Regarding things happening too quick to react.

Part of the learning to fall properly is teaching yourself to react quicker. Take for instance driving a stupidly fast (race) car, for a while the world goes by in a blur then as you're brain reacts to what is required and you become accustomed to what is required. It is just another skill like learning to balance.

This is all part of not sailing beyond you're skill level, if you don't think you can react when crashing at 35knots don't sail there. Despite the initial shock of what the flip just happened (which can stay with you for a while) you should be able to pick the exact moment of where it all went wrong, and you will know for next time.

Take for instance the world cup guys sailing at sotavento and fuerte years back going 40+ through breaking waves. There were many falls, heaps of busted sails and masts but all of sailors had learnt how to react appropriately. Despite a few sore necks and busted ribs they all lived to sail another day and didn't have to spend 4 months in neck braces.

On a seperate note who'd of thought all those years of gorilla's hanging off my neck kneeing the hell out of me at muay thai could have saved my neck. I thought it was doing the opposite

Well Mark for me it was Shotokan Karate, and I wont be picken a fight with you Maybe you could hold some crash clinics and be our crash sensei I do understand what you are saying though.

Crash sensei hey. Nah ask vando he crashes lots more than I do, no sense that guy just goes fast and crashes without fear.

Most of my bad crashes have been hitting bloody sand banks.
You can teach your self how too crash depending on the situation.
Spin outs I can generally pull back in but in choppy water if that rails catches your up and over, so first thing I do is unhook and if a cannot pull it back in I leans back into the water bit like backside water skiing actually and basically bale out but its better then going over. Thing is not to panic.

Vando, Yes I have vowed to avoid sandbanks at all costs. I dont think I've ever crashed from spinout(yet) and the stack I had was my 1st rail trip. So in chop, other then maintaining correct trim, is it better to angle the board so that the front and rails are more elevated/out of the water then usual ? Providing off-course you dont put more pressure on the your back foot and fin which could cause spinout.

All,

I have to say, I have had one crash at 35+ knots - no warning, no feeling that it was about to step out - just - SMASH next thing you know you are in the water.

Had another experience at close to 30 knots - similar experience - just SMASH. This was actually a worse stack - I think I must have hit the mast - don't really know - woke up spitting out water.

I had one of these caught on video - I spun out and caught a rail.

In both instances I had no time to react and correct the situation (at least that I felt)

The more practice you have the better you will be.

I feel for Haggar - any of us could be in his shoes.

- J

Incidentally,

What leverage would a GPS mounted to the top of a helmet have on a series of bones in your neck?

I would think Nebs you should avoid adding any extra weight or resistance to your helmet if possible

quote:

---

Originally posted by nebbian

Incidentally,

What leverage would a GPS mounted to the top of a helmet have on a series of bones in your neck?

---

Incidentally, why would you want to do that. GPS's greatest facet is you can use it to tune on the day and find a faster level of trim. Putting it somewhere where you cannot see it deprives you of that.

Regarding neck strengthing exercise, in 1986 the guy who invented Nautilus (he actually died a few weeks ago) sold the Nautilus company and started a company called MedX, they specialised in medical / rehab exercise machines for the neck, spine and knee, they really are the state of the art so if you can find them use them:

http://medxonline.com/core.php?product=FourWayNeck

I think Tom's actually cut some of the padding out of the helmet and replaced it with GT 11s. So even if there's not much added weight. there's a lessening of cushioning.

I thought about this thread while out by myself on Friday afternoon. Decided that the most practical solution to allow myself to continue sailing without being reckless was to make sure my life insurance was upto date and adequate. At least my wife and family will be able to live it up in my absence.
Otherwise if the worry turns to fear won't be able to go windsurfing.

Your right Frant, my wife was packin it when I got my injury, but now we're workin on stuff in case something happens. Shes actually quite keen for me to get back sailing. Hey maybe it was her that doubled my policy ?

After crashing hard twice last year one whilst slowing down from over 40 and catching a rail, the other snapping a fin at 39 and doing a 360 around the boom. I thought it was time to look after my neck, so made a neck brace from firm packing foam, shaped it a little and covered it in some black lycra with clip.
Have seen similar ones for motorsports, basically sqaure cross section? stops your chin from touching your chest etc. Prefer to use the early std. Gath helmut as doesn't have much of an edge to catch on the water.

All the best Glen,

cheers Spotty

Hey Haggar,

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. It sounds like i had a similar accident 2 weeks ago. Would have been doing 32 - 33 knots fully in control and bang - all i can remember is the hitting the sail and landing on my back in the shallow water. I seemed to have blacked out and saw 'stars' as is i believe my head hit the top of my shoulder muscles.

2 weeks later, and all day it doesn't bother me at all but sleeping in bed at night my neck does feel sore and i do have a little soreness in my arm muscle joints. I can move my neck left to right all the way but do have soreness in my neck and shoulder muscles if i move my neck right back.

I did sail last weekend a seemed to be okay on the water. Does the problems you have cure themselves over time by itself or do you have to have halo and rest from windsurfing? I am thinking of going to the quack but am going to Sandy Point on friday and concerned i might have problem.

Does any of this sound concerning?

Good luck with a quick recovery

I can't even go 1 week without sailing let alone 3 months

Cheers,

Carl Macdonald.

