Pinkbike Poll: What Injuries Have You Received While Mountain Biking?

Jun 28, 2018 at 19:24
by Mike Kazimer  
Keegan Wright had a massive crash through the rocks early in training.

Injuries suck, it's as simple as that. Flat tires, broken parts, running over a pile of steaming dog poo – all of those annoyances pale in comparison to to the feeling you get when a doctor (or the internet) tells you that you're going to have to stay off the bike for a few weeks, months, or even longer.

I've racked up my fair share of mountain biking injuries over the years, and I've got the scars and titanium plates in my body to prove it. Just like any action sport involving speed and immovable objects, getting hurt comes with the territory, no matter how much protective apparel you put on. My list of injuries is pretty extensive, but I like to put it all into perspective by considering how many rides I've gone on compared how many times I've been hurt over the last 23 years of riding - when I look at it like that the list doesn't seem so scary. Plus, I'd rather have a few extra aches and pains and a bunch of memories of incredible rides versus spending my life in a virtual world, staring at a TV or computer screen away from any danger or actual physical activity.

When you crash in a bog and half your handlebar gets eaten alive.

Despite all those painful encounters with trees and dirt, I've never really considered putting my bike away for good. Instead, I've used the thought of pedaling along a perfect stretch of singletrack as a motivating tool, something to look forward to once my wounds are healed.

Those first rides back always feel a little odd, especially if you've decided to interpret a doctor's orders to 'take it easy' a little differently than most. But before long the flashbacks to that last crash begin to subside, and the number of successful rides increases, restoring your confidence in your ability to successfully pilot a bicycle more than a few times in a row without needing to visit the hospital.

What does your list look like? Check all that apply below, and here's hoping that everyone has an injury-free season.

What injuries have you received while mountain biking? (Select all that apply)



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Member since Feb 1, 2009
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294 Comments
  • 173 3
 Anyone not clicking the “bruised ego” button is a liar...
  • 6 0
 Cannot lie
  • 48 0
 Use liberal amounts of alcohol to clean up the ego.
  • 7 1
 At least only 24 people admit to breaking their coccyx. Can I click the genitals button a couple hundred times.
  • 2 0
 Very true
  • 4 0
 @fecalmaster: it hurt to sit for months :'(
  • 7 0
 @fecalmaster: i don't have genitals anymore
  • 3 0
 I literally just crashed on the 4th, so this is awkward timing. Ego hurt for sure, but not as much as my hand and my arm and shoulder... lol. Went flying over the bars when my front tire slid out
  • 5 0
 Bruised...hell, my ego was in a body cast for 8 months!
  • 4 0
 Hahaha, if it makes you feel better I'll give you a story of horrors. There was this rider (me) in a new very demanding large scale dirt jump park. Was going great, started making it thru, locals impressed. The last jump was mega soo one time I over cooked it. Over shot 35 footer by 15 to flat and ride away. They problem is I encountered the dreaded genital suck, not the good kind. Blew right foot off pedal, sat down on rear wheel and my buddies went into the seatstay brace. Peeing blood is not as fun as it sounds my friends.

As far as coccyx, put a calculator on that one also, pretty sure my take is gone.

All part of having a good time. They should keep this thread going as a type of therapy. The horror's!!!!
  • 1 0
 @ReformedRoadie Fair enough, now corrected.
  • 5 0
 @fecalmaster: try to poo with a broke coccyx, good time
  • 1 0
 @TimBigHitFSRII: yeah, and it takes FOR EVER to heal. Over a year after breaking mine I would still get a shot of pain if I came down on it wrong.
  • 3 0
 @fecalmaster: Seriously, a broken coccyx (tailbone) hurts like a motherf*cker!!!
  • 1 1
 @Skootur: I can only imagine a doctor walking in and telling me I broke the only bone I haven't busted. Honestly I have busted my ass Soo bad I felt like I couldn't move but imagine if it's really broken you would know. How do you drive, have sex or poop? Has to be up there in injuries. Wait I broke my femur and hip on one jump so pretty sure,,, I love riding screw pain.
  • 3 0
 @fecalmaster: Ha! I was in my early teens so sex was a moot point but pooping... The worst constipation you've had in your life would be bliss compared to pooping with a broken tailbone. I spent pretty much 2 weeks solid lying on my stomach in bed only getting up to poop (which wasn't something to look forward to as outlined above). It's amazing how much your ass moves when you're only lying on your stomach breathing... lol
  • 1 2
 @Skootur: We gets busy with the ladies early here for better or worse. My question is how do you know that you broke your coccyx? Is it parrilizing pain as I can imagine. Since this is a therapy thread yes I identify with the extreme problem of fecal extraction. The pain medicine multiplied by anything broken in that area equals public enema. During my fancy 4 week hospital stay this was a problem and the nurse was great but really did the dirty work!
  • 1 1
 @ReformedRoadie: Apparently about half of the people who answered are liars... pathetic lol. Maybe they just have no ego left to bruise... Big Grin
  • 2 0
 @fecalmaster: Ass X-rays are a real thing! lol
  • 1 0
 @fecalmaster: "My question is how do you know that you broke your coccyx?"

