Injuries in MX ?

mike44
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mike44
Edited Date/Time 9/15/2022 2:51pm
Hi,

i am conscient that riding an MX bike is inherently dangerous.....but do you think that is it possible to a certain point to avoid mid to serious injuries riding very cautiously without competing ?
Because reading the forum it seems almost impossible to not break all your bones 😅.
Any guys here riding a dirt bike without too much damage ?
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fourfourone
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fourfourone 9/13/2022 7:29am
9/13/2022 7:29am
I made it to 35 without serious injury, then I shattered my shoulder. Every old school moto guy has told me the same thing. When it comes to moto injuries its, not if it will happen, its when it will happen.
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jbrow125
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jbrow125 9/13/2022 7:42am
9/13/2022 7:42am
There is no IF. Only WHEN. The results are only known after the when happens. I make sure to get out of bed each morning though. I do specifically choose not to purchase a bike (road or dirt) for the moment. Maybe someday I'll feel mentally competent for that responsibility again, we'll see. Pedal bikes until then. I do love motorcycles though! Nothing better than the feel of two wheels through the air.
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bigsal
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bigsal 9/13/2022 7:46am
9/13/2022 7:46am
" I was never worried I was gonna lose it, I just pushed the limit to win" Danny MAGOO Chandler
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Skerby
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Skerby 9/13/2022 7:47am
9/13/2022 7:47am
I put almost put solid 20 years in between injuries, and I never quit riding. Solid Juniormediate Pro speed. I've been hurt much worse in car accidents that were acts of God.
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ATKpilot99
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ATKpilot99 9/13/2022 7:56am
9/13/2022 7:56am
You can seriously injure yourself falling down the stairs at home so I'd say no , riding cautiously and non competitively will not completely eliminate the chance of serious injury . It will lessen it . The biggest reason I gave up riding is I began to think about injury too much to have any fun doing it .
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bonseff
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bonseff 9/13/2022 8:02am
9/13/2022 8:02am
I snapped my acl and broke my leg dicking around seat jumping a small double on a mini track. You never know when the ground will reach up and grab ya!
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AH387
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AH387 9/13/2022 8:02am
9/13/2022 8:02am
I think most people on here that have ridden serious or raced will tell you that it is pretty likely that you will get hurt at some point. Just the nature of the sport, unfortunately. My last few years I tried to balance out the risks but still ride at a decent pace. And for the most part that is probably the best window to stay in for people who are not taking it too serious and have a job/responsibilities that you are trying not to get hurt. But it still can be a small mistake that can bite you. A couple years ago I got jacked up because of a kid coming in front of me when I was in a rhythm section and I just did my best to avoid hitting him, coming down from a jump. So sometimes even if you think you are doing everything right, you can still go down.
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jtmaster
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jtmaster 9/13/2022 8:05am
9/13/2022 8:05am
I dislocated one shoulder and separated the other at the same time years ago racing MX. That was my sir serious injury. Now I mostly trail ride and ride ok MX open practice days with then occasional hare scramble race thrown in. Riding cautiously can get you hurt because you are riding scared and tight. You just have to know your ability limits and ride within them. At 53, I don’t need to jump doubles or clear the tabletops or be the fastest or whatever and I know it. Just ride within your abilities and don’t ride on the edge.
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Alan Dove
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Alan Dove 9/13/2022 8:09am
9/13/2022 8:09am
You can pootle around very slowly and someone can ride into you. The reality is, if you are riding a ditbike you have to accept that you are at an elevated risk of an injury. If you're not comfortable with that, then dirtbike riding might not be for you.
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bigsal
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bigsal 9/13/2022 8:13am
9/13/2022 8:13am
"If you don't crash once in a while you're not going fast enough" MAGOO
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bvm111
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bvm111 9/13/2022 8:13am
9/13/2022 8:13am
At this point I don’t ride cautiously per se, but I do stay within a certain box that my experience allows. have I had gnarly injuries, yes, and I have the pins wires and screws in my body still… my worst one, think kenny’s arm. I didn’t get the cadaver ulna graft like he did but I destroyed my arm as bad as he did and amputation was discussed but i ended up healing. I am very consistent in my riding and can look at a jump and know I either don’t want to clear even if I know i can or go for it on the first or second lap. I ride for fun, excercise, and it clears my head due to PTSD. I will ride until I can’t, I know I can wreck, I know I will wreck at some point again, but it won’t be from trying some dumb shit like back flipping at open practice or hucking some huge monolithic jump at a random track.
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JK714
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JK714 9/13/2022 8:37am
9/13/2022 8:37am
I think I've had way more small crashes by being too conservative and hesitant, than big ones riding over my head.

