damian 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Given no one volunteer to have their wrists broken the this is the next best thing: "Concern over the rising number of wrist injuries in snowboarders inevitably lead to the question "can wrist guards help reduce the incidence of wrist injuries and fractures in particular?" Laboratory based studies were performed using cadaver arms with a wrist guard strapped to one arm but not the other (which acted as a "control"). Equipment was then set up to simulate the FOOSH situation by slamming the wrists into a solid surface with increasing force. It was found that more force was needed to break the bones of the wrists wearing guards. Moreover, in the wrists with guards on, the severity of the fractures that were sustained was less than in the control arms with no guards on " the full story is at: http://www.ski-injury.com/wrist.htm Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Interesting. But I wonder whether this extra protection for the wrists results in any transfer of the shock energy to the elbows and if so whether this transfer is significant enough to increase the incidence of elbow injuries. Just a thought. Notwithstanding, wrist guards seem like a good idea. I'm all for it. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Author Share Posted October 21, 2002 If you fall hard enough you will break something. I would prefer not to break my wrist. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Sooo... let me get this straight... wrist guards actually, er, protect the wrist? Lordy lordy, quite the revelation!!! (someone actually got PAID to do this study?) Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Markie, read the article for an answer to your question (actually, I'll save you the trouble - the author reckons not. Probably depends on the type of wrist-guard too.) DaKine wristies seem to be of the type recommended. Having seen the nice graphics of the broken bones, I'm thinking I'll be sending off for mine before the start of the wrist-breaking season. Thumbs up for posting the article deebee (giving the thumbs up is something I hope to be able to do at the end of the season too!) Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Sorry for the sarcasm, but I don't think the debate is on whether wrist guards help the wrists, just as landing on a helmet beats landing on yer melon. Having gone eight seasons w/ no protection and no injuries, i've yet to be convinced of the need for cumbersome gear. Why am I even writing this, roll on Murphy and a ninth season of busted knees, wrists and a cracked melon! Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Author Share Posted October 21, 2002 Sarcastic bugger. I hope we can all give a big thumbs up at the end of the season. Not a very pleasant topic, but how many boarders on this site?? It will be 'interesting' to see how many break a wrist this winter. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Author Share Posted October 21, 2002 A couple of choices: http://www.boardtactics.com/cat/SNOW/Protective/Wrist+Guards/ Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Thanks Ocean 11, can always rely on you for the "useful tit-bits". Link to post Share on other sites
aviemed 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 interesting debate. as a ski area doctor i hate seeing folk knocked off the snow with any sort of injury. the bottom line is that wrist guards do work, the evidence is overwhelming and the counter arguments don't hold any weight when you look at the actual facts. the likelihood of a wrist guard protecting you is much higher than that afforded by a helmet and they're cheaper too. sure the actual risk is still low but do you want to miss a season for the sake of $18.00 or so?! vested interest by the way www.ski-injury.com is my baby cheers and have a great season one and all Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 It's good that these cadavers are getting some sport in even after death. Can I volunteer my cadaver for some boarding-off-cliff experiments? But seriously, even though I have my doubts about the need for wrist guards given the way I usually fall, breaking a wrist would completely ruin my chances of earning any money for a few months. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Doc Mike Any more info on why wrist injuries are "rising"? Is that because there are simply more snowboarders? Is it because snowboarders are going faster or bigger in the park or pipe? Is it because snowboarding is becoming more popular in areas with less forgiving conditions (Scotland?)? I've seen someone break their wrist off the one-make at Hakuba 47. My own worst boarding injury came on a dry slope. In these cases at least, the circumstances are just as important as the numbers. Out of interest, compared to commercial solutions, how much protection do bothersome things like regular stretching and warming up properly give you? Link to post Share on other sites
powwwers 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 tha solution is simple. make sure you have the highest available medical insurance! that way, you can go as big and as hard as you like, knowing full well that should you come a cropper, everything will be sweeeeeeeet mayte. simple Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 That's where the problem lies. Go big OB, and you'd better be able to crawl back to the ropes, or your friendly neighbourhood insurance broker will be squirming out of paying you. Link to post Share on other sites
Raury 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Thanks for the link deebee Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 I mentioned this a while ago, but I can't really think of a time when I went down hard and thought, "whoa I could have broken my wrist!" Plenty of times have I said the same for elbow, shoulder, head, knee, leg, etc. I have also never known anyone that has injured their wrist (but I do know someone that broke a thumb). I am not disputing the validity of the injury, I just don't know if that will be the next protection I buy. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 I've heard of several cases from friends of friends and each case was the same scenario; first time out, hard, real icy conditions. Link to post Share on other sites
aviemed 0 Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 absolute numbers of wrist injuries worldwide have risen over the years initially as the popularity of boarding has increased. boarders numbers by and large have been static now at about 25% of total for the last 3 years, so something else is keeping the figures on the up. seems to me that big air is the factor and of course we all love it! no doubt too that icy conditions with a hard landing don't help. chances are of course that most boarders won't break their wrists, but i could put you onto hundreds who thought that way until one day..... unfortunately, the harder the fall the worse the fracture- "jigsaw wrists" in patrol lingo - mega operations and months off the snow...worst thing ever! up to you at the end of the day but i prefer to meet folk in the bar not the patrol room!! Link to post Share on other sites
aviemed 0 Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 forgot to say in reply... there is no evidence to support stretching etc in preventing injury. another of these things in medicine that we've been telling everyone to do for years then find out there's no evidence for it! Life's a bitch. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 I think there's a difference between injury and pain though. You can prevent a lot of incapacitating pain, if not actual injury, by stretching. But if you come down hard enough on any part, it's going to break. I'm taking a two-pronged strategy offered by copious ingestion of dairy products - strong bones and plenty of built-in padding. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 Thanks for the reply, Doc Mike. Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 What kind of dairy products Ocean? Doc Mike, Are you saying that stretching is not proven to help prevent any injuries? What about pulled muscles? By not proven do you mean that maybe the right studies have not been done, or that studies have proven that stretching does not reduce the risk of injuries? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 weight lifting/resistance training has been shown to increase bone strength and stop the bone strength loss brought on by aging. Been lifting for 15 years, and after many accidents (including two motorcycle) only broken noses and fingers. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted October 22, 2002 Author Share Posted October 22, 2002 I read a study a while ago that said stretching immediately prior to competition was of little use in injury avoidence. However, you would injure yourself if you didnt have a regular stretching routine. ie it is best to have stretchy tendons etc through a regular routine. No amount of pre competition stretching will help if you have not already worked on the natural stretch abilities of your boby. It went on to say that warming up before exercise was a good habit (it was just the act of that pre race touch your toes that was a waste of time). Link to post Share on other sites
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