# Falling, Does this work?



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

Well if the impact is strong enough, landing on your fists will still cause significant damage to your wrists. What I always tell people is to make a X with your arms over your chest. And if you need to fall face first, just land on your chest.

But fists are definitely better than using hands/palms. I have a torn UCL in my left thumb because I landed on it.


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## Hockey833 (Aug 3, 2010)

If I fall forward I put my forearms out and put them parallel to my legs.

If I fall backwards, I do the same for what i do when i fall forward, and just let myself fall.

I just have the add-on of making a fist.


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

So forearms/elbows hit the ground first? Yeah that means sense. Just be careful to not let your arms go away from your body. That's a good way to tear your rotator cuffs.


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## Hockey833 (Aug 3, 2010)

say chi sin lo said:


> So forearms/elbows hit the ground first?


ya, pretty much


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## Guest (Aug 11, 2010)

Hockey833 said:


> If I fall forward I put my forearms out and put them parallel to my legs.
> 
> If I fall backwards, I do the same for what i do when i fall forward, and just let myself fall.
> 
> I just have the add-on of making a fist.


thats a pretty easy way to break an arm. when i fall backwards i just sit down and let my butt hit. when fall forwards i start to sit down and just take it with the side of my body.


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## Hockey833 (Aug 3, 2010)

atthemattin said:


> when fall forwards i start to sit down and just take it with the side of my body.


that makes no sense at all....


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## Guest (Aug 11, 2010)

Hockey833 said:


> that makes no sense at all....


yeah, i was thinking about falling up hill on my toe edge. if I catch a toe edge and am flung down the fall line i just try and penguin slide it out. you have to much torque in your body being flung down hill to safely prevent a broken limb. if you can just get into the stance of sliding head first into home base, then it should absorb more of the impact.


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## foamy333 (Jan 12, 2010)

Hockey833 said:


> ya, pretty much


thats fine as long as you don't lock up your elbows, i fractured my forearm in hockey a few years back when i fell straight down on it with a fist


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## xxfinnellxx (Aug 30, 2009)

cross your arms against your chest if falling forwards, crash on your back if falling backwards. Always keep your head away from landing first. Never have any loose limbs flailing before you hit. Man up and suck it up.


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## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

All those long lists of things to do if you're falling are fine and do work, IF you can do the long list in time.... Typically it's going to be a sudden/fast fall and you're not going to be able to pull off some long list of things to do.

Get padded shorts for your ass, don't ride out of your comfort zone, and I don't fully recommend wrist guards... I've seen worse breaks from people with wrist guards then people who don't wear them and break a wrist. I actually havn't seen anyone who's broken anything if they just make fists but I'm sure it's happened.


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

I recommend wrist guards. While yes, they do promote breaks in odd places, but all in all, they seem to prevent soft tissue damage. I would gladly break a bone/fracture than to have ligament/tendon tears.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

atthemattin said:


> if you can just get into the stance of sliding head first into home base, then it should absorb more of the impact.


^ Yup, pretty much this, let the old bean take the impact...then you won't care if you break a limb...if you're even aware of it. Last year ended up head first turtle for about 70 yards before I could self arrest by getting board going down the hill first...my main worry was hitting a tree rock or person with my head or launching myself.

Grap your self, tuck and roll or slide...preferably board first. Don't put your arms out...grap yourself...save your nutz...hit with your big body parts, torso, hips, shoulder/chest...spread the impact...don't focus it in small body parts; imo wrist guards are a waste and give a false sense of protection.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

When I fall forward, I let my elbows and forearms take the brunt. Breaking your arm is a possibility, but the impact absorption is much more evenly distributed throughout both forearms since there is a larger area. Also, dislocating a wrist stone or fracturing your hand is worse than a breaking a forearm. Trust me, I broke my 4th and 5th metacarpal (bone that leads to your ring and pinky fingers respectively), fractured a wrist stone and completely dislocated another stone on my right hand from a non-snowboarding related injury. This was two years ago. I can't bend my hand up as high as normal. My wrist bone constantly pops and so does the 4th metacarpal. The icing on top? I have arthritis and have to take ibuprofen whenever I have discomfort. This is my dominant hand. I would have gladly taken an arm fracture over this. That's the thing, fracturing your arm probably won't be as severe because it is a much denser bone and harder to break than bones in your hand.

The only time I use my hands to break my fall is if I catch a toe edge and fly head first. I do this because I much rather injure my hands than my face. Even then, using the cross method would probably do a good job preventing head injuries. I just haven't completely gotten used to making that my reflex yet. 

As for wrist guards, I used to use the type that goes palm side. I hated the ones that were on the backhand side as they seemed like it would injure my hand a lot worse. The palm side guard actually helped a lot when I was snowboarding with my healing hand. Plus, falling backwards was more pleasant since I was able to use the guards to absorb some impact.


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

This is an interesting article on wrist guards. It even talks about the idea that guards just transfer the energy to the upper arm.

http://http://www.ski-injury.com/prevention/wrist_guards


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