Step 1. Reach around behind yo'self.
Step 2. Locate your butthole (anus, for the technically minded).
Step 3. Follow the groove of your crack up toward your back, feeling around for a bone right in the middle. That bone is your coccyx. It might be a little springy.
Step 4. Press on it a little. If it is broken you will get a good shot of pain.
  • 1 0
 I've always found crashing hurts the ego less than riding conservatively. There's something nice about knowing you left it all out on the track even if your time sucks or you didn't finish because of a crash.
  • 132 1
 Where is the option for beaten by wife after wrecking yourself? Asking for a friend
  • 33 0
 What about after she finds out how much it'll cost to repair the bike
  • 131 1
 @inked-up-metalhead:
Me: came off my bike today
Wife: how much will it cost
Me: hurt myself pretty bad
Wife: how much will it cost
  • 22 0
 No doubt. I broke my hand this valentines day. Super killer timing.
  • 27 0
 fractured my tibial plateau a week after my son was born. to put it lightly the wife was not happy to be helping me in and out of the shower a week after giving birth.
  • 1 0
 @J-McBride: Checks out true man
  • 2 0
 @da-yeti: Did mine over two years ago, I'm still not recovered fully. I hope you're doing well
  • 2 0
 @onemanarmy: 2nd grade wrist sprain while we were on vacation in Mexico...I can sympathize.
  • 10 0
 @onemanarmy: If you use the other hand, it's not technically cheating.
  • 3 0
 I received terrible scorn burns on top of injuries
  • 6 0
 Dislocated elbow 3 days before first born. #fatheroftheyear
  • 1 0
 @korev: did mine 4yrs ago. It's still no good. Good luck to you too!
  • 2 0
 My wife has banned me from biking before a vacation.
  • 90 0
 My wallet is constantly broke.
  • 47 0
 you are missing broken wrist no?
  • 3 0
 Thats what I was thinking. My wrists/hands have taken the far worst of injuries. I once had a purple hand for like a week from bruising that was so bad...it had to have been broken, but it still works!
  • 7 0
 +1 for broken wrist
  • 3 1
 Technically they are there, the wrist is just a junction of the hand and arm.
  • 9 0
 @mfoga:

The wrist (carpus) has 8 bones, and scaphoid fractures are common - distal radius fractures can count as “wrist” as well, so it probably should be there
  • 5 1
 Did my scaphoid in February and still can't ride without duct taping my hand to bars each ride
  • 4 0
 @mfoga: The scaphoid is often considered part of the wrist. When you break it, they immobilize your wrist. Source: I have a broken scaphoid :/. Almost back though!
  • 1 0
 @Will-McCurrach: The many uses of Duct Tape Smile Healing Vibs
  • 2 0
 +1 For broken/sprained wrist
  • 3 0
 Yeah weird, wrist definitely deserves its own
  • 1 0
 Currently out with a broken radius. I think that counts as wrist. Specificity is good.
  • 3 0
 @Jaypwall: Well that is listed at least, which while at the distal end at the wrist junction it is an arm bone. Whereas I broke my scaphoid (in half) which I guess strictly anatomically speaking is part of the hand, in the 'area' of the wrist. The bones further up are the arm and the rest are the hand so you technically can't actually break your wrist. Ask anyone though and they'll say they broke their wrist. Semantics.

They haven't listed joints here though for the most part, they've listed bones, apart from hands, though also separate thumb and fingers. It's pretty inconsistent tbh.
  • 2 0
 @Will-McCurrach: That really should be fixed by now. You might want to tell your doctor if you still cant grip the bars.
  • 2 0
 Scaphoid multiple times!
  • 1 0
 Dislocated finger and broken teeth are missing for me
  • 3 0
 Was searching for scaphoid lol
  • 1 0
 @gabriel-mission9: Say that, it's a very slow healing bone thanks to poor blood supply. I broke mine last week of Whistler Bike Park a few years ago (October 14) and got my final cast off in April. Yeah, 7 months. Probably should've operated tbh, but it fixed in the end.
  • 1 0
 @Hwulex: Seven months is insane. Sorry to hear that. I would imagine you have more problems from immobility for that duration than the broken scaphoid.
  • 1 0
 @patrick-marsh: me too
  • 2 0
 @Hwulex: I've broken both my wrists multiple times (including scaphoid), my elbow and my shoulder. back to normal riding within three months each time. 7 months in casts is insane!
  • 1 0
 3x RH clavical (2 surgeries)
distal radius (2 surgeries)
pinky finger (1 surgery)
5th metacarpal
scapula
scaphoid
broken wrist
2x sprained wrist
3x sprained ankle
broken big toe
4x broken ribs
Skewered knee cap
  • 4 0
 @Hwulex:

Just for education sake or anyone's curiosity of human anatomy, at the distal end of the wrist, you would start to delineate the hand and proximally would be your forearm. The scaphoid is anatomically in the carpus (wrist), which is distinct from the hand and forearm. It would be incorrect to refer to an injury to the scaphoid as a hand injury, however, like I said before, distal radius fractures are included in fractures of the wrist. Also, they've listed the elbow, which is joint, so it would make sense to include broken wrist, especially when it is so common.
  • 1 0
 @duplex: Sorry but I have to do it.... Nerd!!!!
  • 1 0
 @dbarnes6891:

Haha, as an orthopaedic surgery resident, it goes without saying, but yeah... I'm a total nerd!
  • 1 0
 @duplex: Yeah, I was saying distal radius/ulna fracture would be wrist, but might not have been clear. My education is limited to first-responder (ski patrol) so thanks for clarification. For pain in that area, I'd just say wrist. Was also trying to figure out PBs logic for not including wrist, but there clearly isn't any. Smile
  • 32 0
 Facial trauma as the medical staff kept calling it. Broken nose, 14 stitches to the face, concussion, 3 days in the hospital. Went for my first downhill ride since the accident on Wednesday, it was nice.
  • 17 0
 Well done for getting back on the bike mate
  • 1 0
 Any sweet scars? I had a nice fall about a decade ago and had 150+ stitches in my face and inside my mouth (had braces at the time that ended up on the outside.) One reconstructive surgery later and I'm good as new. Plus the scars are always good conversation starters.
  • 2 0
 @dburpasaurus: www.pinkbike.com/photo/2283734
  • 2 0
 Dude, last year i went otb on a tarmac downhill and landed on my face (don't ask me how) but, I ended up with 8 facial fractures, 8 Ti screws, 2 plates, and 2 third grade burns on my left arm, I got back on the bike on 3 months, feels f*cking sweet.
Btw, it turns out that my lid was too old and didn't mitigate the impact, it actually transfered to my bones.
  • 2 0
 @dburpasaurus: Conversation starters? I'd like to know how that conversation starts. . .
  • 1 0
 @Denyer: out of interest, how old was your helmet
  • 1 0
 @mark3: At that time i was rocking what i thought was a 1 1/2 years old fox flux but probably was a lot older, I borrowed it from a friend. When i went otb i didn't actually hit my face, only my head and body, it was the transfered force that fractured my face so hard
  • 2 0
 @dburpasaurus: got some around my left eye and left side of my lower lip is not a different colour. I hear you on the 'conversation starters' part. I started a new job 4 weeks after the accident and my coworkers asked "what happened to your face?" followed up by "oh, so you weren't in a bar fight".
  • 30 1
 Once broke my spleen clean off and had to watch as an elk slurped it up while his buddy peed on my face. I knew I shouldn’t have tried the 1000ft death gap, the bloody spikes on the landing weren’t as bad as I expected but the running chainsaws and bear traps went pretty much exactly the way I envisioned.
  • 13 0
 Look dude, if you want to keep your job here, stay off the drugs!
  • 5 0
 @dglobulator:
+10 for the "Coming to America" reference.

