This is how I broke my neck. If my misfortune can prevent someone else experiencing the same then something good will have come out of this.

I was sailing at Victoria Point with a few of the QLD team members a few weeks ago. Conditions were 20 knts plus and I was using a Super-x 84 litre with an 5 m Aerotech Rapidfire, 27 cm Select Eagle. Did a couple of runs and was sailing back towards the sandbank over moderate chop, fully committed to the harness with light pressure on my feet. I wasn't overpowered, feeling quite comfortable. My stance was for a broad reach as I thought I was sailing broad but my GPS track showed otherwise, maybe I caught a gust from a different direction. I remember sailing over a piece of chop around 1 foot high and the tail of the board got a bit out of shape. The next thing I knew was that I felt like I was spear tackled into my sail and felt an excruciating crunch in my neck and middle back. I must have rail tripped, I'm pretty sure I hit nothing as there was no jolt or marks on my kit. The pain was intense and I had numbness in fingertips in both hands. When I regained some sanity I looked around to see where I had to sail to rest and was so disorientated I didn't know where to go. I eventually recognised the sandbank and managed to waterstart and sail there. My left arm was very weak, and I could not move my neck much. I rested for a while hoping my condition may improve and chatted to the guys, but I just started feeling worse and worse. I sailed back to the beach and thanks to Vando who followed me in case I didn't make it. I could only sail by putting all my weight on my harness.

I packed up my gear with some help from Mike. I couldn't move my neck at all now and if I moved my head back the pain was excruciating. I drove back to Redcliffe as I had some stupid idea that I couldn't leave my car at VP, I should have called an ambulance. Got home, had lunch and my wife drove me to Redcliffe Hospital. If you get a neck injury demand a cat scan as the xray showed nothing. The cat scan showed a fracture in C2, which is nick named the hangmans vertebrae, if this breaks all the way then good night. Got moved to the Royal Brisbane the next day and had a full MRI. The injuries where a fracture to C2 and C7 and crush fracture of T3 and other spinal bruising.
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I was on my back for 4 days, had a HALO brace fitted and was out of hospital in a week(by the way the HALO is screwed into your head, just ask Fitz how they feel). I'll need to wear my brace for up to 3 months, then have physio to get my neck strong again.

The doctors say I was extremely lucky and could have very easily died or been a quadriplegic. I still have numbness and some weakness in my left arm and fingers, this may repair, it may not.

Yes I was wearing a helmet(Gath) which I think must have helped as it would have provided some absorption of the impact. The pentex pattern from my sail is imprinted on the helmet. There is a dent in my sail where I impacted it around 4 inches in from the mast. I cant help thinking that if I had a monofilm sail I may have fallen straight through it, so this could be a safety feature. I think I should get a PFD now, as I could have easily been knocked out.

I had recently read about Sinkers and Stiffnecks misfortune and I never thought a similar thing would happen to me. I don't want to experience this ever again, so what precautions can I take ? Off-course there is avoiding rail trip, but this can happen to the best, I have seen an example of this at 43 knts. Has anybody else been speared into their sail ? Can sailing style minimise this risk ie leaning more out to the side of kit and rig ? Or is this just one of those freak accidents ? What I cant get my head around is that I didn't see this coming. I've windsurfed pretty much all my life and been over the handle bars my fair share, but I haven't even come close to ploughing into the sail head 1st.

Sorry to hear about your accident, bloody speedsailing!!!!!!!!!

Did something similar, without the same consequences a couple of months ago, in my case it was some sloppy technique.

The point is how to avoid these spear head first accidents?? It's a really important question???

At moment what I've been trying to do, is get more compact, using a seat harness, and also trying to get outboard more?

I don't think accidents or catapults are avoidable in speedsailing, but possibly technique and body positioning, might possibly avoid the spear head into the sail action?? Not really sure??

Be interesting for everyone to examine this issue, and see if there sailing style leaves them more or less vulnerable to this head spearing into the sail in accidents/catapults?

Haggar, you're an unlucky but also a very lucky man.As an ambulance paramedic I get to see the effects of spinal injury. Fortunately it sounds like you may had a lucky escape (quad/para or worse). Kinda makes you think alot more about your own safety a bit. I never used to wear any safety gear but now wear a helmet and PFD religiously.

All the best with your rehab and may the Karma train give you a 40 knot average in the future..

