Dealing with injury risk

[ashes_mtb]

I’m at one of those crossroads and not really sure what to do.

Had a fairly innocuous crash 4 months ago and, aside from the broken hand, picked up a mildish concussion. 4 months and a couple of minor head knocks later and the symptoms haven’t gone (headaches, light/noise sensitivity, dizziness, cooked balance etc). Had the cranium scanned and thankfully no serious stuff going on so hopefully just need a bit more time.

Have a fairly lengthy history; been knocked out 3 times and had more than 12 concussions that I can recall.

Dr predictably says I should avoid getting any more. I’m the sole bread winner for a young family and this is affecting my work so really can’t afford another one anyway.

I really don’t know where this leaves me with mtbing. I’ve always tended to ride within my limits and only had a few decent offs in my time, but on both occasions I was taking it reasonably easy and shit just happened.

Anyone else struggled with this? Mtbing has been a part of my life for most of it and I’m struggling with the risk/reward at this point.

 

[leitch]

 

[Plankosaurus]

Is buying the best head in protection a consideration?

It's hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes, but I feel like riding around in a motorbike helmet would be preferable to not riding at all. So ponying up for a best-in-the-business grade helmet would probably be my first point of call. What do you ride in currently? And is it worth looking a bit naff in a full face at your local trails so you can keep riding?

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[pink poodle]

I find my approach to risk changes depending who I ride with. These days when I ride solo (way too often) my risk aversion has risen, where as only a few years ago I was all "fuck it...someone will find me." One of the guys I ride with has a really high risk aversion and riding with him puts me off my game, or I push it and eventually he snaps out of it and the ride is solid. We have been friends since we were teenagers though so there is probably some teenage stupidity still circulating. Another guy I ride with is a real confidence builder. He is a lot younger and a really good rider, but also throws out a lot of positive encouragement (rather than usual "just hit it man!" peer pressure. I followed him into a jump I can easily do but hadn't hit for about 12 months just the other day. It felt so good.

Find yourself some people to ride with that are fun and you know have good judgement. They will build your confidence but also pull you up if they think you'll get snapped. Plus they'll make riding a lot of fun.

 

[moorey]

I’ve just had to deal with injury risk....in a different way...by taking out the seesaw on my block that every Tom Dick and Harry rides through uninvited. There’s been a series of Gumby injuries. Fractured pelvis on Saturday.
Only a matter of time before some flog decided to get litigious.

 

[pink poodle]

I’ve just had to deal with injury risk....in a different way...by taking out the seesaw on my block that every Tom Dick and Harry rides through uninvited. There’s been a series of Gumby injuries. Fractured pelvis on Saturday.
Only a matter of time before some flog decided to get litigious.
View attachment 375106

That is a real bummer.

 

[ashes_mtb]

Is buying the best head in protection a consideration?

It's hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes, but I feel like riding around in a motorbike helmet would be preferable to not riding at all. So ponying up for a best-in-the-business grade helmet would probably be my first point of call. What do you ride in currently? And is it worth looking a bit naff in a full face at your local trails so you can keep riding?

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Riding in a Proframe. Last 2 concussions haven’t even involved a head clash, just the body impact really.

 

[Plankosaurus]

Riding in a Proframe. Last 2 concussions haven’t even involved a head clash, just the body impact really.

Yeah, fair enough.

It's a tough position for sure. Riding sedate trails in no way guarantees your safety. Kinda hard to picture what you do with yourself without bikes though. Fishing? Trolling antivaxxers on Facebook?


...just watching that video @leitch - resonates really closely. I was on the up, getting more and more adventurous after basically only riding xc/trail, and crushed a vertibrae. Life changing event, and really REALLY hard to find anything close to my previous mojo. Just quit plumbing too because I cant stand the back pain any more and need something lighter on the body. Coming to grips with the very real possibility of permanent debilitating injuries isn't super fun.

