family think i'm nuts but i guess they don't understand they HIGH you get from an awesome ride. Live everyday like it's your last peeps


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## Sarick84 (May 3, 2012)

*a little scratch*

This happend over a year ago. I was on a tight turn with some speed my cleat disengadged and my foot tapped the dirt and threw my leg right into the crank.


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## ranier (Sep 9, 2003)

whoa, faack!!! that's hella gnarly!^^^


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## pitonegro (Apr 28, 2013)

Grade 3 ac joint seperation at vail lake. 2 month time out. Eeep









Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2


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## frozin (Sep 6, 2004)

Some very incredible stories here. Good to see so many have healed up well or well on the road to recovery.

I'm still amazed after all the crazy slams I've had in the woods I haven't had major injuries.

That all changed recently, April 5th. Closed up shop at work and set out on my usual commute home. I would usually ride the road most of the way and then drop into the woods by my house for a good few miles of night riding. Didn't even make it 100 yards out of the front doors of the shop. Crossing the road out front I unexpectedly tagged a rock with my back wheel and somehow, I have no idea, it whipped my wheel out from under me so fast I had no time to even process the fall. Went straight to my hip. As usual I tried to collect myself and get moving again, this time it just wasn't happening. Got through the x-rays, broken hip. Fracture at my lower trochanter.

The doctor came to tell me I needed surgery and I would be seeing a specialist soon. Turned out it was a customer of the shop- a good friend who raced RAAM last year actually. It was interesting- I had been taking care of his bikes for years and now he gets to put ME back together. It's been great dealing with a familiar person through this whole thing. 5 weeks in and I am healing up very well. I couldn't believe the hardware they put in me.


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## adjunkie (Feb 20, 2007)

I went nose heavy on a big jump and stacked hard. 

Went into the ER two days later after I coughed and felt something inside me "squirt".

A cat scan revealed a lacerated large intestine, and the doctor told me I probably would only live a few more hours without going under operation.

One open collectomy surgery and 5 days in the hospital later, I was good to go, and most importantly, still living!


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## fahza29er (Jun 26, 2012)

Yeah my stepdads cousin died that way, bumped into his dresser corner, hurt but didnt think anything of it, 4 days later dead with the same injury as you. Severely poisons your body. Glad you went and got it looked at, you're still here to keep riding.

I came close to loosing my left leg from the knee down with a wipe out close to a swamp and that black mud has lots of nasty **** in it. I had a big cut on my shin, rode home cleaned it all up and then days later it was all red around it but it never hurt. Nothing I did seemed to help it so I went to the dock, she seen it and freaked out LOL. She put me on the strongest antibiotic known to man, I could hardly swallow them but it got ride of the infection. She said if I had waited a day or two longer it would have been deep in my bones and would had most likely lost my leg.


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## Mishtar (Jun 3, 2011)

Adjunkie that is crazy! Glad you pulled through.
I did the same as you and went nose heavy and over shot to flat on a jump last Tuesday and broke 5 ribs, partially collapsed Lung, Partially separated shoulder and some fluid in my stomach which lucky for me was not what you had. Shitty year for me. I broke both arms last August then my right again in December and now this=/


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## adjunkie (Feb 20, 2007)

^^ ya, i hate going to the doc/er... but sometimes it needs to be done! good thing you got in there in time.

^dude that sucks. i've been hurt a lot too (not as many in such a short time frame as you) but it makes you think if it's all really worth it... i could never live a boring safe life, but then again, sitting here playing xbox all day while my knee heals up is no fun either. it's a fine line between fun and disaster sometimes.


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## lucifuge (Jul 1, 2011)

had a freak accident on my mtb in a quiet road area while learning to do jumps. initially was practicing rear wheel lifts while clipped in and bike slowed too much and i wasn't aware, just enough momentum to cause me to endo while i was almost still. i mean it was ridiculous. i've had crashes before but this was so fast for some reason. i had direct impact with my left wrist on the road. result, i almost severed my hand off. only 1/3 tissue was connected, (i'm actually nursing my hand in the picture). amazingly no major nerve damage, i had split scaphoid which they put cannulated screw through, and i have soft tissue trauma. im now into my 3rd week...still hurts like all fk.

have a nice day lol


























__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content


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## Jag Brah (May 14, 2012)

Holy shite guys, recover well. Never thought an endo could cause that kinda damage. I almost endoed on my friend's bike when I tried to do a stoppie (it was a full-sus lol) just yesterday. 

Just started going more "intense" on the descents sections of the trail I'm currently riding (quite mild on the downs actually, but the climbs are killer ), which is more technical than the trails I rode during my recovery period. Feels good, but sometimes I second guess myself on the drops, so I just take the chicken line instead just to be safe...


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

those pictures of your hand are so damned brutal I don't even know what to say about my AC separation and meniscus

wow


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## Scottwax (Jan 18, 2009)

Grade 3 shoulder separation in 2011. Seem to have fully recovered without surgery but definitely the most painful injury I've ever had.


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## adrianzr (Jan 7, 2013)

hey guy, how gruesome some of those injuries, I have had minor bruises on knees and legs and one big hit on my elbow when I went over the handlebar and landed on it, felt it went in and out of my body, but greatfully only minor ligament damage, one month and it stopped hurting. (could ride one week after the fall) Last weekend a guy died on the trails I ride, it was a wide road a few meters away from the end where the cars are parked, there was a bump which I guess he didnt see, went full face on the ground, his nose got buried in his brain and his neck got dislocated, died on the spot. sad...


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## Energetik (Feb 7, 2008)

Oh my god. That hand injury is brutal. Hope that heals up well. Geez.

My injuries are minor. I have scars all up and down my lower legs from riding narrow trails at speed. Just a lot of little cuts from thorn bushes or other stiff plants. I also have scars on the front and back of my shins from my pedals. I got stuck with some man eating bmx pedals. One of them was a decent gash that went down into my shin bone. Hurt like hell and there is definitely tissue missing years later but nothing like some of you guys yet. 

Thought I busted my tail bone once after endo-ing at 20mph and landing hard on my ass but it healed up just fine.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

Can't compare to half these but I'm a rookie so not been back into riding long enough to have a good story. But this one is funny, just happened last weekend and neck is finally getting to where I have full motion without harsh pain.

Tree down, I knew long before I got to trails it was there. But it hid itself behind a good sized face slapper, lots of leaves. So i ducked, but what's some leaves hitting my helmet??? Without conscious knowledge I apparently thought my head could clr the tree from the path.

Cracked helmet, couple fellow club members (patrollers/medics) i know luckily where there at trail head enjoying beer after their ride, so they checked me out to be safe before i went home. Oh and couldn't ride till hopefully tomorrow cause couldn't tilt me head up at all without decent pain.

Lesson I learned, finally found something harder than my head,lol. Well head fine (aint much in there to hurt anyway) neck decided to puss out though.


Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk 2


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## Bro (Dec 20, 2010)

^ That wrist photo makes my wrists hurt!

Biggest injury for me was a broken collarbone. Somehow slid out on a downhill corner at 30 MPH during a crit mid-April, even though I'd already done that same corner at the same speed over a dozen times before. Went down at the apex of the turn, ended up 40 feet away after tumbling all that way and somehow finding my feet before I ended up going over the curb and down the rocky slope behind it. Got up, pissed that I'd crashed, started cussing up a storm. I was especially pissed at the pavement for getting in my way. :lol: 

The course marshals came over, I told them I was fine, just pissed, realized I couldn't move my arm, realized I wasn't actually fine. 

Decided it would be a good idea to go to the hospital, so my teammate drove me to the ER, luckily only five minutes or so away. Got treatment as a trauma patient, I guess because I'd hit my head while tumbling along the pavement (helmet was broken too), the nurses cleaned up all my road rash and put me in a sling, sent me home looking like a mummy with all the gauze covering me. 

Final toll was a broken right collarbone, severe road rash on right forearm, both hands/knuckles (including the fingertips -- ouch!), both shoulders, right upper leg, and right knee. The bike was mostly fine, except for some cosmetic tears and scratches on the saddle, shifters, bar tape, and rear derailleur, and a stripped front brake mounting bolt. I also ended up having to replace the jersey, bibs, helmet, and gloves that I'd been wearing, as the clothes looked like they'd gone through a wood chipper and the helmet had a nice dent on the side. I still have some gravel in my knuckles, knee, and leg that they weren't able to scrub away at the ER.

I got back on the bike in early June (two weeks earlier than the doctor told me), and everything's been good so far!

Hardest crash on the mountain bike was during a DH race last fall. Caught my front wheel on a rut that I was trying to cross and went down hard, right on top of a big rock. Not too bad, but it cut up my back a bit (still have the scars from that, too!) and knocked the wind out of me. I also managed to forget that my time was still going, so I chilled with the course marshals where I'd crashed for a few minutes before I remembered exactly who I was heckling as they went by (my competition!) :lol:


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## TheGweed (Jan 30, 2010)

This one is bad because of pain and embarrassment:

there was a small probably one foot little jump on my local trail, just really a root going across and the sand up to it. well we were fairly new but i could get decent air off of it but my friend couldn't.

one day i said, "here, watch what i do" and i went back about 200 feet from the little bump and hit top speed, hit the bump, went way up in the air, and somehow came down right dead on my left hip. freaking hurt and i'm thinking broken hip. after i came to my senses i tried to ride back to the trailhead but couldn't so i managed to walk it. got home and i was in bad pain. 

got myself to the emergency room and while waiting basically passed out from the pain. finally doc sees me, says the pelvis is the strongest bone in the body and very doubtful i broke it. takes xrays and says "i don't see anything, i guess we can send you upstairs for an mri" so i go up get the mri and yep, fractured pelvis. 

all from showing off about getting air on basically a bump in the trail...never did anything like that again.


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## John (Apr 25, 2004)

*I'll add mine - Herniated Disc L5 S1 - BAD - likely surgery*

Still F'ed up. It's been almost 30 days since the initial injury, which mimics a left leg hamstring/pirifomis syndrome muscle spasm. After a few days of valium and hydrocodone, it felt a lot better. So 15 days after the injury, I am back on the bike. BAD move on my part. Totally resurfaced with numb left leg and foot, severe pain, especially buttock.

Finally got in for an MRI , it's a big herniated disc, lowest one, L5 S1 it's called. I have to wait until the 21st to see a specialist in spinal orthapedic surgery for evaluation. In the meantime, I am in constant aggravation pain. Sitting hurts, standing is better, lying down is not so good either. The damn left foot is numb on the sole , and it's so annoying. Either they will operate and do a microdiscectomy (remove the bits of disc that are putting pressure on the sciatic nerve, or full disc relacement, but that would be extreme I think.

I'm just bummed because I am not very old, and this likely totally screws the rest of my riding year. The absolute worst part is I did not crash, this started acting up AFTER a ride. The first evening was some pain and soreness, but the following morning I was in agony.


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## Berkley (May 21, 2007)

I was riding my road bike two weeks ago on a flat road with a super wide shoulder. I was cruising at 22 or 23mph and put my head down for 10 seconds, tops. I look up and there's a Jeep Grand Cherokee 15 feet in front of me. Shocked, I slammed on the brakes as hard as I could, but to no avail. I smashed into the back of the SUV and with a previous neck injury, I tried to protect my spine by turning away. I should've put my hands up to stop myself but I think I was so surprised that I didn't have time to think and I was still death gripping the brakes. Long story short I saved my neck but broke my jaw in 2 places. Had emergency surgery at a level 1 trauma center just outside NYC where they installed a titanium plate and wired my jaw shut for 5-6 weeks. I'm 2 weeks in right now. It really sucks, but at least the bike is okay. Turns out the guy pulled off the road to answer his cell phone. Mildly ironic when you think about it. 

Moral of the story: Road bikes are stupid and you shouldn't ride them. But if you must, be careful as ****!


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## lucifuge (Jul 1, 2011)

jeezus that would've been scary. how do u eat with you jaw wired shut?? some intravenous jobby? take it easy buddy I feel for you



Berkley said:


> I was riding my road bike two weeks ago on a flat road with a super wide shoulder. I was cruising at 22 or 23mph and put my head down for 10 seconds, tops. I look up and there's a Jeep Grand Cherokee 15 feet in front of me. Shocked, I slammed on the brakes as hard as I could, but to no avail. I smashed into the back of the SUV and with a previous neck injury, I tried to protect my spine by turning away. I should've put my hands up to stop myself but I think I was so surprised that I didn't have time to think and I was still death gripping the brakes. Long story short I saved my neck but broke my jaw in 2 places. Had emergency surgery at a level 1 trauma center just outside NYC where they installed a titanium plate and wired my jaw shut for 5-6 weeks. I'm 2 weeks in right now. It really sucks, but at least the bike is okay. Turns out the guy pulled off the road to answer his cell phone. Mildly ironic when you think about it.
> 
> Moral of the story: Road bikes are stupid and you shouldn't ride them. But if you must, be careful as ****!


