How to prevent common injuries

[SoFlo]

I'm wondering what are generally the most common injuries, and how most can be prevented. I know that you can bang your knees up, but you take care of that with a knee brace. But how about like your neck and shoulder specifically. Does building up your neck muscles and shoulder muscles help them to stay in place during a crash? I hear people breaking like C?'s in their neck, would really stong neck muscles help keep the neck more stable, and prevent an injury? And are muscular shoulders harder to dislocate than a scrawny one? Wearing your riding gear and stretching before riding are almost givens, so what about being muscular, does it help prevent injuries?

 

[rm_racer]

Collar bones go out on alot of people. It takes very little pressure to break the collar bone, something like 12lbs of pressure. Ive heard they are easy to break because when people put there arms straight out, the engergy is transfered to the collar bone and snap. Make sure you stretch, like you said, and do some muscle building. It will all help.

 

[SoFlo]

I broke my collarbone in May, landed on the top of a double, bottomed, and wrecked. I landed on my shoulder which I guess pressed it in. Nothing really to stop that I guess?

 

[oldguy]

Many collarbone breaks are caused by the helmet snapping it a neck roll that attaches to your chestprotecter may prevent this injury. Both my son and I have broken our collarbones this way.

Best overall preventative beyond safety equipment is to know your abilities and don't over ride them. My son altho not the fastest rider was riding beyond his level earlier this season and sufferred 2 conconsions in addition to numerous bumps and bruises. We discussed this from the perspective of one more concussion and his season was over. The decision was to back off and get faster by riding a bit slower. Sounds strange but our theory (and it seems to be working) was that at the rate he was riding when he hit a bad situation he had nothing to grasp to pull him thru it. At the reduced rate he still had a reserve of ability to often get him out of trouble. since he started this approach his results have taken a big jump and far fewer crashes
Next up is stay in topshape (I am far from this) and in addition to muscle tone be sure to maintain flexibility.

 

[R007GHST]

had load of injruied never broke my collor bone (knock on wood) but i was told by my doctor that if you work out ur choulder like put small bags of like sand and tie them to ur collor bone area and walk around it will help beef up the wimpy muscles there and help to prevent breakin + drink milk other than that there is no way to prevent a injurie unless ur in like a bubble like bubble boy

 

[FruDaddy]

The easiest way to not get injured... Don't ride. But where's the fun in that?

 

[tnrider]

The easiest way to not get injured... Don't ride. But where's the fun in that?

no, you just get injured in less "fun" or "cool" ways :(

 

[SoFlo]

The easiest way to not get injured... Don't ride. But where's the fun in that?

Yeah but that would cuase major mental damage :nod: . Riding within your abilities is a definite one though. Every time I've crashed hard I was full of myself thinking I could conquer it all. :bang:

 

[rm_racer]

Also, may sure your commited to what your doing, becasue, for example, say your going for a double, and all of a sudden you dont want to do it anymore, but your already almost at the jump, and you back right off, you could cause your self injury by casing the jump, or some one behind you, if they hit you, or have to steer around you and case or go off course. Theres been many times when I first started, and was hitting little jumps, and wasnt commited, and inbetween the time I left the jump and hit the ground, the bike some how ended up on top of me. Actually, I still do that quite a bit, with out the bike on me tho.

Dont ride over your head and have fun. :aj:

 

[TRIS]

woooowww, old thread but hey. ive only ever broken my index finger. had loads of serious crashes tho.....just lucky i guess.

 

[trial_07]

I am not flexible at all! What are some simple exercices I could do each night before going to bed on my carpet? Being flexible prevents lots of injuries, and lots of them!

 

[FruDaddy]

Stretch out really well, everything. Don't do the bouncy type stretching, but find the point where you can feel the stretch and hold it for 15-30 seconds. I would also recommend some type of martial arts program, as balance, focus, and flexibility are all very important there.

 

[trial_07]

My physical education teacher in college made us try Tai Chi and I just didn't get into it. So I'll stick to simply stretching. Balance is one of my strong points on a mx bike, on any bike.

 

[Josherichy]

um... play tennis

 

[FruDaddy]

Don't judge all by one. Every martial art form has differences. When I think of Tai Chi, I picture middle aged women swaying around on mats. Yoga would also improve flexibility, but now i'm picturing old women in strange positions, and that image needs to go away.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

FruDaddy, can I borrow that image for a few minutes?

 

[trial_07]

Haha!! Confirmed, Tai Chi is for old women! Not active enough for me.

 

[FruDaddy]

FruDaddy, can I borrow that image for a few minutes?

You can have it, it's all yours!!!