Graphic: Broke My Ankle Riding DH - Video

Jul 26, 2017
by Pinkbike Staff  

During a practice run on the downhill course at Panorama Bike Park in B.C., Jason of IFHT had a gnarly crash down the Cliffs of Insanity resulting in a badly broken ankle. After a week of recovering, Jason and Matt sat down to watch the GoPro footage of the accident.

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116 Comments
  • 99 1
 Did you try turning it off and on again? Ankle seems to not be responding.
  • 81 0
 Aint gonna watch it. Just clicked here to say that
  • 12 0
 Glad I'm not alone. I just can't handle these kinds of injuries. Hope he is back at it soon though.
  • 6 0
 Yeah I mostly just listened to it haha some of the commentary is kind of funny especially at the end when he becomes small-town-famous
  • 5 0
 Glad I'm not the only one as well, I turned my foot the wrong way with a broken tibula on a motorcycle crash. Sixteen weeks in a wheelchair after surgery has made me sensitive to this stuff. Hope the recovery is successful.
  • 3 6
 PB you bunch of ambulance chasers, a pic or two maybe but a goddamn video come on.!!!!
  • 3 1
 @lake-st: The video was not made by Pinkbike lol
  • 3 0
 It's not that graphic, his foot looks a bit funny sometimes, but not that bad. Less graphics than CG's crash. -hps
  • 3 0
 @HpSauce: CG's crash was in my head for a month or so, a thought was just banging in my head, what would I do if it happened to me, or worse, if it happened to someone I'm riding with.

But this here was still graphic...
  • 3 0
 @BigballmcCall: Funny how that works. Im right there with you... I broke my fibula, medial malleolus, while dislocating my left ankle. I was out for 4 months.

Now I steer clear of any broken bone footage. I kept seeing this on the homepage and couldnt scroll fast enough passed it. Finally clicked on the damn thing and came straight to the comments!
  • 1 0
 @Uhlrichl1: No just posted by PB staff on a PB website lol
  • 2 1
 Whether you watch it or not your time will still come when it comes. I've done extreme sports most of my life and the most mundane things result in the worst injuries. 14 broken bones, 3 plates and a rod. Then sometimes you walk away from a gnarly crash, because it was not your day.
  • 3 0
 @MoDobbs: Aint that the truth. 6 screws and a plate in the ankle from kicking a soccer ball with the kids...
  • 80 0
 I BROKE MY ANKLES, MY ANKLES ARE BROKE
  • 16 0
 Tanner Hall?
  • 2 0
 @sino428: yes
  • 6 0
 I GET THAT REFERENCE!!
  • 8 0
 @larr: HIS ANKLES ARE BROKEN!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eitvXCqe4E
  • 2 0
 also the first thing that came to my mind
  • 3 0
 @hamncheez: m.youtube.com/watch?v=69LaYNV6-f4
  • 1 0
 I thought this was a new version of "I'm fast... I'm faster than you!"
  • 1 0
 Immediate thought was the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia reference of that reference
  • 42 2
 Rub some Vagisil on it
  • 1 0
 Comfrey leaf tea AKA bone knit. Cuts your recovery in half. That stuff is straight up witchcraft magic.
  • 3 0
 Pour some Tusin on that, let that shit soak on down to the bone.
  • 2 0
 Does it really work? I'm 3 weeks into a fractured ankle and I'm going absolutely insane. @Boardlife69:
  • 1 0
 I wanna know the same for future injuries,been trhough a broken ankle with 3 interventions and it almost was too much for me
ps: wish you the best with your recovery @trueeast ! try to avoid bad aliments specially to much white salt, sugar, coffee and alcohol! good advice I think is to try to take up a new hobbie, I learnt to play the guitar while I was injured.. all the best buddy Smile
  • 2 0
 @joaquinRDiert: thanks a lot man. I have also cut out sugar, alcohol and I don't drink coffee. Been playing guitar for 32 years so I've been trying to learn a song a day plus doing upper body gym stuff. Just started physio 2 days ago in a pool and seeing my chiropractor once a week. Hopefully manage to get some more rides in before season ends. Thanks for your comment it has helped a lot bro! Here's to no more ankle injuries.
Cheers
  • 28 0
 What I really want to know is if he got some new PB socks...
  • 18 0
 His ankles are broken. Why are we riding downhill bikes like motocross bikes, but in sneekers?
  • 7 0
 This ^^^. I broke my foot 2 years back in a not too different scenario. I also just started riding moto and the gear is way more advanced. I'd like to see a downhill shoe which provides more ankle support but allows for the mobility/grip needed.
  • 1 0
 @ryan83: the same thought entered my mind when i sprained the right one badly a couple of weeks back. I was only getting off the damn bike (at speed admittedly). Considering leather hiking boots in future
  • 4 0
 Sidi and Gaerne had downhill boots back in early 90's. Maybe it's time for a comeback.
  • 7 0
 The sad truth is that when you crash there is energy to dissipate. It needs to go somewhere. With ski boots, there were many feet and ankles, then came the modern boots, as we know them, know there are many knees. I'm not implying there is no improvement, but you have to think forward. I saw ankle protectors at rampage, and am curious how good it is. I also thought about moto boots for dh, but I believe much of the feedback would be lost, plus my ankles act as an extra spring.
  • 2 0
 EXACTLY!!!! Nevermind most people think in terms of comfort over protection and wear low tops!!!!! I personally prefer high tops with ankle braces inside.
  • 2 0
 Bring on the Mountain Moto Boot! We have the technology, where is the options for a flat soled high top riding boot? A comfortable, semi supportive, semi protective boot - perhaps offered in 2 different levels of support, protection, range of movement). Give us a stiff, flat soled high top hiker, with a velcro strap up top, some hard ankle bone protection, and make it look cool. Would be amazing for so many applications - 5.10, they got this easy! And it doesn't have to cost $600 bucks. Id pay $250 tops..
  • 1 0
 One thing I'd say is that I see more rocks and roots and steep 5h1t with DH and Enduro than I do with Moto.