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## Bernieak (Sep 2, 2013)

I've been mountain biking for many decades, though nothing too exotic. Rancho PV has IMHO many great trails for exercise and recreation. My downfall was on a paved road where I normally coast downhill at 30 mph. I was not able to avoid a small branch that had intruded onto my right of way. I did not expect it to throw me, and I remember an instant of attempting to maintain my balance before I lost consciousness. The ER doctors think the helmet may have saved my life, but a full face helmet may have saved all the skin on the right side of my face. I was in the hospital two days and have no significant pain now, but I'm still very tired. Expecting a complete recovery in a month or two. How can I convince my wife that this is a normally safe sport with a lot of health benefits?


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## lucifuge (Jul 1, 2011)

Not many a sport doesn't have injuries, but the consequences of cycling ones can be severe. But dont tell your wife that lol.

Hope your'e doing OK man, scary stuff.



Bernieak said:


> I've been mountain biking for many decades, though nothing too exotic. Ranch PV has IMHI many great trails for exercise and recreation. My downfall was on a paved road where I normally coast downhill at 30 mph. I was not able to avoid a small branch that had intruded onto my right of way. I did not expect it to throw me, and I remember an instant of attempting to maintain my balance before I lost consciousness. The ER doctors think the helmet may have saved my life, but a full face helmet may have saved all the skin on the right side of my face. I was in the hospital two days and have no significant pain now, but I'm still very tired. Expecting a complete recovery in a month or two. How can I convince my wife that this is a normally safe sport with a lot of health benefits?


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## Absolut_Zen (Sep 1, 2013)

Tried downhill one time, ended up in the hospital with a severe concussion and broken shoulder...needless to say that was the last time I tried downhill.


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## seanpatrick77 (Aug 20, 2013)

The worst I've gotten from riding was when I got hit by a car about two months ago. I broke 5 ribs and lacerated my spleen. Spent 3 days in the hospital, pissed blood for a week and completely wrecked my 1992 Stump jumper. Three weeks after that I bought a 1993 Rockhopper Comp and crashed into a grave marker/tomb stone and sprained my collar bone pretty badly.


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## robinfisk (Mar 10, 2007)

*Ruptured Aorta, and lots of broken bones*

Some years ago, cycling home from work on my vintage cannondale SM700 and I got hit head on by a car. Injuries were:

Ruptured Aorta (i.e. the main artery connect to my heart was almost ripped off)
Broken left ulna and radus, leaving exit wounds where they came out of the front of my arm
Broken right femur, again leaving a exit wound on the front of my leg
Both wrists broken, I have a broken piece of dead scaphoid floating round my left wrist
an awful lot of skin missing from my right leg
Front teeth knocked out

I was unconcious for 6 days, in hospital for 8 weeks

But riding again before I gave up my crutches 

Sad to say my cannondale was completly destroyed.

If I wasn't wearing my specialized helmet I would have been dead, instantly. Specalized (all credit to them) sent me a new lid free of charge and since then I have always bough specilized helmets. Mostly because I have a little too much evidence that they work.

I always set off the metal detectors at german airports because I have too much surgical steel in me, once I even had to drop my trousers and show the security guy my scars before he would left me through.


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## Bwilli88 (Nov 25, 2013)

last week I was forced off the road by a truck. It was a dirt road and my front wheel hit the ditch and stuck. I flipped over as I went my right leg pushed the handle bars counterclockwise and I implaled my left thigh on the left brake lever. It punched a 3/8" hole 2" into the front of my left thigh and looked like a bullet entrance wound. the end of the handlebars left a nice bruise also


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

I think you're saying that you sank your brake lever 2 inches into your thigh. Didya? Then, you, pulled it out?


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## JDYMTB (Aug 20, 2012)

Bwilli88 said:


> last week I was forced off the road by a truck. It was a dirt road and my front wheel hit the ditch and stuck. I flipped over as I went my right leg pushed the handle bars counterclockwise and I implaled my left thigh on the left brake lever. It punched a 3/8" hole 2" into the front of my left thigh and looked like a bullet entrance wound. the end of the handlebars left a nice bruise also


I want to ask for pictures, but it sounds nasty!


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## Bwilli88 (Nov 25, 2013)

Yep it went in about 2 in according to the blood and meat on the lever.
the original stab







with gauze packing to stop venous bleed







post stitching and drainage brusing


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## keithc1234 (Aug 17, 2013)

Was finishing up a ride in Chesebro area and exiting at Doubletree. Next thing I remember was waking up in the fire dept ambulance being asked my age - couldn't remember! 
Visited the ER for a quick brain scan. Basically a minor concussion. Rear right of helmet was crushed and no doubt prevented more serious injury. Only damage to bike was bent seat rail so assume a total endo but my riding buddies did not see anything but a dust cloud. A lot more careful these days.


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## SoFloSVT (Oct 29, 2013)

As of this week it would have to be a broken clavicle. 

Went down on Sunday and landed straight on my shoulder. 

Sucks... 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk


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## skyphix (May 29, 2007)

This is an easy one and an interesting (albeit morbid) thread.


I did some damage to my knees as a teenager riding downhill on an XC bike with more guts than smarts. Mostly sprains and minor tears that have healed now, many years later, for the most part. 

That same year I was doing some hill repeats trying to get ready for some juniors XC racing and got caught in the rain with no gloves. Bare bar ends are pretty slick when your hands are wet. Hand came off the bar end mid sprint on my way back home and wound up going face first into the pavement at somewhere in the neighborhood of 20mph. Dislocated jaw, 3 cracked ribs, concussion. I was by myself but luckily only about a half mile from home. Tried to get back on the bike but when I went to throw my leg over I felt my ribs and realized I needed to walk. Walked home, went to the ER. The next couple of days are sort of foggy.


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## mtbzarg (Oct 6, 2011)

Recovering from surgery - fractured clavicle after going OTB. Snapped it like a twig. Got a plate, six screws, and 2 pins. 

First time I have broken a bone. Doc said I did a good job


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## Makinem Kranksturn (Feb 15, 2014)

Took a bar end to the right side of my groin , got a hematoma
the size of a baseball , ended up having it cut out and the cavity 
packed with gauze for 12 weeks until it shrunk its just closed up.
Ive been back on the bike about three weeks.


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## Scottwax (Jan 18, 2009)

Grade 3 shoulder separation (right) in May 2011. Got hit head on by some moron who crossed the center line at the park I was riding at. Broke the top tube of my bike clean in half too. Orthopedic specialist said I'd recover just fine without surgery and he was right. Don't even have a visible lump in my shoulder. Full range of motion is back, I can throw a baseball, football and swing a bat as well as always, even had no problems bowling. I can even sleep on my right side without any discomfort. Pretty painful the first month especially though, its an injury I don't recommend.


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## Orl1exm (Oct 22, 2011)

March 10, 2013. Caught a tree with the left side of my handlebar that launched me into the air and I landed on my right arm/shoulder. I wasn't knocked out, but I was in a daze except for the pain inside my right shoulder. I was watching the guy ahead of me rather than the trail. That ended the ride for the six of us. We walked 2 miles to an area where an ambulance could get to us and off I went to the ER. Shattered my right humerous in 30 places. Slept on my Lazy boy for 12 weeks, PT for months, and am just now getting back on the MTB. Made the most of my down time but it sucks to see your wife mowing the yard and doing that type of work because you can't tie your shoes or shower yourself. Back on the bike now, but I am slow and too careful yet.


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## NumbNutter (Jan 25, 2014)

Fell off my moped and scored my knees, nothing compared to something I did 12 years ago: score my right knee open near to the bone!


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

severed 2 quads on my right leg 


in a 200 meter finishing sprint crash with pro and cat 1 roadies on a 34 mile club ride in Lake Placid, NY

300 meters I am number 4, rest of peloton 20 meters behind me

number 3 hits number 2 wheel and go down, I pile into them. #1 goes off to win

peloton steamrolls me, 
my leg ends up in a twist, 
as my thighbone snaps it takes out 2 quadriceps
and rips the leg open

doc was able to reach up with tongs near my hip and pull
the quads back down and sew them up. now have a monster 
scar but legs seems 100%. that kneecap always feels a little 
aggravated since the ligature holding stuff together now runs
a wee bit off the natural path.


we were racing for bikeshop swag....waterbottles, gloves and a jersey.


I hate this thread gives me the heebie jeebies and I know I am damn lucky to be able to ride a bike ...good luck to EVERYONE dealing with random BS which is trying to take you off the bike.


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## PBNinja (Jan 30, 2014)

Mountain biking broke 2 of my ribs a fortnight ago.

Martial arts has cracked my sternum, broken all of my fingers multiple times and a couple of toes, numerous popped shoulders and elbows.


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## stoplight (Mar 8, 2009)

the slow moving fall got me.
Clipped in slight up hill over some tall roots and hit an area where the front and rear wheel get hung up on two roots and it stopped the bike in its tracks. Attempt to clip out failed. The bike landed on its side with the right bar end pointing up. I landed full body weight on that bar end upper mid abdomen left side. Took about 10 minutes to get my breathing cadence back and my wits about me and decided to finish the ride. Next day the bruise traveled mid abdomen to mid back and when I moved felt like my abdomen muscles were being ripped and torn. Made by way to the ER where the doc says..."do you realize you barely missed your spleen and you could have bled out.?"..Obviously not I say...
Been 3 years the round end of the bar end remains imprinted as a reminder that going slow crashes can F'n hurt.


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## stevethepeve (Mar 5, 2014)

Hello, First time poster, long time rider. Have a bmx background but also have been riding mtb about 20 years. my worst injury happened 5 months ago when i looped out on my bmx and slammed my elbow and scraping my face on the ground. five stitches in my chin, nose glued, and shattered my humerus goining into my elbow. The injury was bad enough to crush my ulnar nerve which controls th pinky finger and half of the ring finger. was told that feeling will never return to my two fingers and outside of my palm because the nerve has not started growing back even after 5 months, Doc also said he is unable to fix with surgert. sux because will make it hard to hold onto the bars. needless to say, wife made me sell the bmx which i am ok with. i'm thinking tha i should be able to continue riding mtb but will have to tape the two fingers together to have enough strength to hold the bars.


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## LCPL Motivator94 (Mar 22, 2014)

Crazy my boy literally did that last Saturday and had surgery Monday. 4 pieces after taking a trail here in Okinawa Japan a little too fast for the terrain.


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## Skoezie (Apr 11, 2006)

Dislocated a finger on my commute on 4 december 2013. They popped the thing back in, had a cast for a week and then got surgery to repair the internal damage. Still not fully functional and I don't think it will ever be, but can do day to day stuff and ride my bike, so don't care that much. 

Luckely i was wearing a helmet, because i also hit the road with my head and passed out for a while, so could have been much worse


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

I've damaged the radial nerve in my left arm. When I fall I fall to the left and I've fallen off a few times (pre-xmas) if I tried to do a press up I'd have to do it on my knuckles can't flatten left hand onto ground. getting ongoing physio for it. 

Sent from my i9100 Warbird


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## phattruth (Apr 22, 2012)

When I was 16 I was riding my old Elf 24" cruiser down the street when my chain snapped. My right foot slipped off the front of the pedal and planted on the street while the momentum of my body and bike proceeded to severely hyperextend my knee. The pain took my breath away! Thankfully I did this in front of a friends house. Several minutes later and still writhing in pain I propped myself up on the bike and used it as a crutch to get to his front door. I fell on his floor and told him what happened. He thought I was kidding. He told me to try and bend it and in the process it snapped back in place with an incredibly loud pop. My knee has never been the same, but thankfully I can still ride and I no longer have pain.


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## fooldall1 (Apr 18, 2013)

Broken Proximal Left Humerus after taking a digger at Alafia- only 3.5 weeks post-op right now and wondering if I'll ever ride again.. the pain is pretty bad.


