# Do wrist guards actually prevent your wrist from breaking?



## LoneReaction (May 28, 2010)

I'm planning to try some street/trials on a unicycle, which I predict will help make me good friends with the ground outside my house.

I don't really like those rollerblade wrist guards, because they are too restrictive, and since I MTB, it would make sense to get some mountain bike wrist guards.

However, do they actually prevent your wrist from breaking in a fall? Or are they just for holding an injured wrist in place?


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

I know snowboard wrist guards totally protect your wrist from breaking. I learned that the hard way after paying for 2 of my kids broken wrists. 
But the snowboard ones have a metal piece that goes from your palm, across your wrist and up the inside of your arm. I don't think you could grip a handlebar with those. I imagine that's how the rollerblade ones are too? The kind that just wrap your wrist probably aren't nearly as effective. Maybe better than nothing? 

Edit: But if you are riding a unicycle, you don't need to grip a bar!


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## LoneReaction (May 28, 2010)

But I will still need to be able to grab my seat, and that fooling around outside my house is to prepare for going to the local mtb trails on the unicycle. I may have a brake installed then, so the more flexible the hand is, the better.

Interesting information about snowboard wrist guards.. I guess there's a tradeoff to flexibility vs protection. You are right, I probably can get away with a stiffer guard than possible if I were on a mtb.


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## Dresdenlock (Aug 10, 2009)

I have carpal tunnel syndrome and I wear wrist guards one has a metal bar in it..and I have no grip problems other than my hands going numb at times.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

I don't ride with wrist guards, but I do wear a brace after riding as I have terrible palm pains

but while unicycling
I doubt you will actually need a guard for it
I unicycle myself and have been riding for about 10 years now
You can fall on your wrists plenty but really it is all just in the roll

when I was a little kid I got into the Karate faze and it helped a lot as I learned how to roll-fall from an early age
just practice tumbles on some grass for a bit and then get on a unicycle and fall and roll a bit
at this point, I can fall of my unicycle and roll out of it quite nicely
it's just a matter of practice

out of a few of my friends, the biggest problems we face while unicycling is hurt knees
but YMMV


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