Bloody hell macca, go and get checked out Not being a prick here, but just for you and your family sake get a look at it.
Better to have a couple of months rehab if you have done any damage, and hopefully its only soft tissue, than a life of discomfort and pain because you didn't get it looked at.
The test they do are simple, and X-rays take about 15 minutes. I know, I just had a bunch done. Didnt crash, just a left over issue from pulling spanners all my life.
Mineral

quote:

---

Originally posted by Carl Macdonald

Hey Haggar,

...but do have soreness in my neck and shoulder muscles if i move my neck right back.

Does any of this sound concerning? DUH!!!
Carl Macdonald.

---

Carl,
go back & read ALL of the thread, particularly Haggar, Sinker & Dam71.

DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200, JUST GET IT CHECKED.....NOW.

Best of luck & hope it is OK
cheers
Peter

Carl, just read this. Yes get to the Doc/hospital ASAP, of most concern to me is the soreness in your arms, this could well be spine related. When it comes to neck and back, dont take risks. I would'nt go to SP before a full checkup. Dont 4get a x-ray may not show an injury, at least a cat scan is needed. Best of luck.

PS if anyone at Sandy Point reads this b4 Carl has read this, send him to the doctor !!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Spotty

After crashing hard twice last year one whilst slowing down from over 40 and catching a rail, the other snapping a fin at 39 and doing a 360 around the boom. I thought it was time to look after my neck, so made a neck brace from firm packing foam, shaped it a little and covered it in some black lycra with clip.
Have seen similar ones for motorsports, basically sqaure cross section? stops your chin from touching your chest etc. Prefer to use the early std. Gath helmut as doesn't have much of an edge to catch on the water.

All the best Glen,

cheers Spotty

---

Thanks Craig for the heads up. I think we would all be interested to hear how your neck brace goes in a stack, especially since some think this could actually put more leverage on your neck. All the best at Sandy, take care

Just following up on my previous post - within my resources i have exercises mainly for rehabilitation of deep neck musculature and the likes - these are more like what haggar willl start with.

Regarding serious neck conditioning I discussed this point with a submission / all styles fighter that I am treating and he mentioned specific activities that wrestlers do. Unfortunately these exercises themselves can be quite dangerous if not instructed correctly - do a google search on neck bridging exercises and you will see what i mean. I would suggest that people interested in conditioning their neck go to a wrestling coach (at a PCYC) or some submission fighting styles such as jujitsu. There are some specialised weight training devices that can be purchased online but i would not reccommend these as again training the neck muscles without correct instruction could result in injury.

Just for your own peice of mind my background is in physiotherapy and sports physiology - specifically conditioning. I am no specialist with regards to sports strengthening of the neck and as such would seek further advice regarding these types of traiing programs. I have tried the neck briging exercises and some others and can tell you they are very intense and i can see that they may offer some proteciton of the musculature - no guarantee at 30+ knots though.

Carl - i hope you got some medical advice and / or treatment.

Hey guys,

Thanks for your concerns and support. It is great that a forum like this can give excellent feedback, information and support. I went to the doctors and found that i have a bruised shoulder muscle. It is causing me soreness in the arm muscle but all is okay. Bring on Sandy Point!!!!

Thanks guys,

Cheers,

Carl Macdonald

quote:

---

Originally posted by Carl Macdonald

Hey guys,

Thanks for your concerns and support. It is great that a forum like this can give excellent feedback, information and support. I went to the doctors and found that i have a bruised shoulder muscle. It is causing me soreness in the arm muscle but all is okay. Bring on Sandy Point!!!!

Thanks guys,

Cheers,

Carl Macdonald

---

Good for you, (getting medical advise)

Glad to hear just a minor injury Carl

Hi All,

Just a quick update on my progress for those interested:

It's been 10 weeks since what has become known as 'the snapping incident'.

Saw a specialist today and he has given me the go ahead to get rid of the brace at long last! I didn't have surgery, so the joint is still slightly mobile, the surgeon is hoping that the vertebrae will eventually fuse, he has banned me from windsurfing and any other impact sport for at least a year.....


Could have been worse I suppose...

See ya next year

S

Hey Sinker, glad to hear your are well and truely on the mend, sorry to hear about the lay-off. Its been 5 weeks for me, I still don't get to see the doc until early Nov, best of luck

quote:

---

Originally posted by sinker

Hi All,

Just a quick update on my progress for those interested:

It's been 10 weeks since what has become known as 'the snapping incident'.

Saw a specialist today and he has given me the go ahead to get rid of the brace at long last! I didn't have surgery, so the joint is still slightly mobile, the surgeon is hoping that the vertebrae will eventually fuse, he has banned me from windsurfing and any other impact sport for at least a year.....


Could have been worse I suppose...

See ya next year

S

---

Mate, thats tough on you. Glad you will mend, but a season watching the other half play will be testing at best.
Mineral

Testing...yes...

I suppose life does tend to throw the occasional curve ball, it's all about how well you deal with it....I won't be sitting on the beach whinging I can tell you!! No way... Instead I thought I'd see if I can be put into an artificial coma until September 2008, I'm pretty sure my health insurance covers voluntary stasis

BTW Haggar, Hang in there, it's just a patience thing, have you started building a board yet?

Just an update, saw the doc today and I should be getting the HALO off in 2 weeks. After that I need to wear a soft colar for around 2 weeks and then I should be almost OK and can start some physio. Not much else to say at present other then I am enjoying reading all the stuff on Seabreeze so keep it comin

Great news M8

Cheers,
Bob

good news too haggar....ever noticed your avatar has the same if not just a coincidence?