[WBC]

So a buddy of mine for many years just found out today his injured neck is indeed broken. I don't know the details, but considering he is still walking, I have to assume it was a fractured vertibrae. Nonetheless, he is pretty mashed up, thinking a lot of his future of being a firefighter and outdoors enthusiast has changed or been cancelled. He's only 18 and he is a mountainbiker, albeit the injury was not biking related.

Anyway, I know Shaums broke his neck and is still ripping it up top notch, but if there were any stories or links to stories of people who have had similar injuries and pulled through and prevailed, I'm sure it would really help his emotional progress and keep his head up through this obviously tough time.

Thank you!!

-Pat

 

[BigMike]

holy crap! He broke his neck? How did he do that?

Sorry, I dont have any links, but I hope youre friend feels better!

 

[Wumpus]

Full trucker has a plate and a couple of screws in his neck:

 

[bibs]

Hey Pat,

I breoke my neck racing BMX as a kid. I full on crushed 3 vertabrea and cracked a few more. I ad surgery to fuse it all together and some Ti and I was in the hospital for 11 days , had a HALO and all. It took me many years to get back, but I race DH and everything else now. I was lucky to have full movment and Im fine so far. My major help was never thinking about the bad things that could have happened and tried to make myself better.....not to be weird but I belive the mind can do alot of healing and not to get psyched out!

Cory

 

[Motionboy2]

Full trucker has a plate and a couple of screws in his neck:
]

Actually his is more his assneck...about halfway between his ass and his neck. Although he is still racing and ripping... He also wrote a story in Flow an issue or two ago that was pretty inspirational. The artical was on a photo I took...

In that photo both mike and steve have now had broken backs and are doing the same jumping, evan broke his back on that jump and is still jumping. I am not going to say that any of them had it easy. They all had pain and recovery and I think they all have some effect from their breaks but it doesnt stop them
Read the new decline. Steve wentz broke his back and was dirt jumping again in only a few months! He is truely an inspirational story..

 

[Ciaran]

Hey Pat,

I breoke my neck racing BMX as a kid. I full on crushed 3 vertabrea and cracked a few more. I ad surgery to fuse it all together and some Ti and I was in the hospital for 11 days , had a HALO and all. It took me many years to get back, but I race DH and everything else now. I was lucky to have full movment and Im fine so far. My major help was never thinking about the bad things that could have happened and tried to make myself better.....not to be weird but I belive the mind can do alot of healing and not to get psyched out!

Cory

Dude, you had a halo?! Dang man... you got lucky. Glad you're walking! I think that lots of people do not walk again after an injury that requires a halo. You rock, man.

Pat - I hope your friend is OK. Sending good thoughts out his way.

 

[El Jefe]

I broke my back a few years ago- crushed my T-6 vertebrae. I had some mild nuimbness and tingling for a little while, but no permanent disability.

Steve Wentz (team Turner Honda) focked up his back beyond belief at Mammoth (NORBA Championships) last fall and he's back in action.

A busted neck or back isn't necessarily going to result in paralysis or permanent disability. Hopefully he'll be just fine. Good luck to him.

 

[bibs]

Dude, you had a halo?! Dang man... you got lucky. Glad you're walking! I think that lots of people do not walk again after an injury that requires a halo. You rock, man.

Pat - I hope your friend is OK. Sending good thoughts out his way.

thanks bro, yea a halo sucks! I broke c-4 c-5 c-6

pat- I realy hope your bro is ok , best wishes! tell him to think positive...it will help!

 

[sleepinggiant]

Wow, you broke c-4, 5, and 6 and suffered no cord dammage? Thats amazing. Way to go and stick with a sport that did that to you. Best wishes for your friend Pat. Just stay positive.

 

[bibs]

Wow, you broke c-4, 5, and 6 and suffered no cord dammage? Thats amazing. Way to go and stick with a sport that did that to you. Best wishes for your friend Pat. Just stay positive.

if I was at home I would show you some pics, but I am at work. I crushed them completely, i couldnt move for 5 days. They took bone from my hip to fuse it all together. The doctor that did my surgery, also did the Seattle seahawk that was in a car accident. It took me many years to get back, and Im still scared a bit..but getting better and better.
I couldnt not get back into it! I love bikes! Djs scare me a bit, but Istill hit em and try t ogo bigger

 

[bibs]

I broke my back a few years ago- crushed my T-6 vertebrae. I had some mild nuimbness and tingling for a little while, but no permanent disability.

Steve Wentz (team Turner Honda) focked up his back beyond belief at Mammoth (NORBA Championships) last fall and he's back in action.

A busted neck or back isn't necessarily going to result in paralysis or permanent disability. Hopefully he'll be just fine. Good luck to him.

I met Steve last weekend, super cool guy! Im glad hes back it! He kills it in Synopsis!

 

[Tashi]

I broke t-6 and t-8 in March '04 and I'm back on the XC. If he can walk right now I'd bet he'll be OK alot quicker. I had to stay in bed 24-7 for three months, and about 18 hrs. a day for another two or three. No surgery though, I thak my lucky stars for that 'cause after everything is sorted out (stabilizer muscles mainly now) I will regain proper function of my spine, uncompromised by vertebrae fused together.

A long recovery is exceptionally taxing physically and emotionally, don't let him try to fool himself about that. Have him warn his girlfriend if he's got one, if my relationship wasn't as strong as it was going in my GF and I wouldn't have lasted.

Like I said, if he can walk around right now, and didn't know immediately that it was broken I bet he'll recover. A work of caution though, a friend of mine was in a similar situation but went back to the wakeboard, BMX, snowboard and skateboard far too early and regrets it. He already has trouble with a hard day's work (general contracting) and he's not even 25. Encourage your buddy to take his time and be exceptionally thurough or this could be a premenant handicap. With proper care though (and patience), I bet he'll be able to rip **** like before, if that's what he wants.

Surfing is the best therapy that I've found. I all of a sudden feel like I might be able to justify living on a beach and surfing for a month or two. You know, for my health!

 

[Kntr]

I slipped a disc in a motorcycle wreck and also fratured 3 verts in HS football. I have to work out a lot to not feel a lot of pain but you do what ya have to.

 

[J]

A local guy around the bay I know broke some vertabrea in his neck. He still had complete control of everything, except one more wrong fall on his head and he would be paralyzed. After looking around for many different opionions from doctors only one of them said he would be able to ride again. He got his vertabrea fused and is now ripping it up.

-J

 

[WBC]

Well, he's in a halo now and he's realllly bummed. He hasn't check this thread yet, but I'm sure he'll be stoked about the support and all the inspiration! Keep it coming!

Personally, I'm surprised how many people here have broken their necks, I didn't think it was that common!

Thank you!

 

[scurban]

I broke t-5, and t-6. I thought I was totally screwed, a month later, I was back on my bike.

My Doctor laughed at me, and said "WOW... YOU'RE REALLY LUCKY MAN!"

 

[mtbpaint]

I just read a interview with Steve Wentz and Decline mag about his very severe back injury in in this months Decline read it he got back on his bike real quick

 

[snoopz666]

crushed my t4 when i was in kamloops. still rode but it hurt like hell. didnt find out what i did till i got home. i took a month off and now im back on my bike and just fine.

 

[budgetrider]

It's good to hear a lot of stories with good outcomes. But let's remember all those that didn't do so well. Some with just a single vertebrae fracture that got pushed the wrong way and now they can't walk or worse.

WEAR A SPINEGUARD!