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Ever had an injury or crash that made you consider quitting?

15K views 64 replies 42 participants last post by  Crankthat 
#1 ·
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?
 
#4 ·
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.
 
#6 ·
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.
 
#8 ·
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.
 
#9 ·
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.
 
#10 ·
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.
 
#11 ·
I've had one crash which I did stop riding for. It's been years and years and I'm going to try to get back on my board this season but take it easy. This first year was because I physically could not get back on my board. This rest has been a mental block.

After spending weeks in a hospital and having symptoms for about a year, it just wasn't worth it. Don't get me wrong, I loved snowboarding and still love it very, very much. However, being a firefighter is much more important to me. Getting severely hurt snowboarding again would be absolutely devastating to me and my goals at this point in my life.
 
#12 ·
What was the injury alaric?

I broke my leg in Jan and had surgery the same day. I could not wait to gets on the board again. 9 weeks later I got back on it. I didn't want to wait, just to get over that mental block before the season ended. I got 10 more days in before the season finished. I have been injured multiple times and have had a few good high speed wipe outs. I keep a short term and long term disability policy as well as life insurance. That STd policy sure did help in Jan.....

I ride a litle more in control and am more calculating with my rides and I will no longer ride if I'm not feeling 95% physically and mentally.... I coule have 50 days this year but I have held myself off the mountain if I'm tired or feel slightly ill. Still have 35 days of riding in.

Play it safe for a while, tone down your riding. Push yourself to get over that mental block. Remember you can die doing what you love or getting hit by a drunk driver tonight.... When it's your time, it's your time
 
#15 ·
Double shoulder dislocation, kept going. Broken wrist, kept going. Broken hand, kept going. Broken leg, kept going. Broken feet, kept going. Ruptured spleen, kept going. Heart restarted, kept going.

Lifestyle>recreationalist. I will literally do this shit till I am fucking dead. Jobs come and go, as do people in your life, personal happiness is all that matters.
 
#17 ·
I broke my ankle years ago and was so sad I could not snowboard. I could not wait to ride again. I have had some other nasty falls where I got concussions. Those falls scared the crap out of me. I thought I was going to die a couple of years ago because I cartwheeled down a double black at Breckenridge. I was so lucky, but I had a concussion. I actually closed my eyes because i did not think I was going to stop cartwheeling. I did not ride for a week after that because my neck and back were very sore. I took a week off this season to due to a scary fall.

I don't think about quitting, but my cocky 3rd season gnar dissipated. I became more cautious and slower.
 
#23 ·
I had back surgery when I was 19 after riding 3-4 days a week for 6 years. I ruptured a disc somehow. I think it's from catching so many back edges at high speeds. Doc said not to ride again. I ended up riding that winter from 1998-2002. Then I ended up casing a 100ft roller. I did a tri-mecular fracture, where you break all 3 bones connecting your ankle to your foot. I needed surgery and was in the hospital for 9 days. Normally they just fuse your foot to your ankle. I had a new doc and he was able to keep some front to back movement. Barely no side to side movement though. Doc said I'll never ride again.

I just bought new stuff and I'm riding again this year at 34 after not riding for 10 years.
 
#24 ·
Never though of quitting. Seperated both AC joints in the shoulders, dislocated elbow, hit a tree and got stiches in my face. I broke my fibula and dislocated my ankle last year mountain biking and missed last season.

Funny thing is, those snowboard injuries happened when I was progressing lol. The ankle, well it happened just from falling off the bike and stepping down. That's what pissed me off about it. Now I ended up gaining like 15 pounds since the injury. I gained 7 pounds of muscle trying to work out now.

I definitely avoid the 'last' run of the day. I just dont wanna risk it at the end of the day when my legs are shot. I dislocated my elbow up at Windham mountain and crashed into a tree at Hunter. No more last 'icy' run for me man...lol

I just wanna ride so bad now. So no quitting. Just trying to ride smarter, healthier and hopefully using some wisdom thrown in there with a little bit of luck.
 
#30 ·
I have NEVER thought about quitting snowboarding for any reason. Had some bad crashes that made me stop and think about toning it down a bit, but then I go out and push myself again the next day out.

It's just one of those things, on a snowboard I feel alive...

The worst moments for me are when I crash HARD in the off-piste and I'm alone. There are some times where I think "FUCK... I need help!" but usually I just sit up and breath for a bit. Let the oxygen do it's thing and then I'm back in business.

I hurt my neck on Sunday. Came down a chute I've been meaning to hit for years, and I was STOKED. I started taking more chances once back in the bowl, and getting more air off natural features. Well I went off one feature not realizing that it was a 10 ft deep gully I was leaping over. I landed on the opposite face and got an instant headache, hurt neck, and it felt like somebody had punched me in the jaw. For a second I just sat there dazed and thought my day was done... I decided to just breathe it out. Took my time, relaxed, and a couple mins later got up and continued my day and weekend. My neck was a little sore on the drive home the day after, but I think I was actually better off continuing vs. stopping and seizing up! :dizzy:
 
#31 ·
I just rode for the first time in 10 years after my surgery. My thighs and calves are sore. I did good though riding regular and switch. Only crashed like 3 times and two were off a hip. My bad ankle hurts a bit but not too bad. We'll see how my body feels tomorrow and the next day :)
 
#39 ·
I can relate to this topic, past Saturday was ending my run at Brian head when I navigated to a soft patch of snow. I was doing a toe turn and end up getting caught in the patch, I stumbled and landed face first. Thanks to a helmet no head injuries but my right leg twisted and felt like I broke a bone. Layer their for five mins and quickly got up walking all the way down. I first did some research and thought it was acl or some ligament tore which I'm highly doubting due to my physical interaction with the right leg. I still can't pivot my leg but because my knees are bruised. Which doesn't allow me to lock my leg. Hopefully it ain't bad and ill wait a few days or a week. I natural allow healing stages before seeing a doctor.
 
#40 ·
Never have i ever considered quitting... ive been tomahawked head over heals wincing in pain, but ive been fortunate enough to never have been injured on a snowboard... (knock on wood) now... on a football field? thats a totally different story... BUT it is the same mindset. Broke 3 ribs, tore my mcl, broke my arm, separated my shoulders multiple times, broke all 10 fingers, broke both hands.... Ive been doing it for 12 years, i went to college to prolong my career... 3 years from now when its all said and done will be the saddest time of my life...
If you fall get back up and try again... If it hurts take a minute to regroup, if it still hurts after a few minutes get back up finish the run, and go see firstaid... but if you can avoid it never take the ride of shame in the gurney!
 
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