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## ratskrad (Jun 13, 2014)

1994 going down the access road next to the old turn station at Park City Mtn Resort I went to turn right heading to the Sweeney switch backs and something went wrong. I woke up on my back and proceeded to check myself over and was mostly intact. My helmet was crushed and broken and my skull was in one piece. Bike was messed up but I was able to ride down. I loaded up my bike and made the drive to SLC and by the time I got down there I noticed that my back was starting to hurt and I decided to take myself to the hospital. Five hours later, 2 cat scans and an MRI they told me I had fractured C5 and 6. Five days later they put me in a halo and I had to wear that for the next 3 months. Wearing the halo was pain wise much much worse than the pain from the fractures. On a positive note I got the halo off and the next day went to see the Rolling Stones play at Rice Eccles Stadium at the U of U. 20 years later I still ride and snow ski 60+ days a year.


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## Quasi (Jul 4, 2004)

phattruth said:


> When I was 16 I was riding my old Elf 24" cruiser down the street when my chain snapped. My right foot slipped off the front of the pedal and planted on the street while the momentum of my body and bike proceeded to severely hyperextend my knee. The pain took my breath away! Thankfully I did this in front of a friends house. Several minutes later and still writhing in pain I propped myself up on the bike and used it as a crutch to get to his front door. I fell on his floor and told him what happened. He thought I was kidding. He told me to try and bend it and in the process it snapped back in place with an incredibly loud pop. My knee has never been the same, but thankfully I can still ride and I no longer have pain.


Twisting my knee installing a water heater is what got me into biking, because I couldnt run anymore. I find that the up and down pedal motion and lack of impact is great for the muscles and goes easy on those joints sensitive to twisting forces. I guess I should be thankful for that injury. Cant say that about most injuries.


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## AK170B (Aug 18, 2013)

I ordered a new frame and all the parts to build my first full suspension bike. The following week I blew out my knee while snowmachining. Now I sit here 6weeks post surgery (replaced PCL and LCL) staring at my completed new bike. Doc says I can ride in two weeks...
Paul

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk 2


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## Stillsearchin (Jul 31, 2014)

This looks like a good place for my first post 

My most serious injury happened on a BMX when I was 15 (1980). I was riding in the street with friends, and was transitioning to the sidewalk via a driveway. We all utilized the transition as a little ramp, and were seeing how much air we could get. Unfortunately, my landing was less than stellar, and I ate the sidewalk. Severe road rash on my left arm and back. Bruised kidney causing blood in my urine. Ruptured spleen. I spent 5 days in the hospital, and 2 months at home on bed rest.

The positive side:
I was on my annual parental visitation when this occurred. Due to the bed rest, and then no traveling after the bed rest, I was forced to stay here in Tampa to start high school. After graduation, I met my current wife, and after a 23 year marriage we now have 3 children.

Funny how that accident changed the course of my entire life for the better.


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## anitatodd (Jun 6, 2014)

Shattered knee and dislocated shoulder from motocross, concussion, separated shoulder and broken ribs from BMX, broken wrist and torn rotator cuff from skateboarding, broken toe from mtb and concussion and ZMC fracture with nerve damage to face just this week from mtb. At 53 things don't heal as fast as they used to but my wife puts up with it and you can't be afraid of life, so there will probably be more. I will settle for scrapes and bruises though.


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## MaxPain (Jan 22, 2015)

Wow this is impressive!

My worst one was a fracture to my jaw when I flipped over the front wheel and face planted a tree root... it still aches some times!

I saw a mountain biking clothing website that might interest a few people on this thread.

BrokenRiders.com 

Im hoping they print this X-ray design (https://www.facebook.com/BrokenRide...2829999113075/841900142539390/?type=1&theater)


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## Rovert86 (Jan 20, 2015)

torn ACL, MCL and lateral meniscus in my left knee. opted for light syrgery and have a titanium and carbon fiber knee brace! its sorta badass..


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## sleepyguy1001 (May 26, 2014)

I'm waiting for the MRI results currently, doc thinks I've damaged the ligament on the outside of my ankle. Someone cut a tree about an inch and a half in diameter or so down, but left the stump sticking up far enough that my pedal landed on it and it threw me. I was busy being a fat old dude falling, so I don't really recall how I screwed my ankle up, but when I got up, there was no doubt I had done something to myself. By comparison to most of you folks, it's barely a scratch. Unless I need surgery :/


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## L.t. (Jul 20, 2012)

I have three to share with you all:

1- Worst injury period- Shattered my left Collarbone right next to the Sterno-Cavicular Joint (google it), more like imploded it like a spiral fracture. I did this in a skiing accident on an icy January day at Alyeska Alaska. 

2- Worst accident on a MTB- Took all the skin of the left side of my left calf, some of the middle of the front of my leg, some skin off the left knee, scraped two spots also almost to the bone on my left knee, chipped a tooth (hit my head on the sidewalk), took the tip off my nose, left cheek bone got skinned, left eyebrow got skinned, lips got skinned, my favorite sunglasses got totaled. GOT SOME AWESOME SCARS OUT OF IT! CHICKS DIG SCARS!!

2b- What happened was I was cruising downtown on my old Diamondback Sorrento to go pick up some new glasses, and then lo and behold, I go to take a sharp turn next to a highway intersection, and I lose all traction, I went right down in a skidding thud and lost all the aforementioned skin, as well as almost ALMOST getting run over by several passing vehicles. Gosh darn public at large, not a single person stopped to see if I was seriously broken (which I kinda was)... surprising considering I was pouring blood from 5 places. LOL

3- Worst nagging injury- 4 years ago, as I was cruising downtown on an old schwinn, I went to take a lovely, easy, right hand turn at an intersection, pavement and all, but I took it a little too quick, went down, caught my right foot on something, and proceeded to make something in my right ankle tear/rip as I went right and the bike went forward. To this day, if I roll that ankle too much, it lets me know something is not connected down there. 

BONUS:

4- Dumbest injury- So, common theme here, was cruising downtown on the way to school, took a right hand turn that took me through a rock garden and subsequent sand pit near a local business in the middle of town, no sweat right? Well, as I was about to leave the sand pit, I didn't notice a soccer ball sized hole in the dirt ahead, and my 26er just buried into that hole, and I went flying in magnificent style and face planted on some parking lot pavement. Scraped up my chin real good, all else was fine, including the bike. 

Oh, by the way, I'm only 18 and a half years old, so this is all just the beginning! HAHAHA


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## L.t. (Jul 20, 2012)

I have also screwed up something on the outside of my ankle! Let me know what the deal is with that, I'm morbidly curious.


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## mtnbikej (Sep 6, 2001)

L.t. said:


> I have three to share with you all:
> 
> 1- Worst injury period- Shattered my left Collarbone right next to the Sterno-Cavicular Joint (google it), more like imploded it like a spiral fracture. I did this in a skiing accident on an icy January day at Alyeska Alaska.
> 
> ...


Get it out of the way now....you won't heal as fast when you get older.


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## Rovert86 (Jan 20, 2015)

If dumb injury's are game-I popped my knee doing a footjam tail whip in my friends driveway at a party haha spent the next 24 hours on his couch with my knee in an immobilizer "on the moon" if you know what I mean. 


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## Bionic_Hipster (May 15, 2015)

Last August I was riding in the foothills outside of Denver with my wife and our friend. I was descending through the switchbacks and was doing 30-35 mph. I was approaching a right hand hairpin and my rear tire blew and rolled off the rim. My bike shot out from under me like a rocket and slammed down on my left hip and cheese grated down my left side and then rolled onto my right side for some more grating. I ended up breaking my left hip and tore off two muscles. I spent 10 days in the hospital and the next two months spent 95% of my day in bed or on a couch. I now have a rod going down my femur and two screws in my hip. I had a screw at the bottom of my femur, but had it taken out about 8 weeks ago.

So I said to hell with getting injured road biking and I'm now going back to Mountain where it's much "safer". lol


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## otis24 (Apr 1, 2004)

Bionic_Hipster said:


> Last August I was riding in the foothills outside of Denver with my wife and our friend. I was descending through the switchbacks and was doing 30-35 mph. I was approaching a right hand hairpin and my rear tire blew and rolled off the rim. My bike shot out from under me like a rocket and slammed down on my left hip and cheese grated down my left side and then rolled onto my right side for some more grating. I ended up breaking my left hip and tore off two muscles. I spent 10 days in the hospital and the next two months spent 95% of my day in bed or on a couch. I now have a rod going down my femur and two screws in my hip. I had a screw at the bottom of my femur, but had it taken out about 8 weeks ago.
> 
> So I said to hell with getting injured road biking and I'm now going back to Mountain where it's much "safer". lol


Is this when you became Bionic Hipster?

That's a pretty rough crash. Glad you're back to riding! I broke my face in a bunch of places but I always say damage to a lower limb or back where you lose mobility would be much worse.


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## Bionic_Hipster (May 15, 2015)

otis24 said:


> Is this when you became Bionic Hipster?
> 
> That's a pretty rough crash. Glad you're back to riding! I broke my face in a bunch of places but I always say damage to a lower limb or back where you lose mobility would be much worse.


Yeah, I came up with that name after the crash for my fantasy football team and decided to keep it.

Honestly, I would rather have broken my face than my hip. Although my wife might not like me hurting the "money maker" as I like to refer to it with her. I tore off my abductor muscle and my hip flexor, but the hip flexor actually was still attached to the bone and a piece of bone broke off with it. It reattached, but not in the same place. So now I have a sharp pinching feeling when I try certain stretches. Not to mention that I don't have full flexibility yet. We are moving soon and once we get settled I'm going to start doing yoga with the hopes that my flexibility will come back.


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## otis24 (Apr 1, 2004)

Bionic_Hipster said:


> Yeah, I came up with that name after the crash for my fantasy football team and decided to keep it.
> 
> Honestly, I would rather have broken my face than my hip. Although my wife might not like me hurting the "money maker" as I like to refer to it with her. I tore off my abductor muscle and my hip flexor, but the hip flexor actually was still attached to the bone and a piece of bone broke off with it. It reattached, but not in the same place. So now I have a sharp pinching feeling when I try certain stretches. Not to mention that I don't have full flexibility yet. We are moving soon and once we get settled I'm going to start doing yoga with the hopes that my flexibility will come back.


Sounds like you basically detached your leg minus the skin and a bit of remaining muscle. Yikes! Good luck with the move and the yoga.


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## kdirk (Jun 20, 2012)

Broke my jaw two weeks ago, so here I am on my off days killing time and actually reading these forums.

I dont know what to do with myself now


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## BushPilot (Aug 29, 2007)

I had someone tell me once if you are going to crash, don't do it going fast. Maybe making trail riding a little safer than being on the road.

Hope you heal well.


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## MEClydeRyder (Jul 16, 2010)

DH on my new Intense, taking an easy run down to get some food. Don't remember the wreck, but I broke my scapula, 6 ribs, a transverse process, and partially collapsed a lung. Came to, walked down the hill, went to the ER. Feel pretty fortunate as it could have been worse, and at my age healing isn't as quick.


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## 779334 (Oct 10, 2014)

Found a rider down today. He was riding downhill with his seat way up. Took a crash head down first. Face, arms, legs bruised. He was in shock and had a concussion. Would forget everything every 10 seconds. Walked him to his car and called his buddies who came and picked him up. Doctor checked him and said he's remembering more stuff. 

Ugliest crash I have ever seen. I'll check on him later.


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## tubbnation (Jul 6, 2015)

Having a widowmaker heart attack at 38 (due to genetic predisposition) is pretty core (I'll be 49 in Oct), but despite this, and breaking numerous bones with dramatic flair, I consider my worst injury stepping off my skateboard at exactly the precise angle to pop a nice chunk of bone out of my ankle. I was 16 at the time, in Cardiff, Ca, and the docs said I would never walk again. My dad wigged-out, and threatened them to fix me, or else. Well, the San Diego Chargers sports med doc (Dr. Linovitz) was called, and he came to perform what would be a 4hr surgery. Two screws, and 6mos later, I was starting to walk again.

