Folks.
Some people’s worse nightmare became a reality for me on the 23rd of September, I broke my back (3 vertebras L2, T4 & T5)… 6 weeks in hospital, some titanium and a lot of pain later I can walk.
I didn’t break it Kitesurfing, I did it paragliding. But I was really looking forward to the season starting… What’s it been like around Sydney? It looked pretty good from the hospital window around October, and then it calmed down. And then on boxing day I wished I was at Brighton.
Anyway has anyone else broken their back? If so how long was it before you started kiting again? I know I can only answer the question as to when I’ll be ready, but a goal always helps.
Good air.
Funny, I split my coccyx doing motocross... damn thing would swell up and hurt on and off for 10 years.
My L2 completely shattered, so they removed the body and put in a titanium cage to fuse L1-L3.
The 10hr surgery did more damage than the accident. Woke up with my right leg paralyzed. I’m still numb in large parts of the right leg, hip and waist.
I swim a bit, I’m up to 2km in the pool. Hydrotherapy helped a lot.
I’m not giving up, my plan is to start kiting in February, then use a 7ft surf board with a smaller kite to discourage myself from jumping, and if I do I’ll land with my feet in the water instead of the board.
I'm not even going to give up paragliding, although I may pass on the Manilla comp this year.
Thanks.
Select to expand quote"But where the spine breaks it is usually stronger, I never had to have titanium, but then it was different times, and different diferences!!"
Goodwinds
Steve
Steve
Please stick to discussing kite gear. How can you possibly understand the details of his spinal injury?
Where the titanium screws and plates have been inserted, there will indeed be a loss of flexibility, so that adjacent non fixed spinal column comes under increased and abnormal stress in the case of future impact. That is, NO IT IS NOT STRONGER. THERE IS INCREASED FUTURE RISK OF INJURY.
Yes, your philosophy is good, and you are right, strengthening core muscles is the way to go.
Flysurfer, sorry to hear about your injury. I am certain you are exploring this forum for any positive news ..... but be careful who you listen to. Your orthopod or neurosurgeon will have given you the most reliable advise already.
Be careful of one thing, attitude:
"The 10hr surgery did more damage than the accident. Woke up with my right leg paralyzed. I’m still numb in large parts of the right leg, hip and waist."
Given the fact you can even walk or feel your Willie, the care you received was a triumph. 20 years ago that type of surgery was simply impossible, and all you could have looked forward to was a wheel chair. Yes there are risks and complications of surgery. But maybe we should think about it before WE get on the bike, launch the kite, or fly off the hill.
Did you crash getting off Mt Borah? Let me guess ..... southern launch, gusty and thermal??
Anyway mate, don't rush back to kiting, do the exercise as if your life depended on it, and be patient. Good luck.
Select to expand quotegasman said...
"But where the spine breaks it is usually stronger, I never had to have titanium, but then it was different times, and different diferences!!"
Goodwinds
Stevegasman said...
Steve
Please stick to discussing kite gear. How can you possibly understand the details of his spinal injury?
Where the titanium screws and plates have been inserted, there will indeed be a loss of flexibility, so that adjacent non fixed spinal column comes under increased and abnormal stress in the case of future impact. That is, NO IT IS NOT STRONGER. THERE IS INCREASED FUTURE RISK OF INJURY.
Yes, your philosophy is good, and you are right, strengthening core muscles is the way to go.
Flysurfer, sorry to hear about your injury. I am certain you are exploring this forum for any positive news ..... but be careful who you listen to. Your orthopod or neurosurgeon will have given you the most reliable advise already.
Be careful of one thing, attitude:
"The 10hr surgery did more damage than the accident. Woke up with my right leg paralyzed. I’m still numb in large parts of the right leg, hip and waist."
Given the fact you can even walk or feel your Willie, the care you received was a triumph. 20 years ago that type of surgery was simply impossible, and all you could have looked forward to was a wheel chair. Yes there are risks and complications of surgery. But maybe we should think about it before WE get on the bike, launch the kite, or fly off the hill.
Did you crash getting off Mt Borah? Let me guess ..... southern launch, gusty and thermal??
Anyway mate, don't rush back to kiting, do the exercise as if your life depended on it, and be patient. Good luck.
Hey Gasman
Chill mate. Where did I say ignore the advice of your doctor or surgeon?