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[HamboCairns]

Yeah, fair enough.

It's a tough position for sure. Riding sedate trails in no way guarantees your safety. Kinda hard to picture what you do with yourself without bikes though. Fishing? Trolling antivaxxers on Facebook?


...just watching that video @leitch - resonates really closely. I was on the up, getting more and more adventurous after basically only riding xc/trail, and crushed a vertibrae. Life changing event, and really REALLY hard to find anything close to my previous mojo. Just quit plumbing too because I cant stand the back pain any more and need something lighter on the body. Coming to grips with the very real possibility of permanent debilitating injuries isn't super fun.

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True, I slipped on a bloody path and hurt myself!

 

[Dales Cannon]

Nephew was a sponsored supercross rider. Had plenty of off's. Smashed collar bones, enough Ti to set off airport metal detectors and multiple head knocks. Last couple caused concussion and blackouts. He went to an eggshell helmet. Had another blackout. Specialist told him to give it away. Brain is still too unknown and while there was no sign of injury things would not get better. He rides roadbikes now and does track work. Much safer.

All I can say is rest up and recover and get your confidence back. When I stressed about an obstacle in competitive trials I pretty much binned it there and then. No serious injuries luckily. A fellow rider smashed his pelvis on a rock jump up.

 

[The Reverend]

I remember my wife seeing me in hospital, nasal prongs to aid breathing and leads all over me after a spinal fracture.

Freaked the whole family out (myself included).

Recovery from that made me reconsider how I ride.
Went sedate. OTB leading to full hamstring tear, dislocated rib and concussion.

Went sedate again, had a full ulnar ligament tear which needed surgery.

Went sedate again and had a shoulder just basically get wrenched apart requiring more surgery and 10 months off the bike (1 day after completing a new build).

Point is that being sedate is no guarantee of safety. Being prepared, strong and riding within your limits with managed risk is about as safe as you can get. I don't send stuff (on purpose) like I used to but still have fun and battles with confidence.

I had another stack recently after almost 2 years without a single one incident. Back to surgery.

I'm fortunate that it hasn't affected my job or impacted life with my family. If it were to then that's the priority.

Take care of your head and body. You don't want to end up like one of those aging boxers / AFL/ NRL players.

 

[foxpuppet]

Yeah, fair enough.

It's a tough position for sure. Riding sedate trails in no way guarantees your safety. Kinda hard to picture what you do with yourself without bikes though. Fishing? Trolling antivaxxers on Facebook?


...just watching that video @leitch - resonates really closely. I was on the up, getting more and more adventurous after basically only riding xc/trail, and crushed a vertibrae. Life changing event, and really REALLY hard to find anything close to my previous mojo. Just quit plumbing too because I cant stand the back pain any more and need something lighter on the body. Coming to grips with the very real possibility of permanent debilitating injuries isn't super fun.

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Where do you live Plank? Need a new job?


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[Plankosaurus]

Where do you live Plank? Need a new job?


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Thanks, I sorted out a job before leaving. I'm an idiot, but I'm not an IDIOT

I'm in Melbourne. It's back to working on Myki systems for me

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[slowmick]

I think most of us as we have got older and collected more responsibilities in life. I know I have. I have to go to work on Monday and with a 4 year old I am no good to my family with a broken anything. The only I can suggest is be aware your heart is not in it. If you can't give the ride you undivided attention it is time to put away the bike and grab a beverage of choice and a comfy seat. You will make mistakes. try some zippy tracks in the trees or ride under lights. both can make slower speeds seem more exciting. I think you will always be safer on a mountain bike than a road bike as level of danger is in your hands. Heal up and good luck finding your groove.

 

[downunderdallas]

I’m at one of those crossroads and not really sure what to do.

Had a fairly innocuous crash 4 months ago and, aside from the broken hand, picked up a mildish concussion. 4 months and a couple of minor head knocks later and the symptoms haven’t gone (headaches, light/noise sensitivity, dizziness, cooked balance etc). Had the cranium scanned and thankfully no serious stuff going on so hopefully just need a bit more time.