Fast-forward 20yrs, one of the screws was finally making its way out of the bone, so I decided to get them both removed. Made the appt, and said I wanted to watch the minor surgery. The Makita made short work of the smaller screw (that wasn't bothering me) - what a trip that was, seeing and hearing the Makita drill bit spinning, and the screw coming up out of the bone in an instance. I was a total stoner back then so watching something like this was f*cking cool, as hell. Anyways, I didn't feel a thing (due to the local). Well, now, it's time for the big screw, the one that "wanted" to come out ..., the doc puts the drill bit into the head of the screw, pushes the button, and the screw doesn't turn, my leg does.... and with this, all these cracking/splintering sounds ring out. I yell, "I can feel that!". The last thing I remember is the doc saying, "put him out now" ..., and all I see is a mask coming at my face. Game over!


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## jubilatu (Jun 3, 2015)

in a XC race, 260m from start, just begun to acccelerate (32km/h), a 20m zone of 50cm deep gravel/rocks, my handlebar mixed with another and boom! 38 km later an emergency crew stopped me because of the blood draining from my knee. after they took care of my wound (20minutes of cleaning & stuff), i wasn't able to continue.
three weeks later, a MRI revealed a posterior patellar cartilage fissure (sounds bad in a geeky way, but apparently it isn't). Doctor said that is ok to start pedal slowly and get back at any bad sign (pain, swelling, etc).
next XC marathon i'll be the only one with knee protectors (i bought a dainese trail).


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## jasoncruise89 (Aug 9, 2015)

Well a bus took me off my bike and planted me into a pole (which said bus/bike lane) I broke my collorbone in 3 places and dislocated my shoulder, that was 3 months ago now in 2days I'll be getting the plate and screws I'm terrified of things like this ha, but the payout will make it all worth it


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## phride (Sep 14, 2015)

My worst injuries came from other sports, but my most spectacular biking injury was when I stalled riding up an 8-foot tall whaleback, put my arm out onto a tree to catch myself, dislocated my shoulder, and fell to the ground, popping it back in. It wasn't until the next winter when I crashed skiing that I properly dislocated it and had to get it reduced.

The worst biking injury was simply aggravating an old back injury by riding a saddle that has broken on one side several days. Laid me up for a couple weeks and made me change my riding style in the end, as it would recur occasionally, even with a proper saddle.


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## harvpat (Nov 1, 2015)

I hit a curved wood bridge a little too fast. Face planted, at 55 it was alittle more than I could bare. My neck snapped back, by the next day I could not lift my arm. I herniated the disc and damaged the spinal cord. at four months I can curl a 3lb dumbell 12 times. The improvement is slow but steady. My doctor said it my take a year to get the strength back.


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## Quasi (Jul 4, 2004)

harvpat said:


> I hit a curved wood bridge a little too fast. Face planted, at 55 it was alittle more than I could bare. My neck snapped back, by the next day I could not lift my arm. I herniated the disc and damaged the spinal cord. at four months I can curl a 3lb dumbell 12 times. The improvement is slow but steady. My doctor said it my take a year to get the strength back.


Sorry to hear that. On my first reading I thought you were curling 31 lbs on the injured arm.  I was thinking -- wow!!! But then I rearead. 

There is no harm in being careful in this sport. :nono:


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## wetworkz (Apr 19, 2015)

Yesterday, thought I had more skill than I actually do. Hit the double black diamond hill at landahl park (ish trail). I was doing pretty well for most of it, nailing the smaller jumps going down the big hill. The whole time thinking, "YEAH, HOLY CRAP, YEAH, HOLY CRAP". Got to the bottom of the big hill, feeling pretty good then there is a series of smaller tabletops, hit the first one perfect, the next one not perfect, landed on top not the back. Which made me a little nervous so i slowed down some. Third one, I realized was a tandom, not a tabletop. Not enough room to stop, no way to avoid it, just jumped. Hit the front of second jump at a pretty good speed, taco'd the front wheel, broke two ribs and class2 separation of my collar bone AC. Of course I was all by myself, hadn't even seen another bike on the trail. So I pushed my broken bike about a mile and a half back to my car, then to the ER. That sucked.


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## LiquidSpin (Mar 26, 2012)

wetworkz said:


> Yesterday, thought I had more skill than I actually do. Hit the double black diamond hill at landahl park (ish trail). I was doing pretty well for most of it, nailing the smaller jumps going down the big hill. The whole time thinking, "YEAH, HOLY CRAP, YEAH, HOLY CRAP". Got to the bottom of the big hill, feeling pretty good then there is a series of smaller tabletops, hit the first one perfect, the next one not perfect, landed on top not the back. Which made me a little nervous so i slowed down some. Third one, I realized was a tandom, not a tabletop. Not enough room to stop, no way to avoid it, just jumped. Hit the front of second jump at a pretty good speed, taco'd the front wheel, broke two ribs and class2 separation of my collar bone AC. Of course I was all by myself, hadn't even seen another bike on the trail. So I pushed my broken bike about a mile and a half back to my car, then to the ER. That sucked.


Woah, glad you made it to the ER~ Yeah, adrenaline pretty much saves the day when we need it most. Without it you probably would have waited until someone came to help you out.

When I attempt anything new and dangerous I always do it while I'm in good company. It also helps to give you more confidence. I remember the first time I hit a table top jump and crashed hard (went too fast). Luckily I was OK except for a messed up elbow gash and face gash. That taught me never to hit or try anything alone.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

grade 2 AC separation... in recovery mode now w/ at least 3 weeks off bike. Murphys law... stops raining and we're in a mini heat wave.
Oh the humanity!!! :bwahahahaha:

-----------------------------------------------------------
-=snifff!!=- What's that you say?


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## tartis99 (Oct 27, 2015)

Dec 6 will be my 1 year anniversary of breaking my back in 2 places. T5 & T7 cracked through. 8 screws and 2 rods in my back. Whiplash with my neck wired, and a broken left wrist. What a difference 1 crash makes. 

Sent from my Galaxy Note 4


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## JustinF433 (May 13, 2015)

Spiral fractured right tibia. Broke July 18th and just doing light riding now. Won't be back fully until January i think


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## bakerjw (Oct 8, 2014)

I was doing 25 on the road and was preparing to make a left turn. The driver of a car coming the other direction was oblivious to me so I was paying attention to them. The front tire hit a small but deep pothole which turned the front wheel and sent me over the bars. cracked ribs, broken metacarpals, broken elbow, cuts on my face and all kinds of road rash. And no insurance. It was a nasty hard hit. I remember crawling across the pavement to the ditch while dragging the bike with my legs.

The only positive was that I did bleed on the drivers cell phone when they offered to let me use it to call for a ride home.


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## Makarmtb (Jan 7, 2015)

was two years ago in august. Went OTB after landing a jump hard nose heavy that they had just extended the gap on. Took the hit to the head and the shoulder (right). Did not go to the doctor the night of the accident went home and took some tylenol and went to bed. Woke up feeling like a truck hit me and not being able to move my arm at all. Went to my specialist as ive paid for his car more then once by now and found out i broke my shoulder blade in 5 places and have a permanently dislocated collar bone. 

luckily no surgery (still have the dislocated collar bone as it protrudes out which they say is ok to leave... ) sat on the couch for 3 months and got back to work. 

been riding since released with luckily no more injuries.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Grade 3 AC separation... 3-4 months ago now. Shoulder still aint right, lately it seems like every 2-3 weeks I notice a little improvement. At 43, I'm not sure it will ever get back to how it was. Just thankful that I'm able to ride again =)

-----------------------------------------------------------
#1 resolution... Ride it like I stole it!!


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## sevenhelmet (Feb 29, 2016)

Only in my second year of riding, but I've taken enough minor spills to be cautious.

My worst MTB injury is embarrassing; I wasn't even riding! This past weekend I was working on my front brakes. I spun the wheel to see if the caliper was centered, and didn't notice that my finger was between the rotor and the caliper post. Crunch... My left index fingertip got cut through the nail and down to the bone, which sacrificed itself to stop the wheel from going all the way through my fingertip. So I type a little funny right now, but I can still work the front brake lever with the now nail-less finger, so I ride on...


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## Energetik (Feb 7, 2008)

sevenhelmet said:


> I spun the wheel to see if the caliper was centered, and didn't notice that my finger was between the rotor and the caliper post. Crunch... My left index fingertip got cut through the nail and down to the bone, which sacrificed itself to stop the wheel from going all the way through my fingertip. .


I did that too only in my case it was only my finger tip and a small part of the nail. Bled like crazy though and felt GREAT! :madman: I'm sure yours hurt much worse.

Some of these here are very gnarly injuries! Mine could've been but I got very lucky.

My worst injury on a bike was at Dirt Fest 2014 in May at Raystown Lake Pennsylvania. There is a trail there called Osprey that is very fast and swooping with oddly spaced rollers to hit as you burn down the trail. I'd rode that demo loop on my XC bike earlier just fine. I wanted to demo some bikes but all that I wanted to try were already out so I went out again.

Long story short somewhere on that trail I got squirrelly on a roller, locked up my front brake, or just plain fell off at around 20 mph. I have a vague memory of falling OTB off to the left and that's it. I woke up as they shut the ambulance door on my way to a helo ride out to Altoona Pa, about an hour by car. They said I was out for about 10 minutes and had basically wrecked all over the trail. I got extremely lucky though.

I only had a nasty concussion, headache (obviously), trail rash, some bruises and a gash on the side of my left orbital that took off some eyebrow. (it grew back!) They scanned me 5 times, stitched me up, dressed some of the trail rash and sent me home.

The only lasting thing is I occasionally get headaches where I took the hit and I have nerve damage where the gash happened but I don't even notice that most of the time.

My helmet saved my life on that one. If I hadn't been wearing one my stupid self might not have walked away or been seriously disabled from the hit. I don't preach but I do tell people that story when they try to whine about wearing helmets.

I replaced the helmet with a better one but I kept it as a war trophy. It still has the blood on it. :thumbsup:

Oh and only a scratch on the handle bar for the bike!


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## snowwcold55 (Jun 6, 2014)

Was heading into a section of trail I thought I knew pretty well - relatively smooth hard dirt and very windy and flowy with some really fun, fast blind turns, and lots of room for speed. 

Coming into the first bermed turn, I realized (a bit too late, I might add) that the folks who like taking their horses on the trails destroyed all of the little berms so their horses could more easily get by. I had a ton of weight driving the wheels around the turn, but there was nothing to catch them, and before I even knew what hit me my head and shoulder were sliding across packed dirt... hands still gripping ghost handlebars, the bike 6 feet behind me. 

Had a nice scrape/bruise on my face, bloody lip, and my shoulder was killing me, like I had dislocated and reducted it all in one crash (which I had done before skiing.) My shirt had literally ripped at completely at the shoulder.

I rode down to the trail head, taking things slow, and shook out the shoulder a little bit. It felt like I had just gotten a dead arm, which I took to be a good sign, sucked it up, and finished my ride. 

By the time I made it back to the car to put my bike back on the rack, my right shoulder didn't lift at all. Had to (sadly) ask for help, and then struggled to drive my stick shift home. 

Went to the ortho, got an MRI, and have 2 major and 1 minor tear in the upper shoulder (rotator cuff). Surgery, PT, the whole 9 yards, and now I can ride again just fine. In fact, i rode pretty much the whole time with the injury up until surgery, as it really didn't affect my riding, it just hurt a bit after. 

No pics - sorry - unless you want some arthroscopic surgery pics! It's funny, the horse people get all fussy about biking on the trails - yet they leave their poop literally mid trail. Maybe we should start copying that practice too, riders.


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## PantslessWithWolves (Jul 18, 2012)

Energetik said:


> I did that too only in my case it was only my finger tip and a small part of the nail. Bled like crazy though and felt GREAT! :madman: I'm sure yours hurt much worse.
> 
> Some of these here are very gnarly injuries! Mine could've been but I got very lucky.
> 
> ...


If you had said this was 2015, then you would have been the guy who went OTB and landed on his face HARD on the same trail when I was up there shooting photos. He didn't have a concussion, but he had some pretty intense facial trauma. I was newly certified at Wilderness First Aid and the first few minutes of managing that incident were some of the scariest of my life- fortunately, I heard through the grape vine that he was okay, albeit taking his meals in shake form for about six weeks.


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## no_ster (Mar 20, 2016)

Fractured radial head and level 2 AC separation of shoulder ligament.


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

My GF had a bad OTB this afternoon and is in the hospital with a shattered scapula, a fractured clavicle, 4 broken ribs (one in 2 places) and 4 fractured spinous processes. She was flown off the ridge, which is good because it would have been a 2.5 mile carry, and even the 200 yards to the helicopter were were tough on her.


