This isn't a post for sympathy in the slightest, more a plee from my personal experience such that the same doesn't happen to you or your buddies. I feel I now have a obligation to spread the word, as we should learn something from every experience.
This past Saturday @ Snowshoe, over the last rock in the woods on the race course just before the lift I made a mistake and went over the bars. I've done that feature many times before without incident and I don't remember what I did wrong.
I landed on my head and it hurt like hell. Lesson #1 to other riders, if you or your buddies have any instant numbness anywhere, DO NOT GET UP and DO NOT MOVE. Let the medics board you and take you away. This lesson came from a Neurologist at WVU. I instantly had and still have numbness in my thumb, index finger, and birdie finger. This is a sign that something isn't right with your nerves and could be a sign of something far worse. I was told I made the mistake of getting up and walking down the remainder of the trail and was lucky that I didn't fall down at any point during that short walk.
I fractured my C6 and C7 vertebrae. I was VERY lucky (per the Docs) that I am not paralyzed.
Lesson #2 and the reason for this post. I do have and was not wearing my Leatt when this happened. PLEASE GUYS, I know that I don't know each of you personally, but please buy and please wear a Leatt or something similar. My experience is proof that anything can happen on the smallest of features on the trail. The cost and discomfort is so minor compared to the alternative.
Thanks for the opp to share my experience.
Jay
BTW, I was planning on going to the Nats Qual this weekend with my camera, but I won't be able to attend. Good luck to each of you and I want to see pics where each rider is wearing the proper protection devices!
This past Saturday @ Snowshoe, over the last rock in the woods on the race course just before the lift I made a mistake and went over the bars. I've done that feature many times before without incident and I don't remember what I did wrong.
I landed on my head and it hurt like hell. Lesson #1 to other riders, if you or your buddies have any instant numbness anywhere, DO NOT GET UP and DO NOT MOVE. Let the medics board you and take you away. This lesson came from a Neurologist at WVU. I instantly had and still have numbness in my thumb, index finger, and birdie finger. This is a sign that something isn't right with your nerves and could be a sign of something far worse. I was told I made the mistake of getting up and walking down the remainder of the trail and was lucky that I didn't fall down at any point during that short walk.
I fractured my C6 and C7 vertebrae. I was VERY lucky (per the Docs) that I am not paralyzed.
Lesson #2 and the reason for this post. I do have and was not wearing my Leatt when this happened. PLEASE GUYS, I know that I don't know each of you personally, but please buy and please wear a Leatt or something similar. My experience is proof that anything can happen on the smallest of features on the trail. The cost and discomfort is so minor compared to the alternative.
Thanks for the opp to share my experience.
Jay
BTW, I was planning on going to the Nats Qual this weekend with my camera, but I won't be able to attend. Good luck to each of you and I want to see pics where each rider is wearing the proper protection devices!
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