# Coccyx Saver!



## gc2012 (Nov 8, 2012)

Hi all,

My girlfriend fractured her coccyx last year snowboarding. It was our first season. She had impact shorts on but just landed hard on ice. I guess without the shorts the fracture would have been worse.....

Either way - she wants to get back on the board this year and I'm thinking I'd like to do what I can to stop this happening again. 

What I was thinking was of getting a tailsaver (Great Alternative to Crash Pads and Padded Shorts - Tailsaver!) to use as well as her shorts. I know this might be a bit bulky but what I'm wondering is - would this give a lot more protection?

Also - is there a huge difference between different types of padded shorts? This is what she has today (Mens Impact Snowboard Pants | Trespass) 

Wondering do I:
1) Get her a better pair of padded shorts (Burton or Protec seem to get the best reviews)
2) OR use the ones she has and "double down"  with a tailsaver or 
something like that to give that extra cushion....

Thanks for your help!
G


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

consider azzpads


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## StreetDoc (Dec 24, 2011)

azzpadz for sure


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## gc2012 (Nov 8, 2012)

ok so - would one of these guys go over padded shorts for double protection or would you just stick with the azzpad alone?


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## gc2012 (Nov 8, 2012)

2nd question - do crash pads / impact shorts not give a better all round protection though for the hips etc?

Was thinking of an azzpadz but then thought, why not get that bit of extra cover.... in a pound for pound fall on the tail which do people think gives a better protection - impact shorts (say burton red or IPS) or azzpadz

Thanks
G


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Crash Pads 2500 Padded Shorts: Best Selling Padded Shorts from Crash Pads.


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## Alex B (Nov 12, 2012)

Can you not get Dainese in the US? Seems to be the ones everyone in the UK rave over, with the hard coccyx piece.

Alex B


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## StreetDoc (Dec 24, 2011)

gc2012 said:


> 2nd question - do crash pads / impact shorts not give a better all round protection though for the hips etc?
> 
> Was thinking of an azzpadz but then thought, why not get that bit of extra cover.... in a pound for pound fall on the tail which do people think gives a better protection - impact shorts (say burton red or IPS) or azzpadz
> 
> ...


I just ordered azzpadz and the demon flex x d30 pants

Purchase Demon Men's Flex Force X D3O Long Padded Pants | Padded Pants | All Sport Protection


Although with some photos of your girlfriends coccyx (less clothing prefered) I'd be able to make a more thorough reccomendation. 
If I had a previous injury I would wear both. For me the pants are good enough (all though they are significantly thinner).


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

At the risk of sounding like a dick, I'm going to say the money may be better spent on lessons anyway. I'm going to guess she caught an edge on her heelside and slammed backwards? In 20+ years on a board I've only had two bad tailbone falls, one was in the 1/4 pipe and I launched funny, another was when I went off-piste, and heading back onto the slope I crossed a track which launched me up and I came back down on my hip.

In regular hard charging I would say I never land on my ass. This coming from the guy who wears full upper body armor and a helmet every day on the slopes, no matter what the conditions are...


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## StreetDoc (Dec 24, 2011)

poutanen said:


> At the risk of sounding like a dick, I'm going to say the money may be better spent on lessons anyway. I'm going to guess she caught an edge on her heelside and slammed backwards? In 20+ years on a board I've only had two bad tailbone falls, one was in the 1/4 pipe and I launched funny, another was when I went off-piste, and heading back onto the slope I crossed a track which launched me up and I came back down on my hip.
> 
> In regular hard charging I would say I never land on my ass. This coming from the guy who wears full upper body armor and a helmet every day on the slopes, no matter what the conditions are...


+1 but if she has a previous injury it would be good to wear something. I bought mine for rails.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

StreetDoc said:


> +1 but if she has a previous injury it would be good to wear something. I bought mine for rails.


Yeah I bought my upper body armour for previous shoulder and chest snowboarding injuries. Touch wood but since the armour I've only had one upper body injury (chest) and it was relatively minor.

For the park I 100% agree on as much armour as you can comfortably wear. For regular all-mountain riding I'd say two pairs of lower armour is overkill. Get a single piece of gear that protects the injured area as best as possible, and then spend the rest of the time learning to fall better. 

I perfected the turtle roll last year. If I'm wiping out on my back I go into the fetal position and land on the spine protector, then slide down the hill on my back like I'm in a turtle shell until I can get the board facing the right direction to plant it and stand up again.

Some of us were lucky enough to learn in our early teens (or earlier) when falling didn't hurt so much. For riders that learn later in life, I strongly encourage learning to fall and practising it. I fall every day out on the hill and I'm proud of it!!! :laugh:


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## gc2012 (Nov 8, 2012)

Hi all - thanks for the feedback. She had some lessons. Actually it was during a lesson that it happened! Guess these things just happen for beginners sometimes. We took it up in our 30s also and aren't really that used to ice / snow in general I guess! 

I have a question though... at present she's thinking about a dual protection
1) she has a pair of these impact shorts (soft padding ones - Mens Impact Thermal Underwear | Trespass
2) she has a tailsaver to go over it - Great Alternative to Crash Pads and Padded Shorts - Tailsaver!)

What we're trying to figure out is would this give as much protection as:
1) a better pair of shorts - like these ones suggested Crash Pads 2500 Padded Shorts: Best Selling Padded Shorts from Crash Pads.
2) an azzpadz

G


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## gc2012 (Nov 8, 2012)

bump


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## quixotic1 (Apr 5, 2017)

gc2012 said:


> Hi all - thanks for the feedback. She had some lessons. Actually it was during a lesson that it happened! Guess these things just happen for beginners sometimes. We took it up in our 30s also and aren't really that used to ice / snow in general I guess!
> 
> I have a question though... at present she's thinking about a dual protection
> 1) she has a pair of these impact shorts
> ...


I have the same question! So did your girlfriend try a dual protection (Tailsaver + Impact short)? How was her experience? Or will buying an azzpadz be better?

Thank you!


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## stryk3z (Jan 22, 2015)

+1 azzpadz for those that need it. It's really good, plus u dont need to take it off to bathroom


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## BoardieK (Dec 21, 2015)

She's probably mothered two children and put on 50lbs by now!


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## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

A mountain biking chamois would also be a good base layer if she wants to go with a 2 layer option. Very soft cushion, obviously very flexible and wouldn't hinder movement... it would work well under a harder layer
Edit: and you can buy them for around $10 lol


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