Kitemare stories?

[dave holmgren]

Is there any interest in Kitemares? Not to be ghoulish, but from the educational aspect- as in: So THAT's what happened- I do NOT want to do what that guy did.
I'd be happy to contribute a recent one- and I've been (learning) kiting since Mike Rossberg got me started in ~2001out at Rush Lake.
If you feel it's not appropriate here, no worries, say the word. I can shut up.

[ChrisPSherwin]

Pardon the massive posting, but this info posted a while back could have helped me quite a bit. There are some great responses that have helped me figure out what happened, and hopefully how to avoid it in the future. As far as an update goes, I have been non-weight bearing for 2 months. I start official rehab on Monday, and should be able to walk by July 22nd. I should be on a bike before walking. Surprisingly, I have been climbing in a gym to stay in shape almost every day for a month, it's great for the forearms!

People ask me if I'm psyched to get back on the bike figuring that I'll never kite again or something stupid, but honestly, I'm looking forward, in order, to...
1) walking
2) being able to piss and do menial tasks on two feet
3) TIE: driving my own car (it's a stick), and Kiting

Kiting is still a few months away, I know that the return will be painful, and that the ankle is going to swell like crazy, but it will be soooooo worth it - Chris Sherwin
Hello readers,

If the following incident description and discussion can help someone avoid the rehab and lost kiting time that I'm dealing with right now, then this entire event may prove worthwhile...

First of all, I hope to be back on the water at the end of September. I am not done kiting, and I'm actually taking the whole "wreck" pretty well. Things could be a lot worse, and I'm hoping to examine my crash in hopes that kiters out there like myself, total noobs and seasoned veterans can benefit from my latest experience. I am hoping that all of you that have comments will comment.

I started kiting in late August of 2008. After a lesson or two, I went straight to the ocean and had a great time at Emma Wood beach area next to Ventura. I came back to Utah after four days in ocean wind and waves and spent another 15 or so days on the water at Deer Creek and Utah Lake - at the end of the season, I was just beginning to jump. Once the snow hit, I probabaly put 15 or 20 days of quality snowkiting in. I ski about 100 days per year and I am MUCH better at skiing than wakeboarding. Mid winter I began to jump pretty well, and could stay up for 3 to 5 seconds pretty comfortably. Looking back, however, my jumps were big and long and pretty fast. I never really spent time popping straight up jumps with slower landings.

I went to the water knowing that I would have to tone it down a notch from snowkiting, but here's what happened on about April 21st...

The wind was 18 - 25 mph waves 2-3 feet. I launched my 11m kite and went out on my new cruiser pro, which has pads that are over an inch thick, and they are also somewhat shaped like a foot and grippy. I had a ton of fun for about an hour, and did a little bit of jumping (5-8 foot jumps), but I don't really remember attempting to land much. I did have to drag to fetch my board a few times. After an hour, I thought the board was a little too wide, so I went and got my old board, an Underground Wavetray 157 with Lightwave straps.

When I came back, I literally went 300 feet offshore, jumped up 5 feet or so, and continued out. I turned around, jumped again, this time maybe 10 feet up, travelling 40? feet of distance in an arc, and did not feel like I was coming down particularly hard - especially compared to some of my hits snowkiting. This board has minimal padding, just a grip tape on the deck really. As I was coming down, travelling from right to left and floating downwind a bit, my left foot slipped out of the strap a bit. As the board hit the water, generally the left side first, I heard a loud snap, then my butt hit the water. I looked at my ankle and apparently my heel had slid (with a bootie on) but the fore of my foot stayed immobile in the strap. My ankle had rotated 90 degrees or so. At first, I was like "are you #%@ing kidding me!?" THAT dislocated my ankle? But I soon realized that I was about 600 feet offshore and had a pretty messed up ankle.

I ditched my board. My kite was still in the air and well powered, so I body dragged to shore where some fellow kitesurfers secured my kite after I landed it, and then dragged me away from the surf onto a rock. Even with a wetsuit and booties, it was obvious that my ankle was toast, so we called an ambulance. I climbed the rock embankment up to the ambulance and away I went. Total strangers packed up my goods and drove my car to the ER. What a kick ass, tight knit group of people. They are planning to party upon my return.

The rotation broke my fibula in half, which in turn tore up my deltoid ligament, which in turn broke off a piece of my tibia. I am told that my bones are pretty strong, so bone deficiencies don't factor into the extent of the injuries. They plated my fibula and slapped in seven screws - my ligaments lined up OK, so they also put one long screw throug my tibia and fibula. Recovery is supposed to be 2 months with no weight on the ankle. Then a month of 20-50% weighted, then who knows. Mostly full usuable recovery by 6 months. Good for snowkiting, and productivity at work. But not recommended in general. The muscle loss is really going to suck.