Cheers

Red

Hi Haggar,

That sounds horribly familiar, i think that the mechanism of our 2 accidents were different though, I don't remember hitting the sail with my head, I hit the boom with my upper chest and my head was thrown forward over-extending my neck.

Just got an e-mail from a mate in Switzerland who has the exact same injury as you (same vertibrae and everything) he did it windsurfing and even had a previous neck injury(break)
His Doc said that he had a low bone density which made breaking more likely.

I think it would be worthwhile for anyone who is worried to have a bone density check, you can increase your bone density by taking extra calcium and by doing load bearing (not swimming) excercise (and not drinking alcohol..)

I'm not convinced it has much to do with technique, I have stacked a thousand times before and never had anything serious before. Speed sailing does put you in an odd posture though with your head extended forward, maybe that has an influence, also things happen so fast when you're flying...

PS in answer to your question on the other thread I think t-shirts for the broken of neck will soon be available...watch this space!!

Stay in touch mate

S

All I can remember was Haggar standing around on the bank, I went to chat to him and I believe the conversation went something like this:

"Hey Nebs I think I've hurt my neck"
"Geez you reckon you'll be orright?"
"Yeah, think so, might have a couple more runs to see how it goes"
"OK see you back at the beach"

I feel really bad now that I know how serious it was

This goes to anyone: Don't be afraid to ask for help, even if it's just asking for someone to watch over you as you sail back to shore!

Nebs Hagger asked me to watch him on the way back which i did most of the way until the point where the old ramp is, of coarse if i known it was that bad i would have helped him with his gear.
hope ya get better soon haggar.

Having thought a bit more about this I think the steepness and spacing of the chop has a lot to do with some of our high speed crashes. The pitching of the board can sometimes determine whether you spear head first into the sail.

The question then becomes what does one do, when faced with dangerous pitching chop?

Hardie, I think we are on the same page trying to get outboard more. The issue for me is if you rail trip and / or go over the front for any reason, where will you fall, on the sail or beside it ? I think this depends on how broad you are sailing, the broader the more behind the sail you are and the more upright your stance may be and the more chance I think you would have to fall on your sail or mast. So I was thinking of leaning more to the side, off-course this may not be the optimal angle for performance, but may be a precaution when sailing in chop ??

Wow sinker, strange that your mate got the exact same injury and from windsurfing. Yes I'm taking a calcium supliment as well and think I will get a bone density test when I can, I'm becoming an old fart anyway

Nebs, Vando, dont feel bad guys, I did'nt think it was serious at 1st either, I guess with necks and spines best to think the worst.

Hey Haggs, getting the hang of touch typing I see, I might pop down to see you at the weekend with some more dvds. I'm keen to get a broken neck t shirt,how do you qualify as I didn't break it windsurfing. Go team Halo

Hi Haggar,
I can't help thinking you were just the victim of a very freakish and unfortunate accident. 12 months ago I got one of those picked up by a huge gust and slammed forward things and did actually get speared head first through my monofilm sail. My head collected my boom on the other side though and I too don't know how I wasn't hurt worse apart from a 4cm cut on my forehead. Thankfully I was only in waist deep water and was able to stand up and orientate myself again.
How many people say to themselves it will never happen to me?? Most times it doesn't, but sometimes it does. Purely just an unfortunate accident mate.
I wouldn't be dwelling on your technique, like you said, you've been sailing most of your life, you know how to sail already. Just concentrate on getting better and then getting back out there to enjoy another 20 years of incident free windsurfing!!

Gr8 Fitz, maybe we can fit a lightning rod to my HALO ready for the storm season ??

Hey Rex, sounds like you were really lucky as well. I think you are right, but I guess I just want to minimise risk as much as possible.

Hello Hagar, Sailing at "Break Neck Speed Eh". Pardon the pun because it is a serious subject. I am an advocate of wearing a helmet and PFD/Crash Vest and always wear them. But I do wonder if the crash helmet contributes to these injuries. I wonder if in many cases if you werent wearing a helmet wether you would be knocked unconscious and drown or suffer a point impact injury rather than a spread load injury such as you seem to have suffered. I recently upgraded my Gath to a retractable visor model. The RipCurl do not stock this model as they reckon that some neck injuries may have been attributed to the visor acting as a scoop in breaking surf. I came off and face planted into the sail but probably travelling almost parallel to the plane of the sail. Felt minor whiplash type sensations and a lip split where it hit the batten, hence the desire for a face visor. Perhaps the visor would have increased the range that my neck went back? At the time a attributed the neck to very cold muscles. I will still however continue to wear the helmet and vest.

