powderaddict

I caught an edge today going REALLY fast and landed very awkwardly on my face with my spine taking the force of the fall and making a huge cracking sound. I did not move for 10 minutes after the fall.

I remember the excruciating pain shooting up my spine and not feeling anything beneath my waist for a split second. I laid there praying that I wasn't paralyzed and tried to wiggle my toes( just like kill bill, yes i know) and luckily they moved. After ten minutes I made my way down slowly and went home.

During those ten minutes of not being able to get up, I thought about my job, which requires me to me mobile and physical, and having to quit and spending my life with a cane or something. Then when I was able to get up I thought about maybe quitting. The chance of getting permanently injured just isn't worth it. Losing job, quality of life, and whatnot.



What about you guys?

ShredLife

nope. if i got paralyzed i'd ride a sit-ski.

sounds like you might have been riding above your ability level... maybe dial it back a bit. did you even get injured or just scared?

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get the hell off my lawn.

NWBoarder

Nope. Not even once. The only crash that could make me quit would be one that kills me.

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Oh yeah!? Well, my mom says I'm cool!

deeken

Hey man, glad to hear you are ok. I had a couple spills like that and one particularly that really made me consider if this sport was for worth it or not.
I was at Hunter 2 years ago and I decided to take one more run after it started getting icey. I didn't catch an edge but couldn't stop on a turn off the Belt Parkway and slammed head first into the wall on a curve. I was going pretty fast and couldn't stop. I saw my life blink in front of me as I was headed for that wall.

As I was pinned up against that wall with my feet up in the air (while in agonizing pain) I started to think about life and my future. Is this shit worth it? Why the eff am I doing this? I'm too old and fat for this sport....etc. Just a lot of negative thoughts came to my mind. It took me about 20 minutes to gather myself and make my way out of there. I slowly made my way down the mountain and back to the bar to meet up with friends.

This was the first day of a 2 day trip with my buddies. I was walking with a limp, had bruises all over my body and one nasty headache. I really did not want to go back out on that mountain the next day.

After breakfast the next morning I wasn't sure about what I wanted to do. Sit in the lobby while all of my friends were out on that mountain or go back on that mountain and give it another shot? I said fuck it. I paid all this money for this and I'm not going to sit around while my buddies are having a good time. I went back out there and I was fine within a half hour.

I realized a few things about snowboarding. Try to ride with a few buddies. I was alone when I crashed but if something bad were to have happened I want someone looking for me. Try to avoid crappy/icy conditions. Don't over do it. If you feel like you got a lot of runs in for the day and are pretty tired then call it a day. That one extra run could get you hurt. Wear lots of protection like knee pads, elbow pads, crash pads, and possibly a full body armor. I have all of that shit. I am not taking any chances.

I would recommend that you take a day or two to think about it. If you feel it is too dangerous and not worth it then just walk away from it for a while. This is a dangerous sport and could be life threatening. There are more important things in this world other than snowboarding.

Good luck.

Noreaster

Yes, sure. Thought about it in the beginning. But usually after second or third surgery these thoughts go away.

Deviant

Nope never considered quitting from a crash.

I know some of us, including myself already have lasting injuries but I don't regret any one of them and I'm willing to feel it again to keep riding. I guess it's just an individual thing though, personally I'd rather be out there doing it and taking chances than live a life of what ifs. I don't have a family/kids to support, and I can understand how that could change a persons mindset on things. Every time I've had a really bad slam with injuries the first thing on my mind and the first thing I want to do is get back out there and do it right the next time but there's nothing wrong with another person having second thoughts. To each their own.

snowklinger

Slow the fuck down.

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is it late october yet?

Jed

Nope, never considered quitting.

However, I think that first big major crash changes things for a lot of people. If it happens to you, things suddenly become a lot more serious when it comes to being smart and taking care of yourself.

Before my first big injury I never hit the gym and I took a lot of risks that I didn't need to take.

After my first surgery I started working on regularly and I try to be smarter about which risks I take and how I can limit my risk while learning.

If you love snowboarding, the big crashes and injuries won't stop you, instead they'll make you a smarter, safer rider.

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tdn

I've experienced some very close calls, mostly near death - only one comes to mind where I thought for a bit that I might be paralyzed. The near death ones made me appreciate my hobbies all the more (this sensation is short lived, as I quickly become complacent again), the one where I thought I may be paralyzed made me hope that my loved ones would pull the plug if they had the opportunity (I thought I might have been paralyzed from the neck down). What has changed is that I am now willing to push myself all the more while I have little concern or worries, to live with very little or no fear unconquered. If I have children however, I plan on toning it down quite a bit, for I am a product of a parent who was far more concerned with aspirations than parenthood. I won't follow that same path. So while I'm independent without dependents, ride on.

oldmate

Op, that sounds like a real nasty fall. I pray I never have a fall like that.

My only major fall was when I'd been riding about 4 weeks in total. Was up the top of Lake Louise trying to keep up with a mate who was more skilled than I on a really icy section. Not off the top of the gondola, the lift to the skiers right, can't remember what it's called. Anyway, I was on my toe edge and managed to clip his board at a decent speed and managed to slam my head into the ice. (Wasn't wearing a helmet) for a split second I thought my days of riding were over. My mate suggested we go to the lodge and grab a band aid. I realised when riding down that wouldn't be enough as blood was streaming down my jacket. Got stitches that arvo, bought a helmet and was back into it the next day. Nasty black eye for the rest of my trip tho.

I'm always really fearful of taking a fall that ends my days of snowboarding. I guess that's why I'm not big on park. I think i'd rather take a fall that kills me, than to never be able to ride again.