After 6 years of kiting I am now hospitalised and I am in bed reflecting on the events of yesterday.
Siting at the office and notice its really windy.
Been dying to try my new 7M Octane.
Got to the beach and thought it had backed off and that I might be under powered.
Went with the 7M anyway as I wanted to try it and I removed the extra pigtails as discussed on the forum for a bit more low end.
Wow, I loved it. Pulled really well and was so light and quick across the window.
I was having a ball but still not dialled into its timing.
The wind was up and down and then died and everyone came in. I was the only one to keep my kite up and shortly the wind returned and out I went for the dreaded "one last go" by myself.
I went for a big old school basic jump but started to rotate - normally I just continue to rotate by looking over my shoulder for the landing but this time I lost orientation mid way and looped my kite somehow??
Knowing that it has gone pear shaped and was going to hurt I kicked off my board and let go of the bar. I landed on my side and my leg hit my discarded board just below the knee.
I managed to get my breath back (some time later) and body dragged to my board but I knew my leg was not well. Then using my board I body dragged back to the beach where I could yell at the other kiters for help.
Thanks to Greg and ???? who helped me off the beach and packed up my gear.
After about 4 or 5 diagnosis from the other kiters it was decided that I was probably OK and just bruised. This made me feel much better but then why was I feeling so bad. So on my way to the doctors for a check up,my wife (ex nurse) said go straight to emergency. Great advice as it turned out that the bone was uniquely broken below the knee.
So I am trying to say thanks but also, - take kiting advice from kiters but medical advice from medicos.
Anyone want to buy some kites?

Adfreetv said...

After 6 years of kiting I am now hospitalised and I am in bed reflecting on the events of yesterday.
Siting at the office and notice its really windy.
Been dying to try my new 7M Octane.
Got to the beach and thought it had backed off and that I might be under powered.
Went with the 7M anyway as I wanted to try it and I removed the extra pigtails as discussed on the forum for a bit more low end.
Wow, I loved it. Pulled really well and was so light and quick across the window.
I was having a ball but still not dialled into its timing.
The wind was up and down and then died and everyone came in. I was the only one to keep my kite up and shortly the wind returned and out I went for the dreaded "one last go" by myself.
I went for a big old school basic jump but started to rotate - normally I just continue to rotate by looking over my shoulder for the landing but this time I lost orientation mid way and looped my kite somehow??
Knowing that it has gone pear shaped and was going to hurt I kicked off my board and let go of the bar. I landed on my side and my leg hit my discarded board just below the knee.
I managed to get my breath back (some time later) and body dragged to my board but I knew my leg was not well. Then using my board I body dragged back to the beach where I could yell at the other kiters for help.
Thanks to Greg and ???? who helped me off the beach and packed up my gear.
After about 4 or 5 diagnosis from the other kiters it was decided that I was probably OK and just bruised. This made me feel much better but then why was I feeling so bad. So on my way to the doctors for a check up,my wife (ex nurse) said go straight to emergency. Great advice as it turned out that the bone was uniquely broken below the knee.
So I am trying to say thanks but also, - take kiting advice from kiters but medical advice from medicos.
Anyone want to buy some kites?

Sorry to hear it Nigel. Sounds a bit unfortunate. Why sell the kites? Why don't you just wait for the leg to come right and get back on the water?

Ouch!!!

Yep, I saw the jump as I was up on the grass packing up. I gasped loud enough that Bernie and Nat looked up from their conversation 20 metres away, but when I saw you body-drag to your board I assumed you were OK. Had there not been other kiters still on the beach I would've come down to check as it did look messy.

I just saw the kite go into a loop very quickly and it looked like you were upside down and in fact landed head-first. I saw you kick your board off but didn't register that you landed on it. It happened so quickly that it was hard to put the sequence together clearly.

If its a simple fracture of just your fibula it could heal quite quickly. Id expect the tibia to take a bit longer but either way it should be quicker than if you'd busted your knee or broken your femur. Good luck and patience to you.

And yes, if you've had a stack and don't feel well even though there's no obvious damage it can be a good idea even to get someone else to take you home or to the doc. We have wonderful natural painkillers to get us through the worst of it but if these are masking a serious problem you don't want to find out as you're driving down the freeway at 110.

Safe kiting all, dojo.

if you walked away from it, it's probably just the fibula. are you having it operated on to pin it?

since the fibula is a non weight bearing bone, you will be able to walk on it (in a boot, possibly crutches and partial weight bearing) quite soon, this means it heals quickly and you lose very little muscle bulk. I'd be aiming at being back on the water after 8 - 10 weeks. plenty of summer left mate!

djdojo said...

Ouch!!!

Yep, I saw the jump as I was up on the grass packing up. I gasped loud enough that Bernie and Nat looked up from their conversation 20 metres away, but when I saw you body-drag to your board I assumed you were OK. Had there not been other kiters still on the beach I would've come down to check as it did look messy.