Salute
  • 4 0
 Skateboarding still takes the prize for my injury list. The best was 360 kickflip attempt down 4 stairs, board spun vertical and proceeded to violate me jailhouse style in front of two old ladies. Good times!!!!!
  • 1 0
 @Dropthedebt: ha ha, good spot. I've been using that for years and nobody has ever got it. Well done mate!
  • 2 0
 @fecalmaster: Any injury story that starts with an " I tried a 360 kickflip and multiple fights of stairs" cant have a happy ending!! hahaha
  • 1 0
 @eli0235: Your right about that but I had landed that trick multiple times right there. The hilarious part is the one time it went real bad, basically picture your average skate rat rolling on the ground holding their butt while laughing in front of two old ladies shaking their heads. These days I would say call an ambulance or something, went way over my crash=hospital factor.
  • 24 0
 God's bless the NHS
  • 6 0
 Yes!!!! Completely underated until you go through the system with a sporting injury. After the intial A and E wait the treatment and after care is fucking top notch!!!!
  • 4 0
 Couldn't agree more. I've had a few injuries ending in hospital over the years (broken arm - ti plate now, fractured sternum, ruptured spleen - removed) and the care and treatment was excellent each time.
  • 16 0
 We may not have universal health care over here, but we do have an orange orangutan running the country
  • 2 0
 Medicare here!
  • 20 0
 I like how this is titled with the word 'Received'. As if these were bestowed upon us by the mtb gods. ...which the probably were
  • 8 0
 Ask and ye shall receive.
  • 18 0
 Mtber - "Hmmm, I need a cool riding story"

Mtb Gods - "You shall receive the gift of a broken face, use this gift wisely"
  • 21 0
 Props to everyone who checked more than 5 and still sending it.
  • 3 0
 Does it count of two of them were in the same crash?

Two and a bit years on and my leg is still weak and my balls have yet to return!
  • 3 0
 If by 'sending it' you mean slow laps of Crank It Up all day, well, thank you.
  • 1 1
 I want to act tough and brag how I have but listening to BearClaw and Zink talk about their injuries in North of Nightfall puts things really in perspective. Those guys have been through hell and are still sending it
  • 1 0
 @korev: did you check genital injury?
  • 13 0
 My son Joe is currently under rehab with a traumatic brain injury. I see there are 60 others who have posted with this injury It would be great to make contact with some or all of you and swap notes. Please feel free to contact me me and discuss. Joe is super motivated to get back into it but is aware that its a long road
  • 6 0
 I hope all is well. Always good to see people positive I after such bad crashes
  • 3 0
 Give your son my best! As a father myself, it's not something you wish to see on your kids. I have been lucky enough to escape head injury so far and I don't know anyone personally who has gone through that. So I can not offer advice or notes to that. But your comment left me thinking about my own kids. I wish Joe the quickest and most positive healing experience. And hang in there, Dad.
  • 1 0
 @wcjrush: wow ..I hope everything will turn out fine ...all the best for your family!
  • 2 0
 @wblh: A TBI is the gnarliest shit anyone can go through. The Doco I Am...on TV1 (here in NZ) last week focused on TBI & it was amazing how much of it I was just nodding along to in agreement. My wife has had a TBI (brain surgery is classed as a TBI) just over 6 years ago & things are still different (& always will be I believe). Things are always different after a TBI. They'll be the same person, just different...
  • 7 0
 @wcjrush: cheers guys. The mountain bike community is pretty good alright. I dont know how these guys found out but Torquato Testa sent a brilliant little video to Joe wishing him all the best and Wyn Masters sent messeges through facebook and also sent him one of his race shirts. These sort of things really inspire so thanks a lot guys
  • 11 0
 I've had a lot of bike injuries, but genital injury. That takes me back...
So way way back in the day. Was at a DH race in Moab. Early during practice I took the wrong line off a blind jump and landed 50/50 on a rock that was about the same size/shape as a milk crate, basically did not use any suspension, just bb to rock. My butt hit the saddle so hard it exploded(the saddle, not my butt). Busted one seat rail and pulled the other out of the saddle plastic. In the same motion took both seat rails to the sack as my saddle exploded. Both went seat clamp deep(like 2-3") into my scrotum. The broken seat rail was just in and out - no big deal. The intact seat rail was more like a hook on the end, and that one was NOT just in and out, that one pulled a bunch of stuff out with it. Nothin like lookin in yer pants after a crash and seeing a wad of stuff hanging out of the hole in your sak. I was sure it was the remains of my left nut! Luckliy both rails missed all the important bits and just went straight into the stuff underneath and the wad hanging out of the hole was just "fatty tissue". YAY! The ER trip and recovery were their own long painful embarrassing story...
  • 11 0
 split my kidney into 2 pieces, first knew about it 5-6 hours after the crash when i pi**ed pure blood... defy any man not to be fully freaked out when he see blood instead of pi** coming out of there
  • 7 0
 I had a kidney stone that occurred because of surgery to plate the tibia and fibia I broke while on the bike.
And yeah....hobbling in to take a leak and seeing only thick blood coming out is a moment of shear terror! Oh wait...then 7 seconds later the onslaught of the most buckling pain I've ever felt in my life(been compared to giving birth).
I've got a high pain threshold and nothing has made me vomit...except kidney stone.
  • 4 0
 Agreed!!!! I pulled an OTB a few years ago and thought concussion was the only injury until pissing blood a bit later. My concern-o-meter was as red as my urine, and later found out I ruptured my kidney. I was lucky that mine healed up without needing surgery. Ironically, my upper body armor that would likely have prevented my bike from wrecking my kidney arrived the day I returned home from hospital...
  • 1 0
 @GlassGuy: Dude I'm wincing just thinking about it
  • 9 0
 MTB is gnarly Im not sure why some rider choose not to gear up ? I have to wonder if he had good elbow pads on would he have been able to pick the bike back up and finish the race and not have to sit the rest of the season out? It seems like gear is smart for a racer as it allows you to keep racing and also screw unnecessary pain. if gear allows me to ride more and take less time off Im all in! Gear really does greatly decrease the amount and severity of injury/injuries!