That said, I think the real difference between the two is stored energy. There is a lot more of it (energy) when riding Moto! In other words, we may not be going as fast enough on mountain bikes to justify the level of foot/ankle/lower leg protection that's needed in Moto.

But the nature of DH tracks (nevermind the statistics of injuries to ankles while mountain biking) show that DH and Enduro footware needs a rethink!
  • 4 0
 Happened to me, while playing basketball of all things. I've crashed pretty hard riding dh over the years, never broke anything. Took me a year and a half to recover fully. Four months after my injury though, I was able to ride my bike no problems.
  • 1 0
 Ruptured my Achilles playing ball. Gnarly crashed on a dh bike....nothing. Drive to the hole playing ball and... POP.
  • 3 0
 Yea, I only started walking without a cane last week, over 6 months since shattering my tib and fib snowboarding. If I wasn't able to start biking a couple of months ago, I may have completely lost it by now...
  • 1 0
 Bikes seems to have an analgesic effect when the rest of life is beating you up. Psychologically and physically. A mixture of xanax and morphine on fat tyres.
  • 2 0
 "of all things"? Basketball is good at tearing up ankles.

And skateboards too!
  • 5 0
 Great to meet you out there Jason, bummed about your injury. Keen to see you back out there shredding.
  • 3 0
 amazing idea to watch this right after eating breakfast!! haha! jesus though that looked awful, hope you have a speedy recovery! Fun to watch the first responder process though Wink love that stuff!
  • 6 0
 What's up fam!
m.pinkbike.com/photo/10937211
  • 1 0
 Fuckin a man that is gnarly
  • 1 0
 I broke both of my ankles at the same time, surgery on them, did not work for 10 months. They still bother me after 18 years but the cycling is great for them. Keeps them loose and flexible it is a great way to rehab once you are healed enough.
  • 1 0
 Yep looks bad... here's to us broken bones people currently out with a broken collarbone... 13screws and a plate that spans the entire length of the right collarbone. Nothing to do but watch videos doc says I'll be out till end of October
  • 5 0
 Damn....snap.crackle.pop! Wish ya a speedy recovery
  • 3 0
 ive only watched the vid of me popping my collarbone twice. once to see what i did wrong and the other to show the doctor. he laughed.... lol
  • 2 0
 Dislocated my kneecap and tore all 4 ligaments in my knee on 6/11. It's no fun sitting there waiting on EMS looking at your leg bent in the wrong direction. I feel your pain, hope you heal up soon. Do your PT!
  • 1 0
 Heal fast man!
I remember badly spraining my ankle at a 4X race. The feeling of just laying there thinking " well that's me fkd, what the hell do I do now?"
Luckily a couple of other racers, that where twins.. Surreal.
Carried (fat) me back up the hill, then the bike Park just left me there, didn't call an ambulance or anything.
  • 1 0
 Jason and crew, Thank you for sharing your crash, help and recovery experience. The video as gross as it was, is a great example of what to do, support from you mates, how the mountain medics and medical system works. As for you, you made the job easier by having your wits, being calm and humorous. I think it's important for the sport to see how when things go wrong how things should work on the hills as mtn biking has some tough love time to time. Note on pain management is when feeling pain ask for more drugs as the medical profession has a whole arsenal of super drugs at hands length to help with the adventure. Best wishes on a quick recovery and back into the saddle. Cheers!
  • 2 1
 I did basically the same thing this February at an indoor park in Ohio (otherwise known as the land with no mountains). I over shot the landing on a tabletop and came in hot at the bottom of the tranny, my right foot slipped off the pedal and decided it too had had enough of being "normal" and did its own thing. After seeing it I said "well that's not right" and proceeded to grab my dangley foot and set it back into place. After that I had the brilliant idea of trying to walk on it and fell back down. Then the smallest person that worked at this indoor park came to help me up, I'm 6'3 and weigh roughly 215. He couldn't even pick me up. Finally with some crutches I got off the track and to a picnic table where I sat and iced it for 45 minutes saying "I can move my toes so I'll probably be alright l". End of story I had someone drive me to the hospital and I found out I broke a big chunk off my tibia and spiral fractured my fibula from my ankle to my knee, the doctors didn't even believe me it was broken or that I had set it myself but I showed them!

