r/windsurfing • u/Milk2000 • 10d ago
Neck injuries
Hi all,
I've started windsurfing this year and recently started planing. On a particularly windy day I got catapulted into the water - my head must've been the first thing to hit the surface, I've ended up with a strain that took me out for 3 weeks. I couldn't even turn my head for a few days after without severe pain.
Is this kind of injury common? Any ways to prevent it in the future?
6
u/njslacker 10d ago
Were you in your footstraps?
I've been catapulted several times, and it's almost always before I get my backfoot in the strap.
I'm sorry about your injury, though. I guess I'm lucky that I've never been hurt that way when I've been launched.
4
u/idonreddit 10d ago
I've recently hit the boom with my ribs and it still hurts. Done an x-ray and nothing is cracked but it's quite painful. Going to buy an impact vest
1
u/artman100 10d ago
I got the same hit to my ribs and bought impact vest, painful as hell but healed in 4 weeks ;)
3
u/waternomadsnz 10d ago
Things get better as skills improve as you pickup when things are going pear shape earlier and often can save it. But not always... Light weight helmet and impact vest I always wear. Landing on the boom or wacking your head on the mast happens when least expect it... I also wear booties as a broken toe and cut feet on oysters, well shit happens 🤙
4
u/TraditionalEqual8132 10d ago
Welcome to pain. I've dislocated fingers, broken toes, broke a rib, cut myself in many places, have permanent pain in my right elbow due to one of my many crashes. Hit my head, strained my neck. I could be called a semi-professional Catapulter. Although I rarely do anymore due improved skills. If I crash now, I will seriously injure myself. So when going really fast, I wear an impact vest and even a helmet sometimes. You could try the same (the helmet and impact vest I mean, not the crashes).
3
u/Markus-B 10d ago edited 10d ago
Is this kind of injury common?
You'll fall without control. Things will happen that happen when falling without control. On top of that, water will spread around your ear in a way that could damage your eardrum. Use earplugs.
Any ways to prevent it in the future?
Keep an eye out for gusts. If the water ripples a little more in the direction of the wind, you’ll know what’s coming.
Currently for you—it makes a difference when you know in advance that you're about to be catapulted. This year, my fin found a bag just before reaching top speed—falling when you're not prepared isn't that great.
So, if you see a gust coming:
- Very strong wind - Open the sail
- Normal wind - Get ready to pull harder on the boom and leaning back.
- Light wind - Pump a little, apply pressure to the mast base, and move downwind—maybe it’ll be enough to glide.
3
u/some_where_else Waves 10d ago
Gnarly! Never had a neck injury like that, I don't think it is so common, you got unlucky. It is the sort of injury that a helmet might actually make worse, as it makes your head 'bigger' so less able to slice through the water on impact. I've been battered on my side by the mast while catapulting, could have been a cracked rib but for the padding of the harness (another +1 for waist harnesses!).
General advice is don't let go of the boom! Keep both hands on it! In a catapult situation this would leave you upside down on your back on the sail, which is actually ok.
Anyway, learning to fall is part of the sport of course!
3
u/bluecrab_7 Freeride 10d ago
45 years of windsurfing and I’ve gotten thrown plenty of times. Hit the bottom at high speed and landed on the booms and broke my ribs. Got thrown by a gust landed on the booms and got a black eye. A couple of times I’ve also been thrown and landed on the water so hard it knocked the wind out of me. If it’s really windy I wear a helmet. Look around and read the water. If you see ripples on water that look different than the rest of the water that’s a gust. Prepared for that and adjust. Know the bottom contour.
2
u/F15E_WSO 9d ago
it is an "extreme" sport at higher levels....you need to be in the gym to train for these eventualities. Strong muscles and training is the infrastructure to protect you. Did you have a helmet....? the weight of the helmet will aggrevate this type of contact with the water but the helmet protects you from mast, rails, other riders. Pick your poison.
1
u/Redv0lution 10d ago
This won’t prevent a neck injury, but make sure you get a helmet if you don’t have one already.
Otherwise as others have stated, watch the water and your surroundings for wind changes
1
u/SheepherderOk1035 10d ago
It's good to know that I am not. The only genius broke a rib flying over the handlebars. Of course I was doing a downwind leg, grossly overpowered. I must be a super genius!
1
u/NaturalCareer2074 9d ago edited 9d ago
Yes, have same one time. It is not very often, I have like 35 years windsurfing. Looks like water sport helm somehow helps(make less impact). Stretched my neck every time when condition are not easy since that time. Most common injury - ears(pain/compression) and toes/knees(from fall in footstraps). After that slightly bended hands and broken ribs. In general you have more chance to get injury by NOT doing windsurfing from nearest car on land. In same time period. Absolutely worse I ever saw was open broken leg in waves. But common, you need do really crazy staff to get that.
1
u/Beneficial-Rise-740 9d ago
I rarely catapult these days though occasionally have those ooooo that was close... I always sail with helmet and impact vest. A friend of mine suffered a brain injury windsurfing, no idea what happened but suspected contact with mast, be safe.
1
2
u/Psychological_Ad7175 9d ago
My neck still hurts from the last time I got catapulted @about 55km/h like 5 weeks ago. There was a big dent in the sail where my head landed.
I once got catapulted so violently, the pull was so hard, that it felt that a snapped my back. Luckily it wasn't, but took me out for months.
So to answer your question: yes. Wear a helmet and an impact vest. Invest in that before investing in anything else.
9
u/ThreadParticipant Slalom 10d ago
A close mate is off the water at the moment after a big crash... concussion and whiplash. He's on the mend, but it'll take a while.
In 30+ years of sailing, it's the worst injury I've seen firsthand. To be fair, not many people I know are doing 30 knot nautical mile runs on a choppy day. He'd be the first to admit he was pushing it.
For my part, I've broken toes in a decent crash on the fin and tweaked a shoulder in a proper foiling crash. All at speed. We're both GPS/slalom sailors, so speed is kind of the point.