lets be honest gear now days is very good at protection from injury, light, breathable, and under a jersey almost invisible!
  • 12 0
 This poll brought to you by the insurance industry.
  • 9 0
 Once I slipped both pedals on my dirt jumper and landed butt-hole first on the tip of my saddle.
Then I went home and had a really traumatic poo.

Why isn't that on the list?
  • 9 0
 "versus spending my life in a virtual world, staring at a TV or computer screen"
Anyone here's spending more time in it than riding.
  • 8 0
 Toe, foot, and knee impact injuries are missing from the list and have to be pretty common. I’ve broken a toe and cracked a patella.
  • 3 0
 just broke my pinkie toe, sucks
  • 3 0
 Came here for this. Stuck on the couch right now after dislocating my big toe. Caught it on a hidden horizontal stump and dislocated the mid joint of the toe. Looked broken for sure and feel lucky to get away with just a dislocation but holy hell did it look gross and hurt like a cunt. Hopefully not more than a few weeks to recovery
  • 1 0
 Definitely, I've broken the first and second metatarsal in my right foot and my right knee has all kinds of problems from all kinds of crashes (including broken patella, damaged cartilage and a bakers cyst, caused by a combination of biking, boarding and doing stupid shit when I was young).
  • 1 0
 Big toe... cracked ribs and broken collarbone in the same otb... honestly the stupid toe took the longest to heal (fused strait into one joint now) and was nearly as painful as the ribs.
  • 1 0
 @ihatetomatoes: I did exactly the same thing but also dislocated the big joint, it still hurts every now and again 2 years later,
  • 1 0
 @mark3: eeesh. You dislocated both joints at the same time? That must have been gruesome. The doc had trouble getting mine back together. Thankfully it was frozen
  • 8 0
 looking down this list, I'm thinking "Who would do this sport???"......yet we do
  • 5 0
 Broken ribs, broken T7 spinous process, herniated disc at T11, more broken ribs, bruises galore, pedal pin scars up and down my calves (when I first went on flats and didn't have real shoes), concussion, and some broken ribs.
  • 7 0
 Torn ACL and Meniscus for me it was in my first enduro race too. Took nearly two years to get back to form, the mental side of injury is heavy.
  • 4 0
 Slide on my head into a downed log, head stopped, and scorpion'ed. Herniated a disc at the tail of my Leatt, and in my lower back. Major concussion (second in 3 months). Docs initially didn't believe the disc was herniated due to the force needed to herniate a disc in the rib cage. Figure without the Leatt, that would've been a broken neck. Thanks Leatt.

TLDR; Herniated disc. Check.
  • 3 0
 I had a similar crash where my head brought up solid wedged between the ground and a log. Split my helmet in two, hurt my back, rode out. Turned out I had a concussion (pretty obviously) and 2 vertebral compression fractures..... I've had far worse crashes but the circumstances of this one ended the worst.
  • 5 0
 There are some injuries there that would have me never want to see an mtb again (spinal injury w paralysis), respect to the guys with those injuries that got back on the horse - which ever for that took!
  • 1 0
 *form
  • 16 0
 I'd still ride again in a heart beat, not gonna lie. (C3, so paralysed below the neck)
  • 1 0
 double post..
  • 4 0
 In my opinion injuries you cant see are the worst.
The other year I had 3 bad concussions in 3 months, vision loss, dizzyness, sensitivity to light etc. Went to the hospital all the 3 times and even though I said i had hit my head hard the previous the month, they brushed it off like it was nothing. And because of that I purposefully took a couple months off to ensure i gave my body enough time to heal and recover. But it was hard as I felt 100% fine, but knew the risk of another head injury was too great.

And currently im suffering from spinal compression around L5-L3 with a slipped disc and sciatic nerve problems. And again with no external, physical symptoms its hard to make sure I give my body enough time to heal so its not worse.

All the other injuries, stitches, ligament damage etc has been easier than those to recover and come back from in my opinion
  • 3 0
 Broken clavicle and 3 ribs pneumothorax(peirce in the lung)and concussion in one bail!!!Nhs put a plate in my shoulder 3 days later.9 months rehab.one year on almost to the day last weekend,I shredded mount Snowdon at 4am in the morning whilst the sun was coming up in the most epic sunrise I've ever seen.life is short,enjoy it!GOD I LOVE MOUNTAIN BIKING!
  • 3 0
 Huh, seeing how many of us are getting concussions on the regular, makes me wonder if the marketed helmets out for sale are actually good enough to keep us safe. Or is it just a ton of Marketeers and Lawyers putting them up and keeping them on sale fully knowing that the equipment won't keep up with today's demands.
  • 1 0
 Concussions are relatively easy to get and are actually less likely to be caused at the site of injury. For instance a chin hit causes a contrecoup injury, resulting in high parieto-occipital damage. While a helmet dissipates force enough to prevent direct skull injury and high impact injuries, there will still be low velocity impact. Shear injury is one of the most common (reason MIPS has come about).