I hope you recover quick man, take your time and just remember it's not so bad if you ride to early and break all the screws they put in there. That's what I did
  • 1 0
 Pinkbike moderators be like "Oh goddammit his hands are covering the PB logo on his socks... at least there's some glimpses of it... oh they're cutting it off, shall we send him a new pair?" YES YOU HAVE TO for the free marketing on YouTube! Heal up dude!
  • 1 0
 Mountain bike park paramedics are awesome... Shout out to a couple of medics at Silver Star who took great care of me after I separated my left shoulder, sprain my wrists and completely tore a rotator cuff tendon off the humerous on my right shoulder. Heal fast mate!
  • 3 0
 I broke my ankle too, but it was at highland. Good luck to recovery it takes a long time I am actually starting PT soon.
  • 2 0
 Sorry to hear about that! Hope your recovery goes well!
  • 3 0
 @jdots: Thank you for the support I went a bike park when I only mtb for 5 months that was dumb of me, I jumped a burm and I broke three bones, and the bone was exposed too. He had it worse than me but I hope we both recover fast lol.
  • 1 0
 Also few weeks ago got lil bit broke, 2 elbows broken, left wrist broke, left hand cut 14 sews, right knee and left shin bruised also helmet destroyed. Got myself up and took my bike home, but that part i don't remember.
  • 1 0
 Not gonna watch - I break myself and have no problem, but can't stand seeing others! Wishing you a speedy recovery and watch out for opioid dependency. I miss my little pills and a beer after work.........
  • 2 0
 Great response by the volunteers but... A quick SAM splint on that ankle to stabilize it and it might not have rotated 180 degrees!
  • 2 0
 Broke my ankle on the 3rd... 9 screws and a plate later. No walking for 8-10 weeks RIP.
  • 3 0
 Good luck on the recovery though! We are gonna make it!!
  • 1 0
 @kody2fast: I dislocated and broke my ankle May 21st. Finally able to put a little weight on it with a walking boot.... hopefully will get released to walk again August 8th! Not the fastest injury to recover from but you'll make it!
  • 2 0
 @scotttherider: thanks for the encouragement! I dislocated mine as well, trimalleolar fracture with dislocation so it sounds like we had the same injury! Can't wait to put weight on it.
  • 2 0
 @kody2fast: mine was a fracture of my navicular and shattered fragments off of my talus. I didn't get quite the weather forecasting abilities you'll have. I only got 2 screws from my pair of surgeries. Got some sweet scars out of the deal as well...
  • 1 0
 I broke my ankle when going out of a toilet at a festival.. Doesn't sound as cool.. First day of the the week, so i just kept partying with crutches Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Glad you got it on video. It's sad to lay there in pain and reflect that no one was there to see it and you can't watch it on video either!
  • 1 0
 Wow dude! You spun that fucker around!! Took it like a beast too. Just hanging out with your ankle looking like a slinky. Be safe out there, everybody
  • 1 0
 I'm the unfortunate ass that broke my ankle stepping off my bike. Yup, no glory. Set my foot down half on a rock. Foot rolled, snap. Heard it go too.
  • 1 0
 I broke my ankle on probably my second run in Whistler. Good thing I got to ride all over PNW and BC before I went to Whistler.
  • 1 0
 Been there done that jumping my bmx... my ankle rolled 180 degrees ???????? Sorry dude!
  • 1 0
 I have similar video from August 31st this year. Broke two bones above my ankle. Hope you will recover fast.
  • 8 0
 Pics or it hasn't happened yet.
  • 1 1
 Been there, done that... Best part is when they go to set it back, that is when the true pain kicks in. Any surgery required? Hope you heal quick.
  • 9 0
 Yep, them setting it back was probably the worst part. Got surgery the day after the crash and now on the mend!
  • 1 0
 @jdots: My wife did the same break on a downhill run earlier this summer. She has a plate and 5 screws holding her together now, and she was (is) out for 12 weeks. Here is what I would suggest: 1) an off road Knee Scooter (www.amazon.com/dp/B00DCYN8UK) and 2) Upper body strength training (chest, arms, shoulders, abs). The knee scooter seems expensive till you realize you can sell it for about as much as you paid for it when you are done.