I just saw the kite go into a loop very quickly and it looked like you were upside down and in fact landed head-first. I saw you kick your board off but didn't register that you landed on it. It happened so quickly that it was hard to put the sequence together clearly.

If its a simple fracture of just your fibula it could heal quite quickly. Id expect the tibia to take a bit longer but either way it should be quicker than if you'd busted your knee or broken your femur. Good luck and patience to you.

And yes, if you've had a stack and don't feel well even though there's no obvious damage it can be a good idea even to get someone else to take you home or to the doc. We have wonderful natural painkillers to get us through the worst of it but if these are masking a serious problem you don't want to find out as you're driving down the freeway at 110.

Safe kiting all, dojo.

I really appreciate hearing what u saw Dojo. It is quite a blur. I thought it looped and I thought I kicked off the board but its nice to have it confirmed. I was pretty winded so I am surprised I went head first. Forums are cool for this self indulgence

Yes - I am pretty lucky. It is the Fibula (smaller lower leg bone). No operation and should recover well. I will be back - just disappointed as I just got new 2010 gear.

kiting kid said...

was it in the northlie or the southly?

Northerly 25, gusts to 30knots

ahhhh, the low lows of riding straps.

Hey Adfreetv I saw the jump as well. ooowwwhhh was the word that came out of my mouth when I saw you hit the water head first.Im guessing you where about 4 mtres high from the top of the fall. I though to myself that was a nasty snack but at least he is trying stuff and kiting hard. I saw you pop up out of the water and thought you would be ok seeing though you recovered so quick. 15 mins later I saw you up near the bike path in much pain getting your wetty off. I asked a few kiters how you were and they send they think you just jarded your shin bone or damaged a muscle. Sorry to here it was much worse. Anyway its good to watch kiters out there having a real go. best of luck with your recovery.

decdok said...

I had a similar expirence in st kilda, went for a jump span into a rotation lost my bearing before i new it my kite was going into a loop kicked off board and ended up just dropping out of the sky it the same postion as you said, lucky for me i wasnt injured just fairly dazed. And just my luck someone took a photo of me doing it...

You look like the Michael Jordan "Air" logo in this photo mate!

decdok said...

I had a similar expirence in st kilda, went for a jump span into a rotation lost my bearing before i new it my kite was going into a loop kicked off board and ended up just dropping out of the sky it the same postion as you said, lucky for me i wasnt injured just fairly dazed. And just my luck someone took a photo of me doing it...

I wish I had a picture too! How did you get that? Was it a friend?

Wish you a quick recovery and remember;

HANDS IN THE CENTER OF THE BAR

Thanks adfreetv I am not back yet ....surgery again on the 9th Novemeber to remove wire holding things together then another period of rehab so hopefully back by Feb. Its a real bitch. I have been careful right from the start with my diet and got stuck in to an upper body routine at the gym. As soon as i could I got into the pool . I do 2-3k, 4 times a week... i am just starting to cycle so i am hoping to build the thigh muscles up before the next surgery ... i couldn't believe how much muscle wastage you get with his injury.I have actually lost some weight over this period....looking foward to bigger boosts!!!. Good luck with your rehab.

Hey adfree tv. sorry about your leg not the best feeling is it?
i broke the fibula in two places in jan this year. i was back walking without crutches after 4 weeks and kiting within 10 weeks. could have hit the water earlier but decided to keep it cool. the only advice i can give you is try to get a boot as soon as possible and bear weight on your leg within two weeks if it doesnt hurt. there was a windsurfer who had the same break i had and he never got the boot or beared weight on his leg. he got his cast off on the same day i was told i could walk without the boot. he couldnt even move his leg or walk and i just walked straight out of the clinic and never looked back. i over heard the doctor say that he would need 3 weeks of rehab.
walk on the beach sand when you can and keep those leg muscles active.
good recovery mate!

Hi Guys

Thanks for your support and advice - here is an update.

After collating the eyewitness reports and surgeon's opinion, the evidence is now pointing to the leg be broken by a twisting action against the water during the fall rather than by hitting the board as I had concluded. This is based on the facts that both my leg and the board do not show signs of a traumatic blow and that a twist in the lower leg usually causes the fibular bone to break at the top end below the knee.

This is amazing to me as I would have thought it needed to be caught in the foot-strap to break but as I kicked it off the board this was not possible. We all know all know a fully powered kite packs a punch but as I was in deep water with no objects I never imagined water pressure on my ankle could provide enough resistance to break a leg bone.

Anyway now I need MRI scans as the ligaments are slightly suspect as they attach to the broken bit.

On a positive note I pushed to get and have now got a hinged leg brace which makes all the difference in the world compared to having you knee locked and straight 24/7. Best extra $350 I have spent in while.

Enjoy the sea-breezes you bastards.

Nigel