So the long and short of it, helmets are necessary and will likely downgrade your injury but if you have an impact that would have resulted in a skull fracture, parenchymal hemorrhage etc you'll still get a concussion.
  • 1 0
 @mfranzen:
How significantly would a mouth guard help reduce the possibility of occipital lobe damage from a chin strike? Or is the energy dissipated through the lower jaw into the brain? Also I'm 100% in favor of brain buckets. Just read up on what MIPS is. Damn that's an incredible design. You seem to quite knowledgeable about this. Do you mind if I ask a few questions?
  • 1 0
 @mfranzen: I agree that helmet can't fully prevent a concussion, but still can reduce the probability. MIPS is a very basic solution and it's not certain that it works (scalp and hair already play that role), but take a look at Leatt (the turbines) or Kali. Their designs are meant to reduce both rotational and low velocity forces. I'm happy that some companies start actually doing something to increase helmet safety. Also, Leatt is the only company I know that publishes helmet test results. This gives them much more credibility in my view.
  • 3 0
 Got sepsis from a massive bruise on my right butt cheek. Had to have surgery to cut out dead tissue from bruise (hole from surgery was 6cm deep) which took 6 weeks to heal up and then mother 3 months to get back to full strength. The only lesson I can impart on anyone is "DO NOT CLIP PEDALS ON ROCKS!!!". Good luck and trouble free riding to all!
  • 1 0
 P.S. after the surgery I woke up with a catheter, 1/10 would not recommend to anyone
  • 3 0
 Crashed in January, thought nothing of it, in April was taken ill,stayed in hospital for three weeks with sepsis. Doctors couldn't find the source of infection. In July,7 months after crashing, doctors found a small fracture in my pelvis that had got infected from not being treated. Sepis is a killer, I was very lucky. But point being, we're all big boys and not worry about crashing and those little injuries, but if you're unsure or worried, get it checked. It's not worth loosing your life over
  • 2 0
 My latest injury is the only one that's had me off the bike for any length of time. Considering my age and injuries I've had I'd count my self lucky for that. It's fortunate if you can list the injuries and reflect with a smile as some people can't so we should remember that.
  • 7 0
 I can smile about everything aside from my ripped nutsack... I still shake when I think about it. Why isn't that injury on the list?
  • 4 0
 @scott-townes: genital injury bro
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes: pictures, or it never happened!
Seriously though, that sounds truly awefull man.
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes: If I ripped open my nutsack while mountain biking I'd be most worried about seeing my seminal vesicles.
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes: My brother did the same thing. We sent a letter in to MBUK, which got in the mag. Sadly he didn't get the prize from it because they (unsurprisingly) couldn't publish the photos!
  • 2 0
 @juicebanger: Oh well there it is! Whoops.

@dglobulator: The scar is kinda hard to see and yeah it was scary at the time. did a no-footer, broke the seat off and the post caught. Thankfully it wasn't low enough where the nut could hang out although you could see inside pretty good. I just used a band-aid to butterfly stitch it up.
  • 2 0
 Put a hole in my arm last year at the old bike park and it went septic. Doctors were thinking MRSA because Vancomycin was not working at all. Ends up I had gravel stuck in my elbow. $40,000 in bills ($3900 after insurance) and 2 surgeries later and I have a bitchin scar for life. Still got an arm thankfully. Mountain biking is a sport full of people who just crashed, or are about to crash.
  • 4 0
 Wow this is the comments section where everyone admits they are such bad riders we would all be better off if their moms took their bikes away Smile
  • 3 0
 It's kind of scary that the only thing selected more often than a concussion is hurt ego. I used to be one of those ratty BMX kids with no helmet. Don't be that guy. I've broken a few of them since then.
  • 2 0
 Badly broke and separated C5,C6 and crushed C7. The feeling in my arms comes and goes. Shit I hope I can ride again one day. Gonna have to wait close to a year before I'll know. Shred on folks, I hope to be passed by yall soon!!!!!
  • 1 0
 How long ago and hows the rest of your body?
  • 1 0
 @nikifor88: 6 Weeks now. I feel so lucky that I can walk or even use my arms at all. So I have to be thankful. My legs are good. 50% or so strength in my arms. A really weird feeling. Thx for asking.
  • 1 0
 @pedaldragger: as someone with sci and tons of research done- you'll be fine, man Smile
  • 2 0
 I dont know why some company (Dainese...?) doesn't develop an airbag system like superbike riders wear. It would be a no brainer for WC and Pro DH racers as they could potentially finish their season, let alone the pain and inconvenience of a bad injury. Definitely a must for Rampage! Call me a pansy if you want but any thing that can keep you on the bike and out of hospital must be a good thing...
  • 1 0
 There are air bag systems in ski racing. It exists. Not sure how they are triggered though. Ski cross racers use them but they don’t always go off if the crashes at the olympics is any indication.
  • 1 0
 currently have a trashed labrum in left hip have to get a cadaver bone graft to reconsruct it also tore my rectus abdominus off my pelvic bone at the same time...it's been 14 months (took 12 months and over 15 specialists to get an exact diagnosis could have had many MTBs for what I spent on med bills chasing this down)
have sugery this fall but still am riding my bike cannot take being off of it I'll deal with the pain that's what beer is for....
  • 1 0
 Uggh going through similar ordeal. But only took a couple months to find that the rectus abdominus is torn off the bone. Been waiting for a few more months but pretty sure will need surgery to stick it back on. Cant wait to get back on bike!
  • 1 0
 Torn ACL, and Meniscus Tear (Both on opening day @ Fernie last season), Multiple(4-6?) concussions, 27 Stitches for a torn scalp with exposed skull. (helmets were for nerds when i was a kid), Broken ring finger. separated shoulder and Ive seen my shin bone far too many times than id like to admit.
  • 1 0
 So my worst injury from mountain biking isn't on the list. I few years back I had a semi-over the bars crash. I say semi as the handlebars jack-knifed and the end of the handle bar went almost all the way through my leg (missing the femoral artery by lest than 5 mm). The force of the impact pushed the handle bars about 2 cm through the stem and it wasn't cleanly through my leg as the brake lever halted the progress. I have been riding off and on for the last 20 years and this was my first real injury, so I guess it was just my turn to have something go wrong.
  • 2 0
 I consider myself lucky in that a few trips to urgent care followed by weeks of hobbling around or weird looks from a stranger at some stitches in my face is a small price to pay for the 20 years of good times.
  • 1 0
 Hurt ego, broken thumb, separated shoulder and severe bruising. Luckily have never needed stitches and have yet to knock my head; knock on wood.