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## Emax (Dec 4, 2005)

August 16th, 2014... rode on a new trail in Ringwood, NJ, too quickly and with bar ends - hooked the right one on a young tree and got ejected, but landed on my left leg (turns out it was a bad thing), then the speed that carried me spun me around causing a dislocation, and spiral fracture to my left ankle - all three bones broken. 
Obviously 10 minutes into my ride, lying on the trail and punching the ground in pain - all I knew is that I broke my ankle - the foot was pointing in the wrong direction and I vividly heard the breaking sound. All I had in my pack first aid wise was bandage and I was able to use it to make a splint, after that I've relied on riders who carried me to the fire road, and then a guy on a quad gave me a lift to the parking lot, from where I called 911. Nothing like that has ever happened to me, and I was amazed at how little pain I was experiencing after the initial break. Adrenaline is amazing in making the pain go away. When the pain hit me in the ER it was as though my leg was on fire - literally the whole foot, ankle area.

The surgery was next day, got 15 screws and a plate to keep things together. The 2 months in bed, caused my left leg muscles to atrophy, but the biggest issue was the range of motion reduction. It was caused initially by 2 screws holding tibia and fibula together for stability, after they were removed rom improved, but wasn't there yet, took me 4-5 months of pt to start feeling like I'm walking normally. 

My 2015 riding season was unpleasant, while riding on a trainer - it wasn't much of a problem to pedal, but out on the trails, I was too cautious, and that made me fall. I forced myself to ride the trails - there was no passion. Only in 2016 do I feel confident to go over logs, and have the passion back to ride. I feel as though mentally I'm back and I'm now able to build the strength again. These days, I'm able to tell when the weather is going to change, thanks to my ankle, and my left one looks fatter thanks to the plate, but all seems to work fine.

Any injury takes time to heal, and it also takes time to get over it in your head, the weird thing is that these two don't always coincide - so I think patience is the name of the game.


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## notso (Jan 22, 2015)

8-2-16; OTB wreck. Long story short, fractured C2 vertebra. Actually just got home from the hospital about an hour ago.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

notso said:


> 8-2-16; OTB wreck. Long story short, fractured C2 vertebra. Actually just got home from the hospital about an hour ago.


Dude!!

All the best for recovery ^^

C2!?

Limbs still working?

Gods speed...

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## notso (Jan 22, 2015)

targnik said:


> Dude!!
> 
> All the best for recovery ^^
> 
> ...


yes, C2. Yes everything still works. I started another thread with some more details.


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## MyZenNolan (May 30, 2011)

8/20/2015: Concussion and separated shoulder - Road crash
8/20/2016: I ummm, managed to bend all my fingers backwards to my wrist. Nothing broken, but my hand looks like someone inflated a latex glove and sewed it to my wrist. Anyone know how long the swelling will last? lol.


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## lucifuge (Jul 1, 2011)

MyZenNolan said:


> 8/20/2015: Concussion and separated shoulder - Road crash
> 8/20/2016: I ummm, managed to bend all my fingers backwards to my wrist. Nothing broken, but my hand looks like someone inflated a latex glove and sewed it to my wrist. Anyone know how long the swelling will last? lol.


depends on how much ice u applied I guess


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## MyZenNolan (May 30, 2011)

lucifuge said:


> depends on how much ice u applied I guess


Inconsistent amounts of ice. I can still ride and hit jump lines, it's just ridiculously swollen and annoying now.


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## grunghi (Oct 3, 2016)

Had a nasty crash in 2014, I was short on a double, dislocated left elbow with a fractured ulna, yay


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## Singlespeedmedia (Aug 17, 2016)

Posting here on behalf of a friend, who called this his worst tumble ever.




Crash starts @(0:20)


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

incomplete amputation of my right foot in moab on june 2nd of this year.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

monogod said:


> incomplete amputation of my right foot in moab on june 2nd of this year.


omg! How are you doing?


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

cyclelicious said:


> omg! How are you doing?


amazing!

severed 2 major veins in the accident and would've bleed to death on the mountain had i not put a tourniquet on my leg. compounded tib about 3 inches, shattered the fib, and complete disarticuation of the ankle. life flighted to grand junction, colorado and underwent a few hours of surgery where they put in about 20 screws, a titanium plate, and 120 stitches. a week in the hospital, about 2.5 months in a cast, then 5 weeks in a walking boot and 3-5 hours of physical therapy daily. was cleared to resume normal activities as tolerated about 3 weeks ago, still doing 3-5 hours of physical therapy daily to increase range of motion and strengthen the ankle. putting lots of road miles in, but haven't hit any trails yet. hoping to resume mtb within the next week. plate and screws come out in 2.5 months, so i'll be down for about 4 weeks again. total recovery time will be almost a year.

go big or go home... right??? :ihih:


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## gregnash (Jul 17, 2010)

Damn dude that makes my ankle seem like a cake walk!!!
7/16/16 went on the Wherewolf Memorial ride with a bunch of guys in Auburn, Ca. Never ridden there and we took the road, approximately 4 miles, up to the start of what I believe is Clementine trail. About 1.5 miles of actual trail riding in I am hammering corners chasing the leaders, both fast, and keep thinking "I gotta slow the corners a bit, tire keeps sliding."
Come around a hard right hander that is a little bit of kitty litter on the corner over some concrete hardpack and rear tire slips completely out to edge of trail. Foot didn't unclip so I went completely down but ended up catching my heel on a root or rut or something. Heard and felt a loud POP in the leg and then vaulted over the bike and off the trail. As I went to stand up get a bit of pain in the ankle and am like "Nah that aint happening climbing an incline." 

Get off the trail and the rest of the ride crew, 11 in all, catch up to me and one guy says, Damn your ankle!. And sure enough the ankle is about the size of a cantaloupe. 
End result was a 1.5 mile hobble out with the bike to go and self medicate at Maria's with beer and Mexican food. Next day visit to the ER proved my thoughts (3yrs of PT and medical training about 10yrs ago), dual spiral fracture to fibula high/mid shaft and complete syndesmotic disruption (blown ankle). Had surgery about a week later after ortho consult, two titanium buttons and titanium line in the ankle (permanent) to correct the syndesmosis and left the leg alone. Just started walking in an ankle brace this week and have another 2wks of PT to go after 4 so far. 

Doc has cleared me for trainer or stationary bike ONLY, with light ROM (range of motion) pedaling ONLY.. Docs words.. "I know you want to get back on your bike but ABSOLUTELY no rollers, trainer or stationary ONLY and I am talking light pedaling..... NO STANDING AND MASHING." Next apt. with the doc is mid-November and he said by that time I should be cleared for normal activity without brace (e.g. walking around, up and down stairs, etc.), all other activity will require the brace for length of time to be determined by me and how ankle/leg feel with activities. Snow has already started here so at most I will be able to get some road riding in with the commuter bike but trails will be snowed in for the most part by the time I can actually trail ride...*sad panda*


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## TeamRWB (Feb 19, 2014)

4 broken ribs and a dislocated left shoulder

Sent from the Beer Cloud


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## Ozcruiser3000 (Oct 12, 2016)

Had my worst bike accident today. Nothing compared to some of the terrible ones on here. Been riding bikes since I was 6. So 30 odd years of riding. Mostly city riding for transport commuting recreational some off road mountain biking.
I suppose I've been lucky or careful or both. Never had a bad accident hardly even a scratch.
The past month I've somehow managed to ride into 2 chains across a path at medium speed. First time at night didn't see it, not too fast the bike stopped I stayed on just a scratch on the bike, not a scratch on me just annoyed.
Today hit a chain again. Daytime, grey chain with grey gravel behind it very hard to see. Saw it hit brakes skidded dived forward off the bike as the bike stopped dead at the chain. Slid on hands for a bit on gravel.
One hand tiny scratches, nothing. Other hand small cut. Elbow a bit of skin off and that's it.
Bike has tiny scratches on handlebar and pedal but is fine. Will be very wary of those f*ing chains from now on. If you see 2 poles at either side but no chain slow down you may not see the chain until it's too late. Hope I never f*ing do that again.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

*4 months ago...*

A little tumble...

Two breaks on the clavicle, fractured scapula, six fractured ribs along spine and some raspberries.


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## WannaBeMTBer (Dec 19, 2016)

Have about 100 Miles on my first bike and this happened. 
Root erosion drop on a descent, landed wrong knocked myself out and slid down some nice soft rocks.... fast forward 3 weeks to last weekend I got back on the bike and went immediately to the trail and got my redemption day.

Crash caused a concussion, 13 staples and lots of scabbing. I was wearing a helmet.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

WannaBeMTBer said:


> I was wearing a helmet.
> 
> View attachment 1111491
> View attachment 1111492


Was it attached and properly fitted?

Hope that you're back to good shape soon!


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## WannaBeMTBer (Dec 19, 2016)

It was a cheap Bell helmet and and there's no way it was tight enough. I have since upgraded ton an IXS Trail. The fit is already night and day I also make sure to crank that thing down and have the chin strap oriented.


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## RavenDavey (Oct 3, 2015)

Greater tuberosity fracture with torn rotator and surgery in January. Followed by a blown tire crash on a rock garden...in June.


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## CamPow (Jan 21, 2015)

October 1st 2015 I wrecked at Snowshoe Bike Park, Broke my wrist. Distal Radius. Pretty common fracture I guess. Definitely dont want to go through it again though. Was off the bike for some prime riding of the year. Im back on it now Getting muddy.....


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Fast healing and safe journeys to all.


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## passwordusername (Jul 4, 2016)

This is my most serious injury so far, althought is nothing compared to others.















Stupid decision. I did a sketchy drop, I'm not used to that height so my feet lost contact but the left one slipped and the pedal hit my shin. The cut reached the bone. Every f... time these pedals hit my shins the pins act like knives in my skin. I just had a cut of like 1-2cms like a week or two ago just in the side of the new injury. 
It was my fault obviously, but I can't go to the hospital everytime I make a mistake and my foot slips.
The pedals are Chromag Scarabs. Every pin have one spacer, so I'm considering buying more to have two in every pin, or change the pins or just buy new pedals with smaller pins and different shape (I like them a lot as far as grip and confort).

Funny thing is that I got close calls in the ride but it was this what cause me an injury.


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## Namlehse (May 8, 2013)

I can safely say dentistry has come a really long way.. The story behind this belongs in the stupid thread, however the pictures probably belong here.

I took this picture after seeing the ER Doc cringe several times. 









I spent three weeks with wires holding them in. Four weeks after the first picture, four chip repairs, two lost teeth, four root canals, and some grinding down left me like this.










The dentist used pictures of his work on his web page to show exactly how bad of an "oopse" he could fix.


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## Nick_M (Jan 16, 2015)

Broke my leg and shoulder 3 weeks ago, will not ride at all for 3 more weeks, and probably will not ride gravity for whole season...


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## fatboy43 (May 4, 2008)

Rock garden took out my knee cap. No surgery required so I lucked out there. I find out Monday how long I'm out for. Me thinks it time for knee pads.....








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## lucifuge (Jul 1, 2011)

fatboy43 said:


> Rock garden took out my knee cap. No surgery required so I lucked out there. I find out Monday how long I'm out for. Me thinks it time for knee pads.....
> View attachment 1142511
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


fark! ice ice baby


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## AlexanderH (Jul 27, 2017)

*Broken Wrist*

Distal radius fracture

went OTB after landing on a root with the front wheel after a jump. Hospital originally performed a closed reduction but after 10 days it moved out of place and the surgeon decided to plate it with blots and screws 40 internal stitches and 30 external. out for 4 months acording to surgeon but im pretty sure that means 2 months in mountain bike months.


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## Losvar (Mar 21, 2016)

Shattered my left calcaneus 10 weeks ago, just got the cast off, can barely move my ankle at all, and it can't carry any weight yet, crutches for another 4 weeks or so; was lucky and avoided surgery. 

Dislocated shoulder and tore the ligaments in it, had to get surgery, was out for 3 months.

Broken some fingers and my wrist, had some cracked bones in my right ankle and some pretty damaged tendons there, broken some ribs too, but none of that really kept me off the bike for any more than a few days to a week.

Been quite a few concussions over the years too, but my head still seem to be ok.


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## benll (Aug 11, 2017)

Last weekend, I fractured my ribs and pneumothorax caused after crashing to the ground when I didn't land a jump quite right. Felt a bit dazed, but managed to drive home. Went to the hospital couple days later. Stayed overnight at the hospital and put on oxygen therapy. Not sure how long its going to take me to recover.