Questions for the gallery:
1) Is this a common injury?
2) Do you think the injury could have been avoided if I had the bindings from the cruiser pro on this board?
3) Are these types of injuries common with boot bindings?
4) Had I been using boot bindings, would I have toasted a knee instead?
5) Any strategies for rehab?
6) When I return to the water, Any suggestions?
7) Are there any rules for "bailing out" of a water landing?
Any suggestions / comments are appreciated

A couple if things that I learned.
1) DO have that emergency contact info in your bag, or on you. My wife was 40 miles away. I had actually told someone where my info was in the odd event of things getting ugly before I went out. Had I been unconscious with out the info, it would have really sucked.
2) Newer guys..Knowing how to body drag is huge. I made it to the beach because Billy taught me how to body drag and use my body like a rudder. It was nasty rocks on all sides of the beach. It could have been waaay worse.
3) The kiting community rocks. Total strangers helped me out, called 911, packed up my stuff, and drove my car to the ER.

Hey Chris thanks for sharing. I hope you heal up well. I had a foot strap issue a couple weeks ago at Deer Creek. I got out on the water and realized that I hadn't adjusted my straps from my Hawaii trip where I was barefoot. I quickly loosened the straps in the water while flying the kite overhead. One side came out right but the other was too loose and I had a foot slip out on a jump. Fortunatly it was my back foot that came out so my front foot kept the board tracking. With you it was your front foot that came out so when the board hit the water it spun. The lesson in this for me is to make sure my straps are adjusted snuggly before I hit the water.Ralph Morrison

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by tjacques » Tue May 05, 2009 7:41 am

damn chris glad you are okay. at least now i have someone to rehab with, lol, . I have had problems similar to ralph, just forgeting to adjust straps properly or someone using my board and adjusting them and then me forgetting to readjust. It is a problem not to have a properly fitted strap, I like them snug, just the toes sticking through and the ball planted firmly. booties are a problem because they require constant adjustment, and they ball up. I have had my feet come out with booties more than barefoot. Unfourtienetly they are a neccessary evil for me, I like the protection they give me. Most people dont wear them for this reason. when i feel my feet come out I ditch the board fast, kick it off.
once again glad youre okay. calltjacques

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by Jacob Buzianis » Tue May 05, 2009 3:01 pm

That suck, Chris! Good thing you made it back to shore safe and sound. Smart self-rescue back to shore.

I did the same thing a few years ago but I didn't break it like your. I had to stay off my ankle for few weeks. The mistake I made was that the strap was either too loose or too tight. I had find the right tightness for my foot to be sure it will stay in and kick off easy. It took awhile for me to find the right tightness after a few test run and unscrew the straps.

I wish you a fast recovery.Jacob Buzianis

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by Spencer R » Tue May 05, 2009 3:38 pm

Sorry about the accident.

I ride wakeboard style binding. I have riden them from loose to tight. They tend to stay in most of the time either way. When i hit hard I want both feet to pop out at once. But even with these i have had 1 foot out and 1 in many times, and most likely could have gotten a bad knee injury if I hadn't either gotten kite control quickly, or popped the other foot out of the binding quickly. You are probably right (if you were riding bindings) - your ankle would have been fine but your knee may have been screwed. IMO - you are probably just as safe riding straps.

Get better soon.

-spencer rSpencer R

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by Mark Johnson » Tue May 05, 2009 6:22 pm

Riding Lincoln the other day I had a foot slip out because of my booties. I am not sure what is worse though not wearing booties at Lincoln or risking my foot slipping out. I jump a lot less with booties on because of this. And like Todd says, ditch the board if at all possible if one foot slips out. I am looking for a thin pair of booties that might help keep my feet in and also protect from the harsh bottom of Lincoln. Sorry about your ankle. I hope you can ride soon!
Mark Johnson

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by Kenny » Thu May 07, 2009 11:48 am

Chris,

I am very sorry to hear about your accident. I had a similar injury at the end of June 08. However, I did it landboarding and had a foot slip out. I ended up with a spiral fracture of the fibula. It took surgery with a plate and screws to repair. It sounds like you injured your right ankle (same ankle I injured). I hope you have some kind people to drive you around. I will answer your questions below:

1. Yes, this is common kiteboarding injury. Below is a link from www.kiteforum.com

http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php? ... 8&p=589845

2. Yes, this injury had everything to do with your foot slipping out, not the amount of padding.
3. No
4. I doubt it, you have to come in hard for a boot binding to come off. When your foot slipped out and the board hit the water, it worked like a giant lever on your single ankle still remaining in the strap. If you had been wearing boot bindings, you would not have hurt your knee unless you were coming in super hot. I remember having the same feeling of disbelief when I broke my ankle as I was not doing anything crazy.
5. a. follow doctor's orders and keep weight off your foot to allow it to heal
b. go to PT and tell them your ambitions and goals. They will work with you to help you regain full movement of your ankle.
c. RICE is the best thing you can do for that ankle for a long time. Follow it religiously as an ankle is difficult to heal.
d. get some faux sheep skin padding for the top of your crutches.
6. a. Ride strapless for a while. b. Wear a laceup ankle brace. I am still wearing mine when I kite on the water. Ski boots gave me enough support during the winter.
7. It is better to kick the board off than to land one footed. You and I learned that the hard way.