# So who gets hurt snowboarding? *Article*



## say chi sin lo (Oct 15, 2009)

So who gets hurt snowboarding?

Though it was generally accepted among snowboarders to never break the fall with hands/wrists.


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

I read this article on Yahoo earlier today. It is generally accepted, but the point of the article I think was to point out that people with no training were most likely to get hurt. If you had instruction or some kind of boarding background ie; skate or long etc..- then you would know not to break your fall with your wrists and/or hands.


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## say chi sin lo (Oct 15, 2009)

NWBoarder28 said:


> I read this article on Yahoo earlier today. It is generally accepted, but the point of the article I think was to point out that people with no training were most likely to get hurt. If you had instruction or some kind of boarding background ie; skate or long etc..- then you would know not to break your fall with your wrists and/or hands.


Oh yeah, I definitely agree with that. I've taught many people and the first thing I teach them is how to fall.

If one is falling forward, making a X with the arms over the chest, and just let gravity do its thing.
If one is falling backward, let the booty take it.
If one's legs go out from under you, tuck in your chin try to let the upper back take most of the fall. Protect head/neck as much as possible.


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## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

Gotta remember though, with all the practice and experience, people occasionally do reach out when they fall, it's a natural reaction, heck I never had a wrist injury in 15 years of riding but 2 seasons ago reached out like a moron and broke my wrist (was somewhat alcohol related). All it takes is that one time and you're broken. It seems like my friends and myself usually get injuries in the smaller wrecks, you know just freak accidents. Maybe it's the time in the air gives your brain a chance to go "wait, dont do that!", but I agree with NWBoarder28 that the beginners or people just learning a trick are more concerned with crashing and getting hurt and they react by stopping themselves with any means possible.

I do find it a bit funny that you go to a sled hill and see kids hauling balls, hitting jumps down the hill on sleds with no fear but you put them on a snowboard and they are nervous. Either way, the cool thing to do if you see someone reaching out when crashing is give them a quick heads up on what they are doing so hopefully they don't get hurt.

Personally, I have always tried to take it to the shoulder if possible.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Injuries are going to happen that's the nature of the beast. This year I slammed a rock with my hand so as to avoid taking it to my face. After riding for half my life my wrists are fucked from mangling them doing hand plants, push offs, miller flips, catching edges, messing up on jibs, and my shoulders aren't any better. Shit is going to happen, would a lesson have helped me? Not in the slightest, sometimes you just get too gnarly for your own good.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Yea, falling on a snowboard just isn't as natural as falling off something your not attached too, (compact and roll) so there deffinetly is a natural tendancy to throw the arms out. I've been lucky so far with crashes, I've mostly just hit my hips and lower body, which sucks but nothing breaks/fractures.


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## myschims (Jan 11, 2010)

i hurt myself a hell of a lot more on a snowboard than i ever have on a skateboard or any other sport hahahha. i think its because you cant kick it out like a skateboard, your attached to the damn thing.
never broke anything but i sprained my finger cause some kid cut me off and of course natural reactions kicked in and i threw my hand down and bent it all the way backwards, shit hurt.
But my worst fall so far was on an up down box and just messing around i did a basic 50-50 and just for some reason fell back on my heel edge and caught the box with the back of my legs and fell straight to my neck/upper back. Worst fall ever haha


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## DC5R (Feb 21, 2008)

Sometimes the crash comes at you so quickly you just put your hands out in front of you...that's just a natural reaction.


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## roremc (Oct 25, 2009)

DC5R said:


> Sometimes the crash comes at you so quickly you just put your hands out in front of you...that's just a natural reaction.


yeah this is what i find. i always put my hands down. it just seems to happen so quickly. so far my wrists have stayed intact.


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## Snowfox (Dec 26, 2009)

roremc said:


> yeah this is what i find. i always put my hands down. it just seems to happen so quickly. so far my wrists have stayed intact.



If you can, I'd break yourself of the habit. That's how I broke my arm snowboarding (simple run, wasn't going that fast, fell backwards and bam, trips done.  two hours into a weeklong trip too...).

In the end though, sometimes falls just happen so fast you don't even have time to think.


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## Beatlesfan888 (Jul 8, 2010)

I basically try to have my whole body land on the ground at once. Think about it whatever hits first takes the most impact...


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

I think dirtbiking has probably helped me avoid hand/arm injuries, I'm so used to the compact and roll that I never try to throw the arms out when I fall on a snowboard. Go fall off a motorcycle!


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## snoweater (Sep 21, 2010)

I have no snowboarding experience but in all martial art sports they teach you to fall forwardand try to land on the side with a heavy slap before you land to maximize the area of impact. 

on your back you want to take the fall on butt and shoulders hiding the head tucking the chin into your chest... spreading your arms out and slaming the floor with palms down... its known out there and the funny thing i remember from training is that we would spend 20 min every practice falling soy ou stand and fall stand and fall... looked retarded but it registered in the head.