BTW, the bike is fine.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

This thread still reminds me how fortunate I am. I severed the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in my right knee backcountry skiing on Mount Shasta at the end of May. I finally got an MRI at the end of August and that's when I found out it wasn't just cartilage or meniscus damage like I had been hoping. I contused the femur, tibia, and fibia in the same crash. I had at least 80 backcountry ski days this season (only 5 days at resorts). A severed ACL is a small price to pay. I don't want to risk damaging it again so I won't be skiing this season which is a bit of a bummer. Will have to make the 2019/20 season that much better. It'll finally be time to get an 8 year old severed Acromioclavicular Ligament (type 4 or 5 separation) looked over since I'll be going way over the deductible. Perhaps the worst part is that I'm ditching my telemark skis and hoping the TTS bindings are the bees knees in 2019. I'll probably forget about it while installing a 12x drivetrain, replacing a 36t x 10-36t drivetrain on a 26" Knolly Endorphin with a 10-50t system. It was a good winter, a few months of taking it easy not knowing what's going on in the knee, and now a hot end of summer.

Pedaling a lot harder as a result.


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## metalmorgan (Sep 17, 2017)

On the bike; punctured lung. Off the bike; subdural hematoma - that left me with hemiplegia on the right side. So I have to mount my bike controls on the right - if I want to use both brakes haha!

It works, took some getting used to. Grabbed too much of a handful of front on many an occasion!


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Nothing serious yet. Typical scrapes and scratches and bleeding. 

Once, an otb down a rocky ridge on a day I forgot to wear gloves, torn up palms.

Worst of it was a downhill run behind the Broadmoor meeting an uphill routed clan like the Brady Bunch family outing. 
I got to the side and well out of their way but my front tire caught a rut and I went otb at velocity, shoulder versus ground. 
Lost use of the right arm for the most of that day. It was dead weight but no surgery done. Just a crooked separated shoulder a bit tilted down to this day and that was 18 or more years ago. 

No wound pics but here's the bike " that did it " lol;


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## John (Apr 25, 2004)

metalmorgan said:


> On the bike; punctured lung. Off the bike; subdural hematoma - that left me with hemiplegia on the right side. So I have to mount my bike controls on the right - if I want to use both brakes haha!
> View attachment 1158118


There are hydraulic mixers out there in MTB parts land. You can have one lever control both, and adjust the amount of front/rear bias. It would be better than trying to modulate two levers at once with one hand.

I have seen it years ago on a bike at a trail-head. The guy riding it had two arms, but only a right hand. He had a funky custom socket harness on the left, and a ball attachment mounted to the handlebar. He admitted he could not ride hardcore but he was happy to be on the bike on hard trails.


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## metalmorgan (Sep 17, 2017)

John said:


> There are hydraulic mixers out there in MTB parts land. You can have one lever control both, and adjust the amount of front/rear bias. It would be better than trying to modulate two levers at once with one hand.
> 
> I have seen it years ago on a bike at a trail-head. The guy riding it had two arms, but only a right hand. He had a funky custom socket harness on the left, and a ball attachment mounted to the handlebar. He admitted he could not ride hardcore but he was happy to be on the bike on hard trails.


Yeah I considered that but I heard they were a nightmare to bleed and maintain. The two lever to finger option is far superior in my opinion though. After all how can you Scandinavian flick if you've only got one lever?!


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## shekky (Oct 21, 2011)

1999: impaled my left palm on a tiny piece of twig while riding at boggs mountain, part of which remained in my palm--which i rode and raced with three more months until it began to work its way out the other side whereupon i had to have it surgically removed. a weird, greasy, nasty ball formed around the twig fragment and started to pop out the other side of my hand. my boss made me go to the doctor when the pus started to run. 

shattered two fingers on my left hand and fractured my wrist when a carload full of bridge-and-tunnel thugs made a U-turn in front of me in 2000. instinctively tucking has its hazards...

dislocated and fractured my right shoulder last weekend. this one is frustrating; i lost my momentum in a trail dip, stalled, tipped over and down into the waiting arms of one of california's many oily, fire hazard, non-native eucalyptus trees.


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## bobouellette (Dec 29, 2016)

Doing a 6 hour race as a two man team. Literally 30 seconds away from being done with my first stint. Ran out of talent and hit a tree. 7 broken ribs, pneumothorax, 10 days in the hospital, 7 titanium plates later. Back on the bike after 8 weeks.

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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

No coughing, no sneezing, no laughing, no farting. Rib recovery is wonderful.


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## bobouellette (Dec 29, 2016)

Cleared2land said:


> No coughing, no sneezing, no laughing, no farting. Rib recovery is wonderful.


I had surgery to have the breaks plated so really the only healing is from the surgery.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## metalmorgan (Sep 17, 2017)

Ho. Lee. Crap.


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## shekky (Oct 21, 2011)

reading and typing in this thread while contorting myself to ease the almost constant, 2.4/10 pain i'm dealing with is certainly not going to end well...


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## Wipedout (Nov 23, 2017)

New guy here, also an emergency medical responder so of course this is the first thread I reply in. LOL

Nothing a serious as many of you guys but it still hurt: My worst was 6 bruised ribs, 3 cracked. I was training for BMX racing and went to clear the doubles. Went nose heavy and came up short. Caught the monster bars right in the torso and went down like a sack of hammers. Took awhile to breathe again, ended up with 4 weeks off the soccer field, 6 weeks off the gridiron but I was back on the bike in 1 week.


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## Specialised29er (Sep 9, 2017)

Last Saturday involved in a hit and run (we think a golf bugger him me from behind), knocked unconscious, 3 broken ribs on the back side, the good news is after a week I just farted.


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## kragu (Jun 14, 2011)

Impaled by handlebar, 3 in deep, but missed bone and artery. Scary moments on the trail, and heli evac was necessary. Lost what seemed like a lot of blood but some fast acting friends helped me keep my wits about me and got me thru it.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

^^^ I have often feared a handlebar puncture like you experienced. What type of grips were you using and did you have handlebar plugs in use if applicable?


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## kragu (Jun 14, 2011)

Cleared2land said:


> ^^^ I have often feared a handlebar puncture like you experienced. What type of grips were you using and did you have handlebar plugs in use if applicable?


Here's the offending grip, not exactly sharp or narrow:


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

WOW! I would not have expected that to result in your injury. What a fluke!

Good luck on a speedy recovery.


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## Bottomed Out (Apr 27, 2018)

5 busted ribs
Trashed collarbone
Internal bleeding, almost took my spleen

Wadded it up in a nasty whoop section in Gorman (SoCal) on my CR500. I was wheelie’ing through it, didn’t help the whoops were littered with cantaloupe sized rocks. Before I could drop the front end, I landed on a rock, lost it, pitched the bike and ate the face of the next whoop. In something like that, you don’t want to find out your gear sucks. My chest protector saved my life. I rode back to the truck and then drove to the hospital after that where I was given a bed and steady diet of morphine.


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## KonaJon (Jan 25, 2018)

Did a Tibial Plateau fracture on my left leg in August of 2016. Was so bad they could not fix it because of swelling, so they put an external fixator on my leg for three weeks and left it broken before surgery. In total I spent 18 weeks on crutches, surgery was on September 15th 2016 and I was not walking 100% until February. Was a hell of an experience for sure.























__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content


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## Mr. Blink (Nov 26, 2017)

I just had a decent wreck on Sunday. Definitely not my worst, but it got me looking at an mtbr injury thread I didn't know existed. 

My worst wreck by far was on a motorcycle, so it doesn't count here, but I'll give the short version. Solo crash. Hit oil on the road on a sharp 90 degree turn. The tires gained sudden traction after sliding through the oil, and the bike flipped. My left wrist had to be rebuilt from scratch. External fixator for 7 weeks, and tear inducing PT for weeks after that. Do not recommend.

My Sunday crash was a low speed fall over the side of a steep hill. Rear lost traction while standing on the pedals trying to torque my way up the last bit (also the steepest). The bike lost all momentum and I started to roll backwards. Side note: I've been trying clip ins for the last few weeks, and I've been falling a lot. There was no time or spot to clip out and get footing. I fell over to the left and went tumbling down the side of that hill, with bike attached. My bars got twisted, and my left bar end was nestled snugly in my sternum, and the other end went straight in to the ground. Pretty sure I cracked my chest a bit, but it's already feeling better, so I'm skipping the doc. All my neck muscles are wrecked. It feels like I was in a bad car accident. Some various scrapes and bruises on my legs. It could have been WAY worse. What's scary is I just saw some mtb video last week of some guy puncturing his femoral artery from his handlebars. Apparently this is a thing. I'm old school and I use bar ends. I am very convinced I would have punctured my chest if I didn't have bar ends. I think it increased the surface area of the impact point enough to keep to to a nasty bruise. Needless to say, my platform pedals are back on the bike. I'll gladly lose the upstroke if I can reduce the risk of death...

The worst one was back in high school. Me and my buddy went to cruise the beach on our mtb's. When we got there I was all, sh*t, I forgot my helmet. He said meh, we're just cruising the beach. So of course we end up racing on the street, weaving in and out of cars, and my front tire hit some uneven pavement (covered by sand so I couldn't see it). I ended up upside down, bike on top of me. I slid a good 15 feet on the back of my head and my left shoulder. There was a line of skin from my shoulder on the concrete, and blood everywhere. The next morning I realized I had a concussion after puking 50,000 times. That was a super fun experience. No broken bones though.


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## theruns (Jul 25, 2016)

Well I've been lucky to date but luck ran out yesterday morning.























Over the bars and straight into a rock with my face. Nose broken in 3 places and 4 stitches to close the hole on my nose. My teeth got chipped in a few spots and after the CT Scan the doctor said something was stuck in the end of my nose. Turns out that it was part of my tooth and he had to pry it out with a tweezers.

Thankfully I'm doing pretty good. I'm at work today and I'm not in a lot of pain just swollen. I'm going back to the doctors wednesday for them to make sure my nose is going to be straight.


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## dragracer88 (Apr 13, 2018)

I don't have any on scene pictures. It's really too ugly to show any way. All I will say is that I was practicing for a Triple Crown Enduro and ended up casing the road gap. Back tire kicked up, throwing me off, into a half front flip. Went down hard on my right side. Pads didn't protect much against the impact. Bruises and abrasions on my left elbow, broke my right femur. Hairline fracture just below my right elbow. Ten weeks ago. August 18th.


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## dragracer88 (Apr 13, 2018)




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## dgray2712 (Jan 12, 2018)

Hit a groundhog last year, and went over the handlebars at 17 MPH. In addition to the road rash on my arm, I had a large right thigh contusion, and two cracked ribs. Luckily, the bike just needed the handlebars readjusted.









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## eragotte (Apr 14, 2015)

My worst injury was completely invisible - concussion that kept me off the bike for a full year. Sucked a lot.

Other bad ones were another concussion that took me out for 4 months, torn quadriceps tendon, and currently a separated shoulder.

My wife cracked me up by asking (through sobs) 'why do you love something that hurts you so much???' Was very adorable.


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## FL mtb (Mar 19, 2016)

Grade 3 AC separation 03/17/2016 (Will never forget that St. Patrick's Day!).
A few weeks ago I nearly rubbed the index fingernail off my right had and broke the distal phalanx when my bars caught the side of a rock/sand chute. I'm looking for a good set of full finger gloves now!


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## Gene Hamilton (Oct 8, 2013)

Here is an article on How to Practise your MTB Skills by Gene Hamilton from BetterRide who has 20 years of MTB coaching experience. There are some video tutorials in the article. Perhaps we can prevent some injuries before they happen.
https://betterride.net/blog/2020/this-is-how-to-practice-your-mtb-skills/


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## BrianJosephson (May 2, 2020)

Just found this thread. Worst accident was being hit by a car in the crosswalk. Luckily she hit me in a way that I somehow rolled over the bars and landed on my back at about 20 mph. I got right up and was like no I'm okay and got a free ride home. I felt bad for her because I could tell she was scared so I didn't bother getting information. All I had was some bad road rash.... But when I took my shoe off, searing pain and blood. Made a fun trip to the hospital on one leg only to find out my foot was broken. I couldn't feel the pain at the time because of the adrenaline at the scene otherwise if I had known it was broken I would have got her information. Still is to this day. My foot print pattern has changed because of it and causes regular pain on some days. 