I was giving the guy some encouragement, which from my personal experience I am sure he will need, and he was obviously looking for it too, or he would not have posted asking to hear from other survivors of spinal injury.
Also, he posted additional info after my reply, which you seem to have factored in to your reply to my initial response, so maybe you can just relax a bit hmm?
I have not had a fusion, but I know of people who have and also my surgeon discussed the option with me, as I had a choice, and it was 20 something years ago as well. Flysurfer had no choice, but obviously had a great surgeon!.
How can you categorically state, that in every single instance, a persons spine, either side of a fusion, could not be as strong as a normal spine?
Or that the fused vertebra are not stronger than an individual vertebrae?
My advice still stands, do core fitness exercise, remain as flexible as possible via stetching and enjoy kiting within your limits Flysurfer, for as long as possible! 
Gasman have you had spinal injury?
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
Steve, if you read my reply carefully, my objection is that you imply that once you have a break it will mend more strongly. This is simply a dangerous generalisation. Spines are to be respected.
Yes I can categorically say that once you have major metal work / fusion, the adjacent areas are always, without exception, more liable to injury. Your spine normally has flexibility throughout it, so stress is diffused / absorbed progressively. If one area is fixed, all it can do in the instance of further insult is transmit that stress to the adjacent transitional area. The "normal" tissue gets ripped away from the "fixed". So you end up having a more extensive fusion required.
I speak here as one who has spent many long evenings in operating theaters taking care of those who have suffered such injuries (sic. Gasman). It's why I don't like to see loose and partially incorrect advice being disseminated.
I also reiterate that your other advise re philosophy and core exercise is correct and worthy.
Chill?? We have 25kn outside, I'm just going out for the second session of the day. How's the wind in NSW?
Hey Flysurfer,
I broke my back back on 21st August 2000 at 11.25am. why am I so precise???
Because it is something I know you will understand along with others who have also been through trauma.(You NEVER Forget)
I broke mine Skydiving. Hooked in, caught Turbulance off the Hangars and the Canopy shut down when I went into a FULL Flare. Threw me straight into the ground at around 35 knots from tree height.
Broke L3, L4, and L5 ( Completely shattered L4 & L5) Had Pins put in for about year and a half and bone grafts.
Also Broken PELVIS, Plated on top and front.
Also Shattered Hip (When I bounced) all of left hip is synthetic.
Now I have always been fit and into sports and it is people like US! that usually get back to some sort of normality, Why? because we are "Adrenelin junkies"
I went back to the gym and built up my muscles around my back and core muscles(abs etc), I actually looked better than before. But looks are deceiving, I am still in pain and I know I will for the remainder of my life. But s*&t happens! and NEVER say NEVER, you just grit your teeth and get on with it.
I have never jumped again (wife thing) she went through hell while I was in hospital and healing and I was lucky she was there for support.
I consider myself lucky to be alive for one, and second: Doctors said I am lucky to be walking. But these days I Windsurf (Not very Good) and I have just started Kitesurfing (Not very good). The important thing that I can say is: like NIKE "Just Do It" Don't give up because of pain, work through it.
Do yourself a HUGE Favour: Get into the gym and build yourself up, you won't regret it. And YES set yourself small achievable goals.
My L3 and L4 have moved 13mm, got 2 more mills till they think it will be rubbing against my spinal cord.
Im a builder by trade, they pretty much told me to look for a new career, etc.
Ive found since kiting the pressure on my back has been less then before, also found swimming helped alot!
I did mine simply bending over to pick up my shoes, as when i ws 10 i snapped both my hips at the growth plates resulting in 2 titanium rods, and was told that id have back problems later in life, they were on the money!!
.
Yeah DP & Kite Pwr, we all have some story to tell. But what I see 99% of the time is the same thing. That people who recover the BEST are those who just get on with it and don't try to let it interfere with what your passion is.
As far as never forgetting my accident, well I would rather keep it in mind so I know how lucky I am to still be here. Keeps it all real for me. We all have our ways of dealing with things, I guess you have to find what works for you.
Don't just live on the edge! " Jump off it"
Yeeha!!!!
But what I see 99% of the time is the same thing. That people who recover the BEST are those who just get on with it and don't try to let it interfere with what your passion is.
Thank you all for your encouraging words.