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## swilber08 (Dec 29, 2009)

move to the west so when you fall its in the pow...thats what I plan on doing


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

swilber08 said:


> move to the west so when you fall its in the pow...thats what I plan on doing


Good plan, falling in pow is like falling into a foam pit, with some cartwheels thrown in :laugh:


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

hahaha its not always pow, I broke a rib last season when I caught an edge. I had my hand in fist and it got caught between me and the snow/ice so I basically punched myself in the ribs.


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## Karaca86 (May 5, 2010)

Ouch. I hear broken ribs are super painful.
Does anyone hear wear wristguards? I bought a pair the middle of last season they're under my gloaves so no one sees them. Those with the helmet combo and I almost felt invincible. Was charging just about anything after that


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## swilber08 (Dec 29, 2009)

Karaca86 said:


> Ouch. I hear broken ribs are super painful.
> Does anyone hear wear wristguards? I bought a pair the middle of last season they're under my gloaves so no one sees them. Those with the helmet combo and I almost felt invincible. Was charging just about anything after that


no but im looking into gettin some...will it keep you from breaking your wrists?


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

Karaca86 said:


> Ouch. I hear broken ribs are super painful.
> Does anyone hear wear wristguards? I bought a pair the middle of last season they're under my gloaves so no one sees them. Those with the helmet combo and I almost felt invincible. Was charging just about anything after that


Yeah, it sucked, but didn't hurt at all until the next morning. I have definitely had worse pain though. I never went to the doctor for it either, I figured since I could breathe okay there's nothing they can do.
Yeah I plan on wearing wrist guards this season because I had a few close calls last season and one of my friend actually broke his wrist ending his season. I bought the Flexmeter guards and they fit right in my gloves, so you can't even tell I'm wearing them.


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## NYSnow (Nov 28, 2009)

DC5R said:


> Sometimes the crash comes at you so quickly you just put your hands out in front of you...that's just a natural reaction.


Exactly. Or behind you. I had 10 years of experience and no real injuries but fell backwards while going fast a couple of seasons ago and put my hand out and broke my wrist. In a split second you don't always react the way you should even with a lot of experience. Now I wear wrist guards as I should have done when I broke my wrist.


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## visibleinks (Mar 14, 2009)

They say skiiers generally have knees injuries and snowboarders wrist injuries - for me wearing wrist gaurds was just cheap easy insurance against injury. I've always worn wrist gaurds under large mitts while snowboarding. I do use my hands at times to catch falls - and it seems the wrist gaurds really help. 

The only injury I've had is I've developed "runners knee".

Also - I got much more beat up skating - dislocated finger, busted face, huge pieces of skin ripped off my knees and elbows. For me snowboarding is safer, faster, and more fun that street skating.


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## Karasene (Oct 20, 2010)

Don't fuck up like I just did... wasn't wearing my helmet when I was flying down a pretty icy slope.. I have no idea how fast I was just going but I can tell you the ice I landed on was a sure way to fuck some shit up. My head hit and made body go numb and can't turn my neck without pain... stuck in the lodge right now writing this... wear a God damn helmet. Note to self.


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

Ouch..hope you didn't get a concussion. I took a pretty big slam the other day too and had to take a little break after. I hit a big hole where someone had been stuck that made me catch my heel edge and I landed directly on the back of my head. Luckily had my helmet on and my neck was just a bit stiff the next day.


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## swilber08 (Dec 29, 2009)

Qball said:


> Ouch..hope you didn't get a concussion. I took a pretty big slam the other day too and had to take a little break after. I hit a big hole where someone had been stuck that made me catch my heel edge and I landed directly on the back of my head. Luckily had my helmet on and my neck was just a bit stiff the next day.


I did the same thing last year at high speed...my helmet probably saved my brain :thumbsup:


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

OK so I've been falling wrong...I did start to close my fists to reduce the leverage when I do put my arms out. Yesterday, I don't know why, yes I do, to save my butt from hurting. But, I started to land on side/shoulders more.

Is there a sticky or instruction on falling properly. I apologize, I did not use search.

-Slyder

Forgot to mention, for me, helmet always


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

Letting your side and shoulder take the impact is not a bad way to fall. It disperses the energy over a wider area and while it will probably still hurt, there is less chance of injury.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Yup, even though it hurts, you want to try and take the impact with your core body rather then your arms, since it's a much bigger,denser, and muscular part of your body it will distribute the impact better and reduce the chance of breaking/fracturing anything.

The key to falling really in really any sport is to try and keep your bodies inertia moving for as long as possible. The times when you get badly hurt are when your body does a full stop, and then a slam.


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