One other question might be, how many people have had injuries that were never diagnosed or ever really looked at? I mean for example, I wiped out on a wooden bridge doing 30km/h on my cross bike about a month ago and my shoulder still feels it. How many times have you bashed your knees or something serious, but just got up and kept riding or took a day off to go swimming instead? I am sure there are a lot out there...
  • 1 0
 IMHO it means these were not injuries worth noting. If you have a serious injury you know it, trust me. Or maybe you should have your shoulder checked Smile
  • 1 0
 @Slabrung: Probably should, but that takes away from ride time. Razz
  • 1 0
 Ya I'm curious how many times I've been concussed and never done anything about it. With all the new research coming out about brain injuries you definitely don't need to get knocked out to be concussed and I've hit my head hard enough to be fairly woosy and just continued on riding like it's nothing.
  • 3 0
 Reading all these posts about healthcare bills makes me feel even more fortunate to be a Canadian. Universal health care coverage seems just made for mountain biking Smile
  • 2 0
 Oh man is that ever true! I’m 5 weeks into recovery from a tibial plateau fracture, if it wasn’t for health care and ei I’d be in serious trouble. I’ll defini complain less about my taxes next year!
  • 3 2
 Dang, in 1,829 responses, there have been over 750 concussions! That is a serious stat-line right there. That means that over 40% of these riders have experienced a concussion at some point in their riding careers.I bet that number tops most other sports, including football.
  • 1 0
 Do motorcycle bikes count, broke my arm, dislocated shoulder, cracked my pelvis, fractured my skull (with a helmet on) that was a bad 4 months in the wheel chair my wife at the time was actually very helpful. On the mountain bike "only" broke my finger and a rib and ego of course. hmmm feels good to share
  • 2 0
 What seems not to be on peoples minds at all: nerve damage. It can happen with every major bone break and is very serious. The spinal cord is not the only nerve network that innervates muscle...
  • 1 0
 Even if it isn't permanent its still painful until it gets fixed.
Had to have sessions to desensitise one up high on the chest/back after a crash.
Wish there was a good story behind it, but it was on my own and on the flat surface of a finish line.
  • 1 0
 Broken right and left ulna/radius 3 times on separate occasions, 3 acl reconstructions in the same knee, dislocated hip and broken femoral head, impact fractured tibial plateau, broken fingers and toes, broken foot and heel, broken scaphoid that had surgery after it went 9 weeks 2 video shoots 3 photo shoots and 2 GRT and national championships before realizing it was broke, dislocated 7+ ribs and torn cartilage in sternum, separated right shoulder, broken left collarbone twice, multiple concussions, broken nose, made my nuts turn black and swell to size of a grapefruit, more stitches and glue than can be listed, paralyzed my left shoulder temporarily, and can't remember anything else. This poll was not made comprehensive enough for me hahaha
  • 1 0
 Lots of boxes ticked but recently lost my long head bicep tendon a year or so after smashing my shoulder, which did a lot of other damage including torn rotator cuff and labrum. Rotator cuff is starting to get stronger after ~1.5 years. Bicep tendon loss results in "Popeye deformity" where my bicep has moved closer to my elbow. Docs told me my arm should recover 95% and the bicep tendon is mostly cosmetic.
  • 1 0
 There used to be an article series called 'my scars' or something on vitalmtb or dirtmountainbike.com where pros summed up all the injuries they suffered from riding. I remember there was one with Brandon Fairclough and one with Rachel Atherton and their lists were pretty impressive. I can't find it anymore. Maybe they took it off line for being too honest?
  • 1 0
 I have broken a hand going over the bars. I broke some ribs and got a sweet, muffin top sized hematoma on my right hip last year when I blew a water crossing and again went over the bars. That took forever to heal. I've wiped out in the snow 2 years in a row commuting. Finally got spiked tires for that. The wife and I laid the tandem down a few weeks ago and my ribs and knee are still sore from that. Her arm is still sore as well. We're riding tonight and have ridden a few times since we crashed. She gives little to no f*cks when I crash my bike. :-)
  • 4 0
 Every time I get injured I add more armor: soon I won't be able to move and someone will have to lift me onto my bike. Wink
  • 1 0
 Guy I worked with years ago crashed in such a way that a pine stick on the forest floor speared all the way through his quad. That made me think a bit about the seeming impossibility of that injury, and yet it happened anyway. Random stuff can happen. I’ve had several roadies tell me they are scared of injuries from Mtn biking, which blows my mind as they put all of their miles in next to autos. Mtn bikers get hurt, but almost never killed by cars- that is my biggest cycling fear.
  • 1 0
 Dirtfest 2014 in central PA. Crashed hard. Unconscious for 10 minutes. Severe concussion plus a gash around the upper part of my left orbital. Stitches for that. On the plus side I got a cool helicopter ride off the mountain!
  • 1 0
 So no option on the poll there; but I finally understood what all the roadies were concerned about with discs in the peloton. Obviously using my brakes too much; I crashed and the bike landed on top of me and the rotor burned into my arm.
  • 1 0
 The worst injury I have sustained during mtb:ing (or ever for that matter) was splitting my nutsack open from the seatpost. When I looked down in my pants afterwards the nut was clearly visible. It did hurt like a fresh kick in the nuts for two weeks, with painkillers.
  • 2 0
 Heck, if my ego could be physically seen it would look like a soft purple leaking plum with duct tape, chicken wire and staples holding it together! OH, BUT THE STORIES TO MAKE OTHER LAUGH IT COULD TELL!
  • 1 0
 My worst was a strep infection on my ass from a few days of riding without washing clothes in-between. It took a few rounds of antibiotics to clear up and was really pretty gross by the time it was done. Had me a lot more worried about my long-term well being than any of my other more impact-based injuries.
  • 1 0
 Broken talus bone (over 7mm separation). Now have a plate and 5 screws holding that together. Currently 3 months out from a L5-S1 micro discectomy and over a year from the initial herniation. Hoping I can riding in a year or two.
  • 2 0
 still recovering from dislocating and breaking my elbow into more than 3 pieces in May. Needed a plate and 10 screws to put it back together.
  • 3 0
 How about some of my others:
- sprained wrists
- broken toes
- broken teeth
  • 1 0
 Currently layed up with a clavicle and wrist. Both plated on the inside and a big rod on the outside of my wrist as well. Wrist was shattered. I'll be back on my trusty steed next year.
  • 2 0
 Bruised ribs took forever to heal. No other injuries but that’s probably why I suck. You have to push the limits. Only by going too far, will we know how far we can go.
  • 1 0
 Fractured right calcaneus and fibula! Worst pain I have ever experienced and after eight years the pain still reminds me of how I was not very good at riding fast! Still hasn't stopped me!
  • 1 0
 It's missing "broken foot."