Have a fairly lengthy history; been knocked out 3 times and had more than 12 concussions that I can recall.

Dr predictably says I should avoid getting any more. I’m the sole bread winner for a young family and this is affecting my work so really can’t afford another one anyway.

I really don’t know where this leaves me with mtbing. I’ve always tended to ride within my limits and only had a few decent offs in my time, but on both occasions I was taking it reasonably easy and shit just happened.

Anyone else struggled with this? Mtbing has been a part of my life for most of it and I’m struggling with the risk/reward at this point.

Are you in Perth Ashes or South West?

Perth is so hard to find nice trails with limited risk due to ever present possibility of crashing on pea gravel even if we are all used to it. South West at least you have places like Margs and to a lesser extent Pemberton where there is traction and far less chance of binning it on the flow trails.

 

[moorey]

Agree with so much of the above. That was a sobering vid @leitch.
Have also had my share of potentially life altering injuries (including fractured vertebrae) on the bike, and it weighs on my mind more as I hit 50.
I’ve said this numerous times, but I have to be the adult in the room for my kids at races. Most weekends we’re off at races 400+ km away. I want to race as well, but it’s just not an option to be badly injured in a foreign town with no way of getting home and no one to look after the kids if I get stuck in hospital.
Of course I can still get injured riding at a more sedate pace, but riding within my limits and not taking unnecessary risks is just the new norm. I don’t beat myself up any more about chickening out of A lines or feathering the brakes too much. Better to live to ride another day.

 

[komdotkom]

A guy I ride with sometimes is in the same boat, the doctors have told him to stop doing any activities which could lead to head trauma of any kind. He's pretty sensible on the bike and doesn't take risks but still owns a few motorbikes which is where it all went wrong for him so I suppose it's a just a risk reward balance for him.
I am pretty sure he road rides a bit too, and is a Yeti fanboi but despite these two seemingly damning facts he's a really good bloke

 

[Minlak]

The whole issue here you have to deal with is YOUR comfort level - and it is so personal it’s almost impossible to get advise from any one else as you will simply choose the option that justifies your own opinion.
so me saying MEH! If I die I die is different to Bob saying if I Die I Die - i deal daily with people with acquired brain injuries and I would sooner either not have 1 or Die than have one. The level of frustration I see from once agile and capable people is through the roof. Not to mention the whole decision making process changes with each additional injury.
Hope that makes sense - asking other people’s experiences is a great idea but finally it’s still what you can live with.

 

[Kerplunk]

I am still sitting around 8 weeks post a scapula fracture and surgery and can very much relate..
Had a lot of conversations with doctors and a scapula body fracture like mine is really rare, first one in 3 years they have had to rehab.. It is a difficult bone to break, requires a significant blunt force like a high speed moto accident or in my case mtb into a tree..
It was all very sobering when they said if my spine/neck had taken the same force I would have been proper fucked.. I was with my 11 year old son and could only imagine the trauma that would cause him and the family.. But didn’t happen so i am not going to dwell on what could have happened.,
Like you i’m at the crossroads.. I’m not sure where my riding will go from here. I’m sitting at home pretty much useless (only able to use one hand, can’t drive) is putting a massive strain on family life. Still a long way to go till on the bike again.. Definitely will be avoiding high risk stuff for a while, getting re-injured trying a feature would be an extremely selfish thing to do..
So far my plan is overbike and stick to xc trails/paths. While also start playing some other sports I used to love before going all in on mtb/cycling and it consuming everything.. I think this is a good opportunity to diversify my sporting interests..

 

[hifiandmtb]

@leitch et al, wow, healing vibes. I've had one hum dinger crash where I cracked all my molars and shattered my elbow. The teeth thing is really shitty as I will forever be dealing with the outcome.