Good luck and healing vibes to you. You will be back on the bike in no time.
  • 2 0
 I had a stretch Armstrong like that once
  • 2 0
 The thumbnail on the home page is all I need to see.
  • 2 0
 That remind me of Deadpool....
  • 2 0
 You weren't going fast enough
  • 1 0
 Imagine if he is riding a SPD and at the tightest tension! Omg! That would suck big time.
  • 1 0
 Heel up quick Jason! I can't watch video of serious injuries, especially with people I know.
  • 1 0
 "That looks improper." I only hope I can remain that calm with a foot in the wrong direction.
  • 1 0
 Was wondering how many takes, it too to get video right or got good brake?
Before finally got rider fixed up
  • 1 0
 You gotta pull on that thing! But then again I pull on broken bones for a living... it's fun if you're a sadist!
  • 1 0
 Love how the screenshot is of potentially the most horrific bit, no need to watch it, already feel sick. Cheers.
  • 1 0
 that was so peculiarly enjoyable...
  • 1 0
 If he had been clipped it...
  • 1 0
 Wear your ankle braces kids!
  • 2 0
 Gnarly
  • 2 0
 No blood?
  • 1 0
 Hey Matt - your knee pads are on the wrong legs.
  • 1 0
 Broken ankles. I effing hate that.
  • 1 0
 Heal up and get back to riding and making MTB hilarity!
  • 1 0
 Fvck it - I watched it! Medics are the best!!!
  • 1 0
 you gonna give him some new socks
  • 1 0
 Two years recovery from a b4oken talas bone not kool.
  • 1 0
 When did Cannondale start making ankles?
  • 1 0
 Put some tussin on it.
  • 1 2
 Hope u had insurance, anyway take care and get your recovery as fastest as possible!
  • 8 0
 Canada. It's free.
  • 3 1
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs: actually it's not free, we all pay health care premiums.
  • 1 1
 Not for long with the NDP. MSP payments are going away.
  • 3 0
 So happy I'm British! Couldn't imagine having to worry about medical bills. That seems so crazy to us!!
  • 1 0
 @nojzilla: Enjoy it while it lasts :-(
  • 1 0
 I ONLY RIDE PARK!
  • 1 0
 Ughhh so gross Eek
  • 1 0
 gross dude.
  • 1 3
 RIP in peace ankle
  • 2 0
 rest in pieces, ankle?
  • 4 0
 rest in peace in peace ankle
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