Crickey, another one!!!!

Glad to hear that you and the other neck breaking speed demons are ok.

Heal fast and take care.

GT

On the topic of PFD's, does anyone know where I can get a type 3 model that won't impede my waist harness?

Or know of a good brand/model?

In the brisbane area would be best...

quote:

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Originally posted by frant

Hello Hagar, Sailing at "Break Neck Speed Eh". Pardon the pun because it is a serious subject. I am an advocate of wearing a helmet and PFD/Crash Vest and always wear them. But I do wonder if the crash helmet contributes to these injuries. I wonder if in many cases if you werent wearing a helmet wether you would be knocked unconscious and drown or suffer a point impact injury rather than a spread load injury such as you seem to have suffered. I recently upgraded my Gath to a retractable visor model. The RipCurl do not stock this model as they reckon that some neck injuries may have been attributed to the visor acting as a scoop in breaking surf. I came off and face planted into the sail but probably travelling almost parallel to the plane of the sail. Felt minor whiplash type sensations and a lip split where it hit the batten, hence the desire for a face visor. Perhaps the visor would have increased the range that my neck went back? At the time a attributed the neck to very cold muscles. I will still however continue to wear the helmet and vest.

---

Frant good idea, stick with the helmet.
Last year, I unfortunately stacked it, not going too fast, but took eyes of what I was doing, looked down wind at a kite, looked back, spotted a bullet coming (fast swirling wind direction change) had big sail up and thought, just weight out and flow though it. Unfortunately my timing wasn’t as good and yes a side face plant down onto boom after a catapult. lots of damaged teeth one side, but no neck injury.
And no wasn’t wearing helmet (but I did have it in the shed at home still in its new box) but sure wished I had when I got the dental bill

I wear a snow board helmet light weight strong and offer more protection than what windsurf helmets offer.
They also have adjustable ventilation system incase your head gets too hot.

www.extremegear.com/store/?redirect=/Snowboard_Shop/Snowboard_Accessories/fa/PRODUCTS.showProducts/WDC/7_26_223/Snowboard_Helmets/

Nebbian - prolimit make some windsurfing floation vests for waist and seat harnesses. They are not yellow or orange and do not look to have the neck support so are not PFD 3 - may be PFD 2. I would talk to simon at BC to see if the importer brings them into the country.

Regarding the causes of these injuries - not wanting to state the obvious but speed is the culprit Force = Mass * accelleration - you increase the accelleration and you increase the potential force. The load bearing surface of the C0/1 and C2/3 vertebrae is very small around 5cm2 on average. Thus it does not require a great deal of force to increase the amount of pressure on the bone structure leading to failure. You increase the force exponentially and you will have catastrophic results.

One further point is that with any load applied to the cervical spine if there is some flexion or extension, lateral flexion or rotation of the neck you will see some translation of the vertebrae which can result in an even smaller surface area for the force to be applied to the individual segment.

I do not believe that a helmet will necessarily increase or decrease the liklihood of such an injury. The helmet will reduce the risk of head trauma but not neck injury.

Basically, if you want to decrease the risk - sail slower. But as this goes against the nature of what people are trying to achieve, i think the only logical step is to wear a PFD 3 that will support you head and neck in the case you suffer an injury which damages your spinal cord and not just the vertebrae.

Haggar - you a very very very lucky man. Any spinal cord damage above the C3 will result in the immediate loss of your ability to breathe - think Christopher Reeve.

Guys who sail fast should be aware of the risks and make sure you are responsible for your own and others safety. I would also suggest making sure you know CPR - you never know if you may need it.

Haggar,I think your misfortune is called "Dumb luck" and have had similar stacks without the injuries.I broke my back snowboarding.Just Dumb

I know we,ve talked about the pro/cons of wearing life jackets before,but remember that most jackets that we wear won,t keep you alive if your knocked out.Some of my most painful injuries involved a "life jacket".Helmets also have their limits.Some of the snowboarding ones are only good for an impact below 40km.Check the labels before buying.Yes I still use my helmet and leave the life jacket at home.