I've come to the point through trial and error of wearing almost every piece of protective gear possible, all top quality. I don't feel restricted by any of it, just more confident.

Going too slow will actually give you a rougher, more jolting ride when you come up short on jumps or struggle in sand instead of having momentum help.

Regardless of your skill level, I think it's important to ride the whole track as a continuous flow, carrying enough momentum everywhere that you don't have to make crazy efforts to clear jumps. Not to say you shouldn't also work on particular sections in isolation when you can. Holding steady throttle and not blipping unnecessarily helps a lot.

About to turn 62, just trying to keep this going another 10 years or so.
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UpTiTe
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UpTiTe 9/13/2022 8:51am
9/13/2022 8:51am
I know a guy who blew out a knee dabbing it on the ground going 5 mph, so the answer is no.

The best way to avoid injury on a motorcycle is to make yourself as Pliable as possible. Stretching and yoga is the secret to health and avoiding injury.
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Falcon
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Falcon 9/13/2022 8:54am
9/13/2022 8:54am
You cannot eliminate the possibility of getting injured, but you can stack the deck in your favor. Ride within your limits, wear protective gear, and like UpTite mentioned, work on your flexibility and general fitness.
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JaredPartridge 9/13/2022 8:55am
9/13/2022 8:55am
Best thing I ever did once I was racing local pro in Vegas on the 450, was to feel like I was only at 75-80%. Whether it was during practice or in the moto, as long as I FELT like I wasn't going all out, it helped me stay smooth.

I usually crashed and got hurt when trying to go faster, and that usually resulted in already coming back from an injury. I broke both wrists twice, left collarbone twice, sprained an ankle and lost use of my left shoulder for a year all before I was 12. By 18 I had a few more concussions, broken toes and fingers, and 3 ACL surgeries.

I don't ride anymore Laughing
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DYE
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DYE 9/13/2022 9:03am
9/13/2022 9:03am
Made it to 36 before my first major injury. Grade 5 shoulder separation. 2 surgeries and was out the better part of a year. Been about a 1.5 years since. I still ride and race but I feel it daily and just something I´ve got to live with now.
fourfourone
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fourfourone 9/13/2022 9:18am
9/13/2022 9:18am
DYE wrote:
Made it to 36 before my first major injury. Grade 5 shoulder separation. 2 surgeries and was out the better part of a year. Been about...
Made it to 36 before my first major injury. Grade 5 shoulder separation. 2 surgeries and was out the better part of a year. Been about a 1.5 years since. I still ride and race but I feel it daily and just something I´ve got to live with now.
I feel your pain on the shoulder injury. I snapped the ball of the shoulder off my humorous and now have a 6 inch plate and 12 screws. Also had to have my rotator cuff pinned to the plate. I'm about 5 months post surgery and just getting back on the bike and riding lightly. It sucks to know at the age of 35 my shoulder will never be the same.

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clarkgray432
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clarkgray432 9/13/2022 9:19am
9/13/2022 9:19am
You’re going to get hurt. It’s just part of it. I just shattered both my ankles and broke my pelvis. Going to be out for awhile. Wasn’t riding over my head or out of my limits, was just a weird crash with a bad ending.
hubbardmx50
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hubbardmx50 9/13/2022 9:32am
9/13/2022 9:32am
I think having good technique, being sharp mentally and not riding over your head and within your limits helps a lot. But at the end of the day you are going to crash no matter what. Sometimes you bounce, sometimes you break bones.
Mr. Afterbar
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Mr. Afterbar 9/13/2022 9:36am
9/13/2022 9:36am Edited Date/Time 9/13/2022 9:37am
If you’re an expert and don’t push your limits, you can ride for fun and have a good chance of not getting injured, but anything can happen at any time and if you’re not willing to accept that and the injuries that come with it, you probably shouldn’t ride.
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OFalk280
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OFalk280 9/13/2022 11:14am
9/13/2022 11:14am
Wear as much protective gear as you feel you need while also being able to ride correctly. Learn proper riding technique, and don't ride beyond your limit. These steps give you the best chance of avoiding injury. But just like in the world outside of riding accidents happen and sometimes things that are out of your control happen and its hard to avoid. My worst injury so far was a spiral fracture of my tibia from a rider right in front of me deciding he needed to turn left off a jump face. No fault of my own unless you say I should have predicted him to do that and my reward was (luckily not worse) a surgery for a rod, 3 screws, and 6 months on the couch
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Lucas Windham 9/13/2022 11:29am
9/13/2022 11:29am
Yeah moto and injury just go hand and hand. I love motocross but I am only 32 and already hurt when I wake up in the mornings. I'm scared to see what my older years are going to feel like.
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Moto Nomad
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Moto Nomad 9/13/