Freak accidents happen, but what are the most common problems or ailments? I'm definitely feeling mild pressure in knees even after a relatively light day on the water. Have owned glass, wood and carbon boards with different widths and padding.

Feet and toes for me. Broken little toe jamming it into strap and missing. Ruptured big toe tendon gybing. Old age creeping in

Yep, toes. Kicking them onto the straps hurts and busts them.

Toes, it's always the toes. Kicking the footstrap, stepping on the back of the fin, abrading them on the deck. I also had a shoulder problem landing jumps with an overhand grip, some cortisone injections and changing to an underhand grip sorted that. The dislocated ankle and kneecap were sorted with duct tape.

Yeah toe's. Little toe folded all the way back along foot, (twice in two tack's).
And oyster's - slither's of bone fragment, and fourteen week's to heal.
Always stepping on something. Bought a new pair of booties yesterday, and a flotation vest.
I worry more now I'm older.

10 minutes before the start of this years Ledge to lancelin I stood on a nice sharp weed fin. Finished the race without getting attacked by a white pointer. Had first aid after the race, walked through the pub, across the street to the medical clinic then had four stitches inserted.

Burst ear drum smacking my head into the water, went a-up on a gybe.

Broke some small bone along the outside edge of foot during a failed gybe. Sailed for another hour before too blue and swollen. Bent toes brutally back kicking mast base and straps, plenty of pain, but thankfully yet to snap one. Oh, and dropped a nugget in my shorts crashing on a whale...

Broken ribs twice, tendinitis in elbows, my left knee has been stuffed for years - need antiinflamitories to sail. Pinched a nerve in my right foot. I've always got scratches on either my knees, elbows or knuckles from hitting hard hits. Apart from these minor ailments, I'm all good and can't wait for the next blow. In fact, sailing sorts out thensiatica in my lower back.

Wouldn't a good pair of booties solve the problem for foot injuries? I always have worn booties and have never had any foot, toe or ankle problems. My booties go up the ankle a little and seem to help prevent twisting of the ankle.

Yeah I've always used boots since cutting foot on weaver fish many years ago on our local beach.

booties are a MUST for clams where I sail
sometimes throw em in a backpack once ready to beach start

are you guys trying to discourage newbies
or people learning footstraps n gybes ??
JE

feel my worst injury was broken shoulder windsurfing on ice

I've been told that the the skin on the shins, knees has poor blood supply. So any cuts and scrapes there never heal properly, especially as you get older. So wear a long-leg wetsuit. A thin one if it's hot.

The leading edge of my fin cut into my shin bone. I took my forward foot out of the front foot strap as my board was cavitating, while I was still hooked in the harness but I had no leverage to unhook be caused all my weight was over the edge, I tried to depower the sail and try to stop the board with my back dragging across the water. The board was just about stopped, but stupid me I put my forward foot in the water too soon and the board cut into my shin.

I feel so much better now i know im not the only one doing silly things to feet. I have just got some booties. I only ever used to wear them up north for urchins or down south for cold. Now they are safety boots

I tried booties many years ago but never felt like I could get good grip or feel on the board.

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Agrid said..
I tried booties many years ago but never felt like I could get good grip or feel on the board.

Yeh, reminds me of something else....
like having a shower in a raincoat

Yep, I hate wearing protection Stretchy, it's ok if you only get injured occasionally ..............

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Agrid said..
I tried booties many years ago but never felt like I could get good grip or feel on the board.

The split toe Oneils are good - not too thick and don't scrunch up.

I got a blister once. But it healed up fine, thanks to he emergency docs at my local hospital.

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Agrid said..
I tried booties many years ago but never felt like I could get good grip or feel on the board.

I had the opposite problem. I have been using booties to avoid oyster cuts, razor clams, and sunburn for years.

Down at Sandy Point I was using an old starboard carve that I had done repairs on and someone else asked to use it. They kept slipping and asked me why it had next to no grip on it. With the boots all the time, traction was excellent, so I never noticed it myself.

The next board I did major repairs on I added acrylic dust as a deck grip, but with booties, its no different anyway.

The only time I have injured my feet wearing booties was when I fell/jumped off my board in Lord Howe Island and just happen to fall on a coral head with one of my little toes, and even through the boot it broke, or at least felt like it had.