Best part was I had to pay a $75 copay. So I paid to have my foot broken. Bike frame was bent also. But I was not wearing a helmet so it could have been much worse. In hind sight it was my fault. I was riding on the side walk going the wrong way (there were no bike lanes on the roads) and usually make eye contact with drivers before I cross. I didn't with her, just assumed she saw me and would stop.


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## Ft.Rock (May 7, 2020)

I've had a lot and currently an AC separation, but the worst for me was jumping a retaining wall, sliding out on the wet grass and skewering myself on the bars, severing a secondary artery in my thigh. The hematoma was enormous and every day as the blood re-absorbed the bruising moved further down my leg, painfully so. Fast forward a couple years later, fly home from Europe and have a stabbing pain in my thigh. Checked for DVT with ultrasound, negative. Happens several more times, get the D-dimer test and more ultrasounds and can't find anything. Finally after a couple years of this a doc asks "Did you ever experience any trauma here? Because I'm feeling scar tissue around your vein area that will hurt if you have any inflammation". Yep. The good news is I can stop stressing over DVTs, the bad news is that it will happen every time I have a long flight. There are worse things but this one cause a lot of emotional stress when I was flying a lot.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

^^^^ While I do not have DVT, I do travel a lot of extended international flights. I make conscious efforts to get up and move around as much as possible. I often end up in the galley area to stretch and just be on my feet to keep things circulating.


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## clintj (Nov 17, 2018)

Went off an exposed trail, and ended up with a Lisfranc fracture and two broken metatarsals and some stitches in my other shin this year. That was almost three months ago, and I just got cleared to pedal while in my orthopedic boot a couple of weeks ago. No trail riding yet, though. Not til at least next month.

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## ghetto (Apr 11, 2013)

Smashed tibial plateau from putting my foot down when my Levo was wiping out, I'm 2 weeks post op and probably not riding to the spring.

Careful out there y'all.


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## Lojack (Feb 16, 2018)

Forgot how to jump properly on a high speed jump: Broken displaced clavicle, broken displaced acromion, broken displaced rib 3 on back, also broken rib 4, 5 on back, lots of bruising, scrapes all over. Had surgery 5 weeks ago, got a titanium rod in clavicle and two ti screws in my acromion. Have frozen shoulder now--almost no range of motion. It will probably be next year before I am back to normal. Bought some new body armor ($175) and so far out of pocket expenses are $1500,but hey, 30 years of riding and these are my first broken bones, so not too bad.


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## cxfahrer (Jun 20, 2008)

Crashed shinbone and fibula just above the ankle 3 weeks ago.

Dabbed a foot on the wrong side when I missed a hip jump and the pedal destroyed both in many small parts. 

Surgery put about 30 screws and two big titanium plates into my leg, took them 4 hrs. Luckily I have insurance ( without rescue by the local fire brigade, which is always for free, the total expenses paid by the insurance add up now to ~5500 €, I only had to pay about 200 € ).

Now starting easy pedaling on the hometrainer. Walking again will take some more weeks, but I hope to be back on trails in November.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cK946Pa8vW2PZm3D9

Pilon-tibia and broken fibula.

Edit:
now mid December the bones still are not healed together completely, but my doctor says I am on a good way. Have to be careful because the metal plate still is carrying all the load, and bending it is NO option. Will check again in February.
Easy pedaling is fine, walking for about 1/2hour also. I am riding around everything that is a bit steeper, hopefully my mind will be fit enough some time next year to take up with the gnarly stuff again. Cant wait to get back on my Enduro bike again. It really does take longer to heal at 61 ...


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## davez26 (Dec 2, 2004)

This is the kind of worst case I expect at some point, some small technique issue that blows me apart. 'Luckily' this happened at the end of summer...
Get better soon. 
Pics?

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## jackson.k (Aug 12, 2020)

Been pretty lucky as far is injuries go, but just had a crash that left me a pretty bad “hamburgered” aka shredded knee. A couple of inner stitches, and just 4 on the outside fixed me up all right tho. Still out for 2 weeks tho. 😕


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## SomestupidRider (Jan 24, 2021)

Not too bad, but I broke my arm. I am very lucky with injuries.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

SomestupidRider said:


> Not too bad, but I broke my arm. I am very lucky with injuries.


You're idea of lucky is obviously different than mine.


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## EKram (Oct 30, 2020)

My worst? Before I describe it, I do not know the medical terms but anytime I strain any muscle, ligament, or tendon on my left shoulder, by doing anything, I feel as if the outcome is worse.

It has been 6 years. Still a problem.

The crash was at the end of a ride, using a sub division cut through, on a brand new road that had only a rough coat of asphalt. Front wheel caught in the gap between the rough coat and curb. Over corrected and ended up falling. The main force of the crash was my left shoulder and my left knee and ankle from dabbing before I fully fell.
Shoulder and knee trashed. Fortunately I was wearing winter gloves and my left glove was shredded but minimized hand injury. Nothing broken. Took weeks for the shoulder and months for the knee to normalize. Amazingly, left ankle damage was minimal.

Still riding aggressively but cautiously too.


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## SomestupidRider (Jan 24, 2021)

Cleared2land said:


> You're idea of lucky is obviously different than mine.


what would yours be then?


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

No injuries and certainly not a broken arm. That is not something that I would place in the 'Lucky' category.


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## SomestupidRider (Jan 24, 2021)

iI consider that a broken arm is lucky in this scenario because it was far from the worst that could have happened.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Avoiding injury all together is lucky.


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## SomestupidRider (Jan 24, 2021)

that is true


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## FreuderLocks (May 20, 2010)

It was 2013, I was riding with a friend who's buddy and his family own Mt. Baldy in Souther California. The guy had built his own bike park on the ski slopes and we had a freaking awesome day. (I have posted part of this in the past). We had finished our business on the slopes and proceeded to head down hill on a forest service trail that flanks a road to the parking lot. I was riding a 2013 Cannondale Jekyll 2, with Sram/Avid brakes that had the faulty housing that allows water to be absorbed through the lining of the brake hoses, heat met water, which boils (not when you watch it though lol) seizing my front brake caliper onto the disc. Enjoying a moment of pure rider fixation, I looked in the direction I was attempting to avoid, while doing a full somersault OTB. The direction was off the right hand side of the trail, down about 15 feet into a ravine filled with stumps and boulders. I landed on my hands (think handstand, mostly...) and my back/side, bursting my water bladder and breaking 5 ribs, my wrist, 2 fingers, bruised a lung and had a softball sized hematoma on my right kidney. It could have been worse. I broke the rear triangle of the bike as well....
-Paul


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## ThreeD (Feb 7, 2008)

I had a very bad fall 11 years ago out at Moab and landed on my left shoulder. Never did anything about it until now. I was out golfing in a company event and heard something snap in my shoulder. A week later and a MRI and it was confirmed that I had a torn rotator cuff and a few other items that needed surgery. So here I sit waiting to get back on the bike and with a new frame waiting to be built up.


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## BhopMastuh (Jul 6, 2016)

Dang, reading many of these makes me realize how lucky I am to have gotten away with the few I've had... My worst (and dumbest) injury was a concussion and scratched shoulder from going OTB looking for wild asparagus on a quick ride down the rail-to-trail. Didn't feel like wearing my helmet for such a small thing, and when I found the wild asparagus I got so excited I clamped down on the front brake and OTB I went lol. Smacked my face on the pavement and luckily no hand or arm injuries spare some burned off skin from my shoulder lol. I have a scar there now.


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## Bluebeat007 (Mar 17, 2004)

I fractured my scapula after hitting a nub of a stump, going off line, and over the bars. I was upside down when I slammed into a tree shoulder first. I pedaled out on pure adrenaline and met my wife at the trailhead to be taken to the hospital.


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## Ft.Rock (May 7, 2020)

One of my buddies went OTB and the bars got him in a bad place. Very bad place. His junk and everything near it turned black. I didn't ask for any details as that alone was almost enough to keep me from riding anymore!


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## throet (Oct 8, 2016)

I've had way too many to describe, and while most were due to rookie mistakes, the most serious was a freakish accident as an advanced rider. Came into a steep, sharp corner and washed out on the incredibly loose dirt. No big deal really, and I even landed on my feet while holding my bike upright. Problem is that my feet kept sliding forward with my front leg eventually stretching all the way out in front of me and my back leg collapsing behind me. Result was that my semi-membranous hamstring muscle on my right leg almost ripped in half, while the tendon attaching the other two hamstring muscles ruptured and tore away from my sit bone. Can't say that I'll ever be fully recovered from that, but 12 months after surgery and with a great deal of rehab, I was back doing all of the same things I had done prior to the accident.


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## ThreeD (Feb 7, 2008)

Bluebeat007 said:


> I fractured my scapula after hitting a nub of a stump, going off line, and over the bars. I was upside down when I slammed into a tree shoulder first. I pedaled out on pure adrenaline and met my wife at the trailhead to be taken to the hospital.


OUCH!


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## Tjomball (Jul 6, 2021)

Had a seizure riding back to the hotel from a launch party. Used face as front brake. 
All the teeth in the front of mouth were either broken or knocked loose. Had a hole in lower lip.
Concussion, cracked cheekbone. Nose almost torn of and broken, then chiseled and stitched back in place. 
So three rounds of emergency surgery. Two in the hospital. One at Dentist. Kudos to Copenhagens Ambulance-Service. 2 mins 36 secs response time from call recieved till Ambo was on scene. 
I spent the rest of the weekend riding around Copenhagen hopped up on Morphine and Spliffs. 
I still have the Pic from the Wooden Coaster in Tivoli.  I look like a Mummy, my ugly mug all bandaged up.


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## csf (Apr 28, 2007)

of all the activities ive pursued over the years with mountain biking dirt bikes snowboarding etc last november was one of most stupid and severe injuries ive ever Sustained. Broke 7 ribs, broken scapula, and punctured lung. Luckily the punctured lung was a small puncture and didn’t collapse. Er doc was initially thinking they were going to life flight me out to alarger regional hospital. live in a small town. Fortunately i didnt have to be life flighted out and spent the night due to the punctured lung and so many broken ribs. 

i landed upside down on my back in the rocks. Was about 2 miles from home easy ride after work you know the story. Had to push bike home that was longest 2 miles ever. Had to stop and catch my breath several times. I didnt realize i had broken the scapula until they had done the xrays. I knew i had broken ribs but didnt realize how many! the following 2-3 weeks was really rough but after that was much better. 9 weeks later was back riding again.


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## DrDon (Sep 25, 2004)

Perforated small bowel. Fell on end of handlebar. Emergency surgery. It hurt bad. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


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## Tjomball (Jul 6, 2021)

By far the worst injury I sustained was during the period were my uncle had just gotten told he was recieving hospice care. And he basically had to learn how to walk again. So I got the privilige and honour of helping him relearn how to walk. Just like he himself also helped teach me how to walk when I was a toddler. 

I was taking a sorely needed day off from being a primary caregiver for him by going skiing. 
It had been a solid 10 hour stint and I had just had my last run and was doing the transport route back to the lifts. 
I had to cross a fork in a road with XC tracks. Not a problem when you actually see them. 
Problem was, power got cut just as I was entering the turn. It got pitch black. This was at 21.55 in the evening.
So naturally I held my line as best as I could. 
Both skis caught opposing tracks and twisted and pulled me down. And because I've done quite a bit of skiing I tend to run my DIN above recomended rating, otherwise my bindings relase mid turn.
And since this was a transport straight I was not going at stupid speeds. So no relase whatsover. 
So, I now had two 186 cm skis out of control and I'm going down.
And down I went. Hard. I slide and end up in a ditch.
As I'm laid out and moaning in pain a snowmobile with the Skipatrol motors past. They see me. Yardsale and all.
No reaction. They just drive past me. So I had to drag my sorry ass out of the ditch and then get myself standing upright.
By then I knew I was f*cked. How badly would be revealed later at the A&E.
By now the lights had come back on. So I slid real slow down to the second lift up to the top station where the ski bus stopped. 
Simply standing hurt. Moving hurt. Everything hurt.
I got myself up to the top station and simply picked up my gear with no one bothering to even ask if I needed help. 
I was leaning on my skis at the time using them as crutches. One step got me two inches forward. With great effort I might add. So I had to resort to public transportation. I gritted my teeth and got myself home where I could finally remove my boots. I screamed and almost blacked out from pain. 
I asked my uncle if he had my spare pair of crutches available. He confirmed and off I hobbled to the A&E.

