[roberts]

I am current out with a fractured rib. The down time got me thinking about how many serious injuries I've had since I started hardcore DH in summer 2000.

My definition of serious is an injury that keeps you from doing anything physical for at least a week.

I want to know people's level of riding, the year they started and the # of fairly serious injuries.

I have podiumed expert races. Injuries: Broken heel, 14 staples in arm split open on rock, severely sprained/internally torn fingers (doctor not sure), major concussion (cat scan), minor concussion, fractured rib, sprained neck (lucky not to be paralyzed).

 

[Kntr]

Ive been riiding since 98. Ive only had a third degree sprained ankle and a slight concussion.

 

[dhfalife]

Riding since 98/99ish
Sprained ankles, badly... a couple times, the right one never healed properly.
Recurring problem with right knee...might not be directly related to DH
Concussions, never any that would be considered "severe" (not that any consussion is "ok."
Hairline fractured pelvis. Pretty minor, but painful.
Torn ligaments in neck
Crushed 2 vertabrae, pretty badly as it turns out...Lucky not to be paralyzed, out of commission for awhile, and a day doesn't go by without some sort of pain from it.

 

[BRIANBUELL]

Racing since 03 yet riding all my life.
Sprained ankle
Large cuts and bruises
Head
broken thumb
and a slight case of ED
I guess i'm kinda lucky or i just know how to crash becuase i do fall! Do you guys know what body armor is?

 

[ride_fast]

Racing sience 03 been riding for ever-
hurt my knee
broken thumb + pinky finger
like 2 minor concusions
hit stomach which resulted in throghing up
besides those nothing that bad. Body armor is GOOD. i dont understand why some people do use it for DH

 

[black noise]

Racing since 04, riding for a long time.
Tons of sprains, cuts, bruises
Huge (huge) swollen purple/red/yellow bruise on my thigh
Severely bruised muscle in my lower back
Broken collarbone
Crash on the same collarbone that almost broke it again, but messed up everything around it so it took 6-8 weeks to heal anyway

I feel pretty lucky considering many have been way more injured than me. Body armor is a good thing, and fullface helmets.

 

[roberts]

Agreed. Body armor rules. If my accident occurred at a ski resort, I would not be injured. But it happened at my local hill that I've ridden 500 times. Thus, jeans, long sleeves and a half shell. I just got a half shell this year. Before that, full face only.

 

[Rip]

Let's see...

Back
3 concussions
Broke my left hand twice in two years
ACL tear
Right shoulder is a POS
Nerve damage in my left hand from the first time I broke my left hand.
Left wrist.
Broken right foot.
Several broken ribs throughout life so far.

It's hard to forget some of these when it is damp and cold out.

 

[BigMike]

This thread is kind of making me wonder if its all worth it.

wait, OF COURSE IT IS!

Seriously riding FR and racing DH since '03
Broken Collarbone
Broken nose
Broken Hand
Bruised Ribs
Concussion
And the most painful and devistating injury i've ever had, I destroyed the PCL in my left knee

 

[Percy]

Riding DH since 97, but XC since 92.

Bruised/ cracked ribs and kidney.
Minor concussion.
Squashed muscles in left shoulder so it doesnt work properly anymore.
Prolapsed L5/ S1 disc requiring surgery last Monday, no riding till June.

The last one really sucks, Im going mad with boredom as it happened mid January!!

 

[Mike Buell]

Started riding big wheels about when I learned to walk, bikes at about 2, took my training wheels of when I was 3, spent my whole life on bikes. Started racing DH seriously in 04, Dirt Bikes and Extreem Skiing as well for years.
That I can remenber I have never had a serious injury by your definition (out for atleast a week). I've spent my whole life bruised, bloody, in pain and sore, but now that I think of it I have been extreemly lucky.
The closest i've been to nocking my self out for a period of time on a bike would of been this summer when my bursa sack in by elbow swelled up to the size of a football, still raced that day and the next, then took 3 days off.
Personally I've come a lot closer to serious injury skiing, my current sore neck reminds me of this.
Don't worry i've been nocking on wood the whole time i've been writing this post, luck is important.
Weight Training however I feel is the most important injury prevention tool. I'm almost possitive I wouldn't of made it through this whole last season had it not been for years of conditioning in the weight room.

Oh yeah and I tend not to go to the doctor, so If its not confirmed sprained broken a concusion etc. it doesn't count right?

 

[DHanamal]

Did my first DH race in 2001.
I'm out with a broken pinky right now. Pretty pathetic that a dumb finger like that keeps you from riding. Other than that, I've broken a thumb and separated a shoulder. The shoulder destroyed my summer 2002, it took forever to get rid of the nagging pain.

 

[Netguy]

Riding DH since 2003, never raced.

Strained muscles around shoulder (2 months)
The usual cuts and road rash here and there.
1 or 2 good wrecks each year.

 

[sayndesyn]

riding dh for 2 years, raced xc from 97 to 01. Broken leg in 2 places, bone floating in ankle, torn ankle ligaments, 60 stitches or so, 2 minor concussions I think... Can't remember. hahaha. Fun stuff