For statistics it might be good to compare it to non-MTB injuries.

And the doctors should stop saying "take it easy." Those words are indistinguishable from white noise.
  • 1 0
 One of only three spleeless animals by the look of it. You know you’ve been riding a long time when you’ve nearly ticked every box. 12 was my total!

Don’t ever let it stop you! Just look at Martyn Ashton. Ride on!!!!
  • 3 0
 I have 16 at the age of 23.. ride or die ????????
  • 4 0
 @dpodgajski:
Or get some coaching..
Beer
  • 2 0
 Torn rotator cuff should probably have a spot on that list. I ticked plenty of other boxes though. Also, if you have kids, 'Dreams' should be up there too.
  • 1 0
 2010> Right leg tibia plateau cat 3. 7 screws and plate. 2018> Tibia plateau cat 5 on the very same leg. 8 hours surgery , 11 screws and two plates. Still on the recovery. And still dreaming about riding again.
  • 1 0
 Amongst several items on the list, my t5 fracture was the only one that I didn't know about until years later. A little healthy caution, armor, a full face helmet, and health insurance go a long way now that I'm older.
  • 1 0
 Broke Patella into 9 pieces and damaged my cartilage in a really stupid crash Recovery was not fun, but driven by some cnuts who laughed at my misfortune. I'm a lot faster and better rider than before.
  • 3 0
 no mention for dental injuries? cuts, bruises and most skeletal injuries heal up. broken teeth...not so much
  • 2 0
 16 fractures, punctured lung and a concussion.....all from one wreck. Clavicle, scapula, and seven ribs broken in two places each (flail chest)
  • 1 0
 How ´bout stabbing yourself on the thigh with the handlebar? 15 stitches taken. Anyone? And my ride buddy even worst, had to call an specialist on Bullhorn injuries, handlebar went thru ride shorts and lycra,
  • 2 0
 TFW you're clicking one after the other, and realize nearly all of your serious hospitalizing accidents were from bike riding....
  • 1 0
 Broke my tibia and fibula a couple years back after overshooting a landing. Since then thankfully the worst I've had is a little bit of road rash and a few bruises.
  • 1 0
 "Cuts that required stitches" . . . but didn't go to the hospital because you lacked health insurance and taped it up yourself.
  • 1 0
 I just torn my a.c. shoulder at whistler on c-more into the big rock in the ditch on up hill side. Suckie part was it happened on day1 of 3 days there had to come home
  • 3 0
 I need to tick broken ribs aboot ten times
  • 3 1
 I broke collar bone into 4 witch resulted in punctured lung and broke ribs man i love my downhill lol
  • 3 0
 Broken teeth and broken nose.
  • 1 1
 Ouch
  • 2 0
 Wrist. That needs to be added to the list. It’s kept me off the bike more than any other injury.
  • 1 0
 Broke my tibia plateau and snapped ACL in 2006 on a road gap. Still experiencing pain from that injury. Fortunately, I can still ride bikes.
  • 1 0
 Thankfully not riding tonight after reading all these comments. PS - I don't send it anywhere hard enough compared to some people here...
  • 3 0
 There should be an option for fucked shins haha
  • 4 0
 Sometimes your pedal pins just get hungry and need blood.
  • 1 2
 It's so obvious that there's no need to include it.
  • 1 1
 ...and this is how Dr.'s market to their core market and PB makes a sh*t of it's viewers. Oh hey, I have data for you and a giant audience for you to sell your surgery or PT to. Niceeee @mike kazimer
  • 1 0
 On our local trail network we have a trail named after one of my injuries. The name of this trail is Black Balls. The rest I will leave to your imagination
  • 3 0
 As a doc... thank you mountain biking. Keeping me employed
  • 1 0
 Hmm ticked 11 boxes, had to tick 'other' as you didnt have metatarsals or torn shoulder from my most recent get off, clipped a pedal at 40kmh the other day :-/
  • 1 0
 Torn my right knee ACL, off riding for 3 good months, surviving only on painkillers and PINKBIKE's videos to keep myself motivated
  • 1 0
 Concussion + ruptured kidney + ruptured liver all in one go. Previous worst mountain biking injury was a punctured shin which needed stitches.
  • 1 0
 Couple concussions, broken and dislocated wrist/hand, and dislocated shoulder Eek I’ve had my fair share of crashes that’s for sure
  • 1 0
 My top injury used to be the second time i ruptured my spleen. Now it's a ruptured disc in my l4/l5 i got from... wait for it... lifting my wife's bike over my tailgate
  • 4 2
 Genital injury . snickers
I’m still immature haha
  • 3 0
 Does a wasp sting to the nuts count?
  • 1 0
 LOL! Wait til it happens to you... "life changer." LOL!
  • 2 0
 @drummuy04: prolly not
  • 1 0
 @microfiz:
Lol I have ... many times. Supprized I have a child! I remember landing to flat on A line one time and getting my nut sack sucked into the small gap between the tire and arch... all while getting speed bagged by a brand new set of Kenda nevegalsFrown
  • 1 0
 Broke 4th and 5th metacarpal in my left hand. Surgery and cast. 4 more weeks then physio starts.
  • 1 0
 I just had a plate installed on my 5th matecarpal 2.5 weeks ago. Starting physio next week. Good luck healing
  • 1 0
 I was riding in a big group when I sprained my wrist on the first run, hurt ego is an understatement.
  • 1 0
 Spleen and kidney is one swoop. That shit was expensive. Internal bleeding hurts way worse then slipping a pedal turns out.
  • 1 0
 Currently on 14 concussions... only ever broken 1 bone though... I might be a little top heavy...
  • 1 0
 Ribs, concussion, ankle, wrist and ego. Why do we fall Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up....
  • 1 0
 Shattered collar bone, couple of sprained ankles, and DMR vaults to the shins
  • 3 0
 Yeah, shin diggers should be on that list
  • 4 0
 @nojzilla: couldn’t agree more on shindiggers! My son get scrapes on his legs now (4 years old) and he tells his mom he has pedal scars like dad. Shinners are badges for sure!
  • 2 0
 @VwHarman: both my shins are aboot 90% scar tissue
  • 2 0
 @nojzilla: Those aren't injuries. Those are just a regular part of a daily ride.
  • 1 0
 @ihatetomatoes: " the first time's the worst time" though
Pretty much immune now
  • 1 0
 What about broken foot? (Broke my metatarsal jumping off my bike down a steep chute)
  • 2 0
 My dick bled once, does that count as a "genital injury"?
  • 1 0
 Be fair yes it pretty close to a a cedric gracia injury lol
  • 2 0
 O_0
  • 6 0
 Syphilis does not count. Even if you got it in Vancouver.
  • 1 0
 Lol no its an ok std if you live and ride in essex uk lol @Session603:
  • 1 0
 "Not paying for a quality escort" goes under 'disease' rather than 'injury'.
  • 2 0
 Yer but its an injury having to spend on a high price escort lol @number44:
  • 2 0
 i have one not on the list, Broken big toe!
  • 2 0
 May I suggest the 'Other' category.
  • 1 0
 I'd forgotten mine, I'd already put a different injury in "other" though...
  • 3 0
 Tooth. That sucked
  • 1 0
 No AC Joint, That's like the most common one. Or does that fall under separated shoulder?
  • 1 0
 Prob falls under separated shoulder
  • 2 0
 Lots of concussions on the poll. Can helmets get batter?
  • 1 0
 Badly sprained wrist. From what I've read, fairly common too. 4 months later I'm still recovering. Could've been worse...
  • 1 0
 Pilon fracture recently. Seriously the worst thing I've ever dealt with, period.
  • 2 0
 40+ Cervical spine injuries! Unreal.
  • 2 0
 Very believable. +1 for collars/yokes
  • 1 0
 @Mntneer: darn right
  • 1 0
 Ego, scrapes. I still have pretty good reflexes and that saves me. When those go, it's aaaaaall over!
  • 2 0
 14 ribs..... there should be a number to fill in!
  • 1 0
 I did 5 ribs at the same time. Hoping your 14 wasn't all at once. Those suckers hurt.
  • 2 0
 8 titanium plates in my face... 13 other boxes checked.
  • 1 0
 “If you clicked 10 boxes or more...”