Well. Two hours later I was discharged with only my knee tended to. Tore everything apart inside, dislocated my left hip, twisted my lower back badly (still hurts now 6 or 7 years later) and broke my left ankle (twisting fracture inside boot). So I was pretty much laid up.
Bad timing. 
So I borrowed some money from dear uncle and bought myself a cane so I could still do errands for uncle. 
That recovery was the single most painful experience I have ever had injurywise.
But I only took two days of from running errands and helping my uncle. 
And I still miss him every day.


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## Antimatter (Jan 3, 2018)

DH bike during a race. A full sized wild boar jumped across the front, went OTB, smashed into the edge of a sharp boulder, dislocated shoulder and severe lacerations, tumbled another 80 or so feet, smashed the side of my FF helmet into another huge rock, kept tumbling another 50 feet then my bike somehow landed on my leg, ended with a really bad rotor burn on my left calf. I only remember hitting the boar and the impact on my shoulder, the rest was explained to me as I blacked out.

14 broken bones, 5 stitches, internal bleeding, 5 weeks in the hospital, off the bike for 2 years.


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## EKram (Oct 30, 2020)

@Antimatter

Wow. So happy you have overcome that crash. How are you now physically and mentally? Can/do you ride anymore after 2 years?


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## Antimatter (Jan 3, 2018)

Appreciate your concern, but I still ride and as I'm already in my 50's so I don't race anymore. This happened when DH racing on MTB's were relatively new (with older technology) so it was a long time ago. I changed hobbies for a while, did more walking/hiking/swimming in addition to other activities to keep my mind off of that incident.

The biggest thing I had to overcome (obviously) was less about the injury, but the fear factor. Overcoming a lack of confidence was by far the biggest challenge for me. I'm not an emotional kind of guy and I don't experience depression due to stuff like that. 

For example riding through a web of wet roots scared me because I was constantly worried about the front washing out then going tumbling, risking reinjury. When I got out of the hospital, my main frustration was not being able to remember what happened after the first couple impacts. After that was the sensation of being grateful that I was alive and able to walk out on my own.

The solution I came up with was to take my sons and daughter on light off road trail rides, did that for a few years. I knew that the way to overcome fear of riding was to simply go out and ride more, but to take it easy, don't push too much, eat and rest well, see my doctors more consistently, take meds, go back out on the trails more. Now I'm back at the point where I can do most things but always stay within my limits. 

Being older, I'm realizing that old injuries no matter how big or small adds up over time. I tune my personal MTB's toward comfort instead of all out performance. It's more important to me to be more comfortable than it is being really fast coming down. The days of dropping into flats are gone and when I do jumps, it's always to transition.


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

Nothing that a bunch of casts and crutches couldn't cure. Us mountain bikers, skiers, skatepark riders, motorcycle and BMX racers are just stupid born risk takers who have more fun than everyone else.


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## GOOOO (Mar 20, 2008)

2020 sucked. I started the year with a broken collarbone and ended the year with bruised ribs. Never been seriously injured in 20+ years of riding so I guess I was due.


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

The doctor I saw after my crash about 3 months ago, rides mountain bikes too. He said he doesn't ride the trails I ride, because those trails lead you to an x-ray machine  Of course, his standard parting comment is "see you next Fall"


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## 938509 (9 mo ago)

My first major crash was a grade 2 shoulder separation, 2 broken ribs and a concussion. I've had several other concussions since then and my most recent injury was actually a crash save that caused me to tear my meniscus. Of all the injuries the ribs are the worst... rib breaks have phantom pain even after fully healed for months even after they're healed. The meniscus tear was luckily a minor tear but I could sure see that being awful with a worse tear.


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## kazlx (Jun 13, 2005)

Broke my neck. Crushed my C6. Had a C5-T1 spinal fusion in Feb of '21.


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## chriso79 (Jun 19, 2019)

Probably the same as many others in here, busted my clavicle haha.


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## HandyAndy_85 (Dec 5, 2021)

Compression fracture on my T6 & T8 yesterday at Kanuga bike park. Landed from a jump at the wrong angle, missed the turn, hit a pile of wood and went over the bars.


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## NC_Foothills_Rider (11 mo ago)

2 broken ribs on Kitsuma -- only time in 54 years I've ever broken anything. With over 20 years of dirt biking and 30 years of MTB riding.

Coming in too hot for a turn, had to decide: Lay it down in the pine straw on the uphill side of the trail or go over the edge at speed. I chose 'lay it down'. But I didn't see the 8" stump sitting there under said leaves. My ribs found that stump, my left shoulder and my head hit pretty hard -- worst MTB crash in my long career... Got it all on my GoPro but it wasn't very impressive.


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## King of Pentacles (10 mo ago)

Today: 6 cracked ribs in 7 locations, and a really badly bruised right hip.


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## mrandell (5 mo ago)

Rode under a little bridge at night and hit a tree branch. Fractured elbow and ring finger but unfortunately severe damage to index finger (dislocated and jammed/crushed middle bone). Doc said maybe 50% recovery at best which is a bummer tbh. Happened last week.


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## smartyiak (Apr 29, 2009)

July 2021...I was on the road...going down a gradual hill (so prolly 30ish mph) and hit a pot hole. I remember almost nothing until I woke in the ER (I have two foggy recollections...but I don't know if those happened or I imagined them).

From top to bottom: concussion/brain bleed (sounds bad (and it is), but the POC did it's job...there's a 1" indent on the front...and the entire back is blown out. I shudder to think what not wearing a helmet would have been. Anyways: 7 broken ribs, partially collapsed lung, 9 stitches in right knee, and random cuts, scrapes, bruises, and road rash over entire right side of body. I was at the hospital for 7days...the first two I was in the dark and not allowed TV or any electronics (that was a long 2 days). 

The funny part: I was able to talk to one guy who found me in a ditch (he saw the bike on the roadside); he said that by the time he pulled over and called 911, I was up, grabbed my bike, and told him "I'm fine...I'm just gonna ride home...it's close." Talk about adrenaline!!!!


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## telemike (Jun 20, 2011)

Mountain biking - lots of road rash, sprains, cuts, poison oak, and ticks, but no serious injuries yet.

However, I've had six major injuries skiing and uncounted minor ones.

1. Cruising the flats returning to yellow chair at alpine meadows. Turned to see if my friends girlfriend was still behind me, caught an edge. 4 years of whiplash fun. That muscle on the side on my neck still gets stiff and painful every time I get a cold or the flu some 32 years later.

2. Skiing off the plateau under Bumpass mountain in Lassen NP, chose a line that had a tree across it and had to bail. I was on crutches for 3 months with torn cartilage. Knee still bothers me occasionally.

3.. Skiing back up to the truck in Donner summit between I 80 and old highway 40. On the flats, something caught my pack and I yanked it free. I woke up in the snow sometime later with a huge rotten sugar pine branch in the snow next to me. Weeks of concussion.

4 and 5. Ski pole injuries to my right and left thumbs - skier's thumb. Now, I've had to buy a revolver because I can't rack the slide on an auto any more.

6. The worst. Solo in the backcountry outside of Lassen NP, caught something in the snow with my right ski, spun around, and landed on my butt and pack. I couldn't ride for 1 1/2 years through covid waiting for a total hip replacement and healing it up. This was the closest I've come to needing rescue. I got back on my skis by crawling to a small tree and climbing the branches with my arms to stand again.

Be safe, but not too safe.


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## mrandell (5 mo ago)

telemike said:


> Mountain biking - lots of road rash, sprains, cuts, poison oak, and ticks, but no serious injuries yet.
> 
> However, I've had six major injuries skiing and uncounted minor ones.
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing. I was frustrated with my shattered finger and broken elbow but I think I'll shut up after reading your injuries. I had that skiers thumb from an almost car accident in a mid-engine/manual steering car. Steering wheel whipped around when the back end came out and I fought hard to save it. By the grace of god I was within inches of a very serious wreck. 

There's no reason or story good enough to make any injury okay. I've come to learn if you fall off your bike and you are 30+, you'll land on something and that something will be injured whether it's a finger, hand, wrist, arm or shoulder.


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## yzedf (Apr 22, 2014)

Cracked scapula, 6 ribs and bruised left lung. This was 3 months or so after I had cracked 2 different ribs. 2021 sucked for riding. Still not 100% back in the confidence department, the speed is there but the willingness to take larger hits isn’t there. I don’t suggest breaking yourself like that in your mid-40’s with two young kids in the house.


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## GoldenKnightMTB (11 mo ago)

Went over the bars and unfortunately couldn't get my hands out. Landed on my face, and slid for a good 10'-15'. Received major cuts on my face, chin, lips, nose knees, elbows. No major damage, lots of blood. The scars started to disappear within a year.
That left me in a place where I can't ride without fear/caution ever again. You can't forget the feeling of your face grinding dirt and gravel.


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## King of Pentacles (10 mo ago)

yzedf said:


> I don’t suggest breaking yourself like that in your mid-40’s with two young kids in the house.


I can attest to this. I’m 52 and am just getting over 6 cracked ribs. It was hell, and the wife lady was not impressed. I’m now riding much more conservatively and picking lines instead of bombing across them. So far, so good. 🤞🏻


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## King of Pentacles (10 mo ago)

GoldenKnightMTB said:


> Went over the bars and unfortunately couldn't get my hands out. Landed on my face, and slid for a good 10'-15'. Received major cuts on my face, chin, lips, nose knees, elbows. No major damage, lots of blood. The scars started to disappear within a year.
> That left me in a place where I can't ride without fear/caution ever again. You can't forget the feeling of your face grinding dirt and gravel.


How about a full face helmet? That might help with the confidence. 🤷🏼‍♂️


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## GoldenKnightMTB (11 mo ago)

King of Pentacles said:


> How about a full face helmet? That might help with the confidence. 🤷🏼‍♂️


I'm considering it. I just bought knee pads, and then I will get elbow pads. Yeah, the full face helmet definitely provides ideal protection


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## TandemBear (Aug 18, 2013)

telemike said:


> Mountain biking - lots of road rash, sprains, cuts, poison oak, and ticks, but no serious injuries yet.
> 
> However, I've had six major injuries skiing and uncounted minor ones.
> 
> ...


The lesson? (Sorry, but gotta say it...) Don't ski!

Riding with a friend today who injured her knee 25 years ago (ironically on my wedding day) which has been getting progressively worse. She's close to knee replacement at this point. But staying on the bike over the years (and giving up skiing) has prolonged her relative health and prevented knee replacement until now. Ouch!

As I posted elsewhere, I ski, but not very well. And ironically I don't really enjoy it, despite having that "need for speed" and enjoy most things that entail going down hill (descending on and off road, skateboards, and most definitively, maxing out at about 65 mph down my childhood neighborhood hills on a Flexy Racer. No brakes (effectively) and head-first; what could go wrong? Amazing I survived!) That plus strong legs from cycling and soccer would lead one to conclude skiing would be a natural cross-over sport for me. Nope. My thighs and feet have ALWAYS screamed in pain while skiing, despite having custom molded boots too! Sheesh!

Anyway, I've pretty much decided that skiiing for me just isn't worth the risk. Even though today's skis are so much better and would improve my ability and form on the slopes. And with lift tickets so expensive now (not like they always weren't anyway), it's definitely a win. Plus, the traffic, hassle and BS that one has to put up with skiing. My daughter went up to Tahoe last Christmas to hit the awesome snow that fell. 3 hour drive from Bay Area to Truckee.... and then THREE MORE HOURS to get to Paliades! Then when they got there, it was so crazy she said "No way!" despite already having pre-paid for a ticket. (She/we never ended up using it and we just ate the cost. Dumb!) 

Cycling is SO much better IMHO.

Just don't crash!


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## Ft.Rock (May 7, 2020)

I've had a bunch, but didn't even know about one from 16 years ago until yesterday. I was getting MRI results for a bulging C5/C6 yesterday that has been killing me for months (no crash involved) and the MRI came out with an "old compression fracture T1). I remember it, went head first into a tree after getting sideways on a jump. Doc gave me some roids and that was it but I do remember the radiology guy telling me I was lucky I wore a neck brace (back then it was an EVS roll but was just enough). Don't want to think about what might have been had I not had a little protection. I stay on the ground for the most part now. Mostly. Except for small jumps. Well maybe some small drops....


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