Error - i mentioned PFD 3 it should be a PFD 1

A PFD Type 1 is a recognised lifejacket. A PFD Type 1 will provide a high level of buoyancy and keep the wearer in a safe floating position. They are made in high visibility colours with retro-reflective patches.

A PFD Type 2 is a buoyancy vest – not a lifejacket. It will provide less buoyancy than a PFD Type 1 but sufficient to keep your head above water. Like a PFD Type 1 they are manufactured in high visibility colours.

A PFD Type 3 is a buoyancy garment – not a lifejacket. They have similar buoyancy to a PFD Type 2 and are manufactured in a wide variety of colours.

PFD 1's are designed to float you inclined with chest up and will hold your head above water. They are much bulkier than most windsurferes tend to use - but they will save your life if you are unconscious and floating free from your rig.

I would never suggest not wearing appropriate safety equipment - especially life jackets. Each sailor should make their own decision, but in the unfortunate case of Haggar's injury a helmet would not have changed his outcome, and had he damaged his cord below c3 level and was paralysed a jacket would keep him afloat.

I know where my reccomendation lies. Wear both.

Few things to add:
Regarding PFD's, anything helps even impact vests. Whilst there are many what if's of if you get knocked out in spots such as vicky point we are often not sailing alone there is a good chance you will float and can be revived within sufficient time. The current Hutchwilco PFD I have floats person upright anyway, as do many PFD2/3's nowdays. That raises the most important safety point- don't speed sail alone. Keep an eye on those around you, here at least we tend to keep an eye on each other anyway.

Hitting the aerotech xply/pentex as opposed to monofilm wouldn't make that much difference with both lying across the water. We're looking for flatwater anyway so it's going to be like concrete just with something dispersing the load over a wider area of concrete.

I've found the worst falls, like haggar's happen when you are travelling a little closer to the wind than you think but the board is running along steepish swell/chop. This lets the board break on the crest and catch down the wave face, or slightly less wild spin out and catch into rear of chop.

Learning how to fall is part of learning how to speedsail. Drop out of the harness asap when something goes wrong and either land on you're a$$ or fight it (which can leave you with sore ribs for a few weeks ). If you do get pitched forward try to rotate the sail so you not landing in it but going around it, if you fight it or pull back you are going to land in it.

I've had exactly the fall you've described Haggar. It was a once off, and I guess I was lucky that I collected the boom with my head instead of landing square on the sail. I was only doing 30knots at the time but it happened so fast I didn't even register before I found myself chewing the boom and feeling my neck creak. I do remember my next thought after it registered was expecting my neck to go snap.

It might take a while for you to get back on the horse after you are cleared to sail again, but i'd just put it down to freak accident and next time you might see the symptoms before it happens. You're misfortune is a timely chance for us to all consider safety and pushing beyond our limits before the worst happens.

For PFD's in Brisbane I reckon Goodtime has probably the best range. Surfconnect has stock/good availability of impact vests. Boardcrazy and Caloundra City Sailboards can get in the weight/impact vests, but there is a bit of a wait on these.

This looks like the Promlimit gear here
http://www.pro-limit.com/displayitemv4comp.php?item_id=4048

Mark, which Hutchwilco PFD do you have ? Thanks for the tips, I'll mentally prepare myself with these for when I get back out. The trouble with the stack I had, I virtually had no warning, so I couldnt imagine unhooking in time, maybe guiding the rig would be possible. I think I'll probably sail unhooked on chop at speed for a while to ease myself back in. I did see the chop coming, so I could unhook before hand anyway.

I've got an impact vest but it won't keep you upright if you get knocked out, so unless you can breath through your arse you are in trouble. See you tomorrow Haggar.

Mark is right on the money - people do need to look out for each other, and sail responsibly. How many times have we bagged kitesurfers for kiting overpowered in onshore conditions and getting dragged over land. The same responsibility goes to sailors heading out on their own without preparations for the what if factor.

Hutchwilco make top notch PFD's - I don't know if goodtime carry the boating ones (TYPE 1), maybe look at BCF or a chandlery shop. It is only the Type 1 PFD that has specific support to keep the head out of water.

On another point i thought i would give some insight to what guys and girls should watch out for in the case of a potential neck injury. If after a crash where you have landed haed first or experienced a whiplash type movement (rapid nodding movement, the following is a simple list of symptoms that you should watch out for.