14 for me also. Plates are only in the elbow due to biking though. (Wrist for snowboard)
  • 1 0
 79 people other than me have broken cervical vertebrae on a bike? Crazy....lucky bastards
  • 1 0
 Have a MRI scheduled for Monday on my kneeFrown
After I had he same knee rebuilt a year ago from a ski injury!fml
  • 2 0
 Can I vote for the dislocated shoulder 7 times?
  • 1 0
 What the heck matt!!
  • 1 0
 Almost half checked. I guess I’m not trying hard enough. Multiple “others” might give me a passing grade
  • 2 0
 Midge bites,must be on there
  • 1 0
 Poll missing, 'dislocated elbow' I've done both my left and right elbows. Not fun!
  • 1 0
 T5 Compression Fracture, Concussion, and Grade 5 AC separation. Wish me luck
  • 1 0
 No missing teeth option?? Shame on you Pinkbike
  • 1 0
 2 concussions and a torn hip flexor.
  • 1 0
 Don't tell me those things, not now.
  • 2 1
 Us Americans get really beat up with hospital bills.Really sucks.
  • 2 0
 Not a good place to have a big crash...
  • 1 0
 Relieved to see the relatively low number of knee injuries
  • 1 0
 What about heels?
Broke both of them and ankle on the same Crash.
  • 1 0
 No dislocated hip option? Or detached bicep?
  • 1 0
 Torn rotator cuff. That sucked.
  • 1 0
 No broken knee cap option?
  • 1 0
 Cut off a nice piece of my right ear lobe. Best 4th of July ever!
  • 1 0
 Busted teeth has to be a common one.
  • 1 0
 I pity the fool who clicks "None at all." Get your insurance paid up!
  • 3 1
 I died
  • 1 0
 None at all? You’re doing it wrong.

Wink
  • 1 0
 Where is broken wrist on this list?
  • 1 0
 Wheres the broken skull option....?
  • 1 0
 Broke my skull in two spots near the eye riding with half lid helmet
  • 1 0
 Had a race face turbine dropper so now have no genitals left to hurt
  • 1 0
 spezzy command post here...
  • 1 0
 I answered yes to way to many of those.
  • 1 0
 Good to see I have all the most popular models in my hit list....
  • 1 0
 Soooo many concussions...I am surprised!!
  • 1 0
 Concussion 4 last month on the bike!
  • 1 1
 Mountain bike will ruin your life!
  • 4 0
 Or it will save it, depends how you see it!
  • 1 0
 Snapped my ulna in half
  • 1 0
 Bruised vageen.
  • 1 0
 cringe.
  • 1 2
 Far worse injuries on the road. Why I stick to riding dirt these days..







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