Gasman: I did it at Port Kembla (Wollongong) beach soaring, I was never more than 2m of the deck, went too far out came back with a tail wind trying to get back in to the lift zone when my bum/harness impacted on a rock/bolder around 60-75cL in size. So it was a horizontal impact at around 60km/h. If you're a member of the HGFA you can see my accident report in the December issue of Soaring.
The general consensus seems to be that where a bone breaks, calcification strengthens the area. And in the case of fusions you have the titanium + the natural bone bridging. think of a chain and welding 3 links together, it's probably going to be a little stronger than a single link, but it does mean that the lower and upper are more vulnerable.
Crashtest: Wow. So did they remove the pins, were they inside? Have you got any nerve damage?
This is what's in me now: http://www.ebimedical.com/products/detail.cfm?p=09020F or www.ebimedical.com/pdf/fixation/tps_tl.pdf
Dr's said I was also very lucky to be walking, and after seeing the x-ray's I have to agree. Apart from the extensive numbness, my right foot doesn't perspire anymore. But as you know all one can do is grin and bear it. I'm not sure what time mine happened, but I'll never forget the day, and I was conscious through the whole thing, and awake during the night in pain and listening to 100db snoring.
Did you lose a lot of muscle? I went from 90kg down to 70kg in hospital, and now I'm around 81kg. instead of going to the gym I want to build muscle doing something I enjoy like kiting or swimming/free diving.
One thing I believe now, is that you can't avoid s*&t happening. you can reduce risks, but then maybe some disease or a brain aneurism will get you, plus adrenalin keeps you young.
Juz M: if kiting helps, have you considered an inversion rack. they're $160 new on ebay. helps me a little.
Thank you all.
Wow flysurfer, thats some serious hardware you have in your spine!!! The actual injury sounds terrible too, you were incredibly fortunate, your fate was to keep walking but to also have your daily and ongoing pain/reality intesifier.
Yeah, the memories never really go away, but they do fade, especially when you find ways to fill your life with other (non harmful to others) pleasures, humour, and joy. Kiting is all of that and more for me, and I hope it can be for you too.
If not, life inevitably gives you what you need to keep growing inside.
Only use a bow kite, one that has heaps of depower at the bar, like a CB3/SB3/T2/etc
Good idea on the inversion machine, I used to have one and it helped me, so I might investigate them again, I'm sure they have improved.
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
Lucky my pecker still works
I actually break out in a sweat for no reason now, don't know if this is normal either!!!!
Hey Flysurfer
The mechanism of your injury is frightening. Coastal soaring seems so fun and inconsequential at the time .... always good self preservation to read about other's accidents.
Did you fly first or kitesurf?
I ask because my own back is f'ked, so I only do waves and have stopped freestyle .... so I have turned to flying instead. I avoided flying previously because of incidents of spinal injury ....
maybe out of the frying pan into the fire? Still, you need some reason to get up in the morning, eh?
My gut feeling is that with time, as you get stronger and your body repairs ..... you'll be able to enjoy the surfboard, but there will always be a limit. (It's called pain, over the next few days). But a great flight is still there for you.
Soft landings!
Gasman
Crashtest: I felt a tingly electric shock down my legs, then great difficulty breathing and a lot of pain in my kidneys or back... when I felt the tingly feeling in my legs I knew I seriously f**ked up, but I didn’t think I had done so much damage.
My harness has 17cm of impact foam, plus the impact didn’t stop me, it was a point of pivot… ended up with my face on some rocks (no damage), also broke some ribs, which hurt more than the back for the first 3 days, as they had me in a tight brace (couldn’t breath).
If I had hit the rock with no protection at 60k’s I might not be here… the REAL pisser is that all I had to do was turn in to wind to slow myself right down as it was blowing around 18kt… I didn’t turn cos I thought I could get to the lift zone, and I would have lost a lot of height in the turn, and probably wouldn't have completed it.
Having to go back to hospital must have been tough for you… surgery did a lot of damage to me and I aint going back. Surprisingly I’m not FUBAR’ed, the Mrs thinks I put on an act to get out of chores… all I’ve got visibly is a large scar on my left side where the surgeon went in, and some deep scratches they did; inside’s a different story. I get a strange profuse sweat on my bum every time I need to go to the toilet, and I didn’t fare so well with the pecker… it works but not as it used to, so no kids for the time being. But I believe I will regain all sensation soon, I’ve come a long way (I’m thinking of getting back to kiting); may have to stop Brazilian Jui Jitsu though :(.
You still on pain medication? I’m down to 20mg of oxycodone and 300mg of gabapentin, I think the opioids made me lose the weight. OH, and I know what giving birth with a broken back feels like! -- A warning to ALL, if you’re on a lot of opioids take lots of fluids, fruits and fiber or you will REALLY regret it.
When I get down, I just have to watch the “News” to know I haven’t got it so bad.
If you’re ever down in Sydney let me know and we can have a beer.
Gasman: Rule #1- Always fly in to wind. I started kiting 1st, but as soon as I started boosting big, I longed for more and more hang time, so the next level was paragliding. This was the first PG accident I’ve had. In Manilla I’ve landed hard and going backwards but I’ve never had even a scratch… still haven’t, ha ha. I’ve torn my rotocuff, and had many scratches and bumps kiting.
I know 3 people who have fractured their backs paragliding, none kiting. The most serious of the 3, got ragdoll'ed by a dust devil waiting to launch… he gave me an extender grip while I was in hospital; the single most useful item I’ve had.
But it’s like I say, you can’t avoid s**t happening… saw on the “News” yesterday a cyclist had emergency brain surgery after an accident. Enough people break their backs playing football. I just wish I had continuance insurance, so that I didn’t have to return to work so soon… lying in bed all day with a laptop aint so bad, and with the pain killers I don’t even feel the back, until I move.
Happy New Year Everybody!
Hi Flysurfer, in early 2004 I fractured c5,6,7 and T1 fractured shoulder blade and broken ankle which now has 2 40mm screws in it. I had a Halo brace on for 2 months. Recovery was long but keep positive, plenty of time down the gym building up your strength. I was back sailing within 10 months. Stretching is good and I also have an inversion machine called a Bioflex made in Oz ph1300 135596. This is great as it helps relax the spine and stretch it
Yep ...... saw "side show' at the club last night ...lookin a bit different having exchanged the dreadlocks for a metal halo, good to see him up and walking after breaking his neck just before xmas at Brighton. This is another top bloke down at the moment, I hope we see him back this year at least.
It was 24th sep 2005, lovely day to get one last ski trip to Mt buller in before the end of the season....
2 runs later & i am homeward bound in a chopper
Shattered T5 & T6, i now have clamps & screws into my spine above & below & rods between. But i was outta there in 10 days & back at work 8 weeks from the date of injury so i think i got lucky!!!
juggler: not bad.
That's a lot of metal for T5 and T6, I count it covers 11 vertebras.
What's your flexibility like?
8 weeks and back at work is lucky... I still have difficulty sitting for more than a couple hours. I went back after 10 weeks, but I'm only doing 1/2days.
At least yours looks neat and symmetrical.
My most recent xrays: (My back was as straight as backs come prior to the surgery, but I'm sure it's not wonky any more cos as soon as I saw the below I realized I was walking wonky and started walking wonky the other way, and now I don't walk wonky... and the Mrs says its straight)
fitz66: bioflex (http://www.bioflexbackcare.com/bioflex_advantage.htm) looks pretty comfy, with mine my ankles start to hurt after 5 mins.
Hi Flysurfer, I broke my neck in C2(peg fracture) and C6 and back in T3 on September last year whilst windsurfing. I wore a HALO until early December, then a soft neck brace in December and I will be starting physio tomorrow. I should be back at work early Feb. I will make a full recovery except for some slight numbness in some fingers and toes. The C2 vertabrae peg basically holds your head onto your spine via C1, so if it broke all the way through it would have been hasta la vista for me. As far as mended bones being as strong as b4 ? My neurosurgeon says my vertabrae should have about 95% strength as b4.
I was extremely lucky. I plan to do gym work to get my neck really strong before sailing again. You can read my full post under Windsurfing > GPS & Speedsailing under the topic "Break Neck Sailing".
All the best in your recovery, take care and take it slow, I would recommend finding a very good physio if not already and a lot of excercise to build up the muscles you need to. And take care !!! Life is precious and every day for me now is a fantastic bonus
By the way there was another kitsurfer injured yesterday on Gold Coast but appears very luckyhttp://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23024199-29277,00.html