1. Immediate loss of sensation and / or muscle power (obvious i know) Sensation however, in some non-severe cases can return very quickly. If there is persistent change in sensation and power - off to hospital. Be aware that weakness in the absence of pain is just as bad - even if it is mild weakness.

2. Burning / Stinging into one or both arms. If the pain goes below the elbow off to hospital - if just into the shoulders and upper arm - check with GP or Physio.

The above 2 symptoms i believe require an immediate stop in activities and early assessment.

3. Intense pain on neck movement in any or all directions.

4. Prolonged dull aching in the neck or upper back with or without restriction of movement.

5. Headaches for longer than 24 hours.

6. Pain and / or restriction of breathing due to chest pain.

The following are some simmple signs of concussions.

Nausea and vommitting, headaches, loss of orientation in date, time and space, loss of balance, loss of memory. Most concussions are uneventful - but you must be aware that a concussion symptom may be the result of a bleed. So the first 24 hours it is very important to monitor the concussed person and if any of the above symptoms worsen then off to hospital.


This above information is a guide to some of the more common symptoms that someone may experience as the result of trauma to the neck or head. These are some of the more common symptoms that I would expect a lay person to be able to remember, please do not take such injuries lightly - if you feel that you or one of your mate's is presenting with symptoms that are not normal - them seek immediate medical advice.

Sail safe.

I wear a watersking wetsuite, same as they wear to race. Wetsuite with built-in PFD. I good fit and doesn't get in the way. Available wherever you buy waterski gear- try a specialist shop.

Great advice DAM71.

Another aspect we should all be considering is preparation/fitness.

My chiropractor recommends a neck checkup for any accident over 10-15kph.
Put a bowling ball (about same mass as head) on end of brommstick & shake to simulate a stop at 15kph (only 8knots), then try with a smaller piece of dowel
At 45kph, 25knts, you can imagine the forces

For many years, rugby league has had uncontested scrums - & virtually eliminated neck injuries from scrums.
Check out the necks on Rugby Union front rowers in the current World Cup - they ain't call no-necks for nuthin'. They spend years preparing & conditioning to protect their neck/life!

How often do you hit the water at 20 knots or over?

GO SEE YOUR CHIRO OR PHYSIO, EXPLAIN, & GET A SET OF STRENGHTENING EXERCISES

Perhaps Haggar, Fitz & Sinker could keep us up to speed with the rehab exercises - & extract from their medicos the best strengthening exercises...every little bit helps

All this talk on safety is playing on my conscious so I have been searching hi and low for a suitable vest to provide some sort of flotation to suit a waist harness, Niel Pryde has a "windward high hook". I spoke to sunshine coast sailboards and they are ordering some in next week as Dieter was "very interested". They are CE50 approved, whatever that means. Not sure if its a PFD3, looks as though it has more flotation than a impact vest, If any one has seen or used one of these please feedback.

Gr8 Wormy. I'll be happy to share Physio stuff wineman, but it wont be for a while I dont even see my doctor until the 6th of November.

If you are serious about neck strengthening then, there are a series of exercises that amateur wrestlers (olympic not WWF)do. As well a colleague who was a Physio with McLaren Formula 1 in the UK described what the F1 boys do to strengthen the neck. Keep in mind i think the F1's can generate 2-4 G's when cornering. With a helmet on that requires some strength.

In the 80's - 90's there was also this cool piece of Nautilus Gym equipment which was designed purely to help strengthen the neck. I doubt seriously if many or any places still have this.

These days we rely on free weights and head straps.

There is a large gap from the rehab exercises and advice that Haggar and Co. will perform to the above-mentioned strengthening drills that at you may be looking for. I'll have a look through my resources and see if there are any diagrams or pictures.

Hi All,

Just read through the whole thread, couple of things:

I agree with Haggar Re reacting to a stack and 'learning to fall properly': I'm sorry guys but if you have time to think about it you can probably avoid falling at all...I had about 2 nanoseconds and it was all over.

Regarding neck building exercises I think everyone into speedsailing should try to beef up their necks, not only would this help reduce the damage of a head first stack but would also make us instantly recognizable as speed freaks with our huge necks and skinny legs!!

Seriously though, I'll try to find some neck exercises to post.

S

PS. CT on Monday and Doc on Tuesday....could be out of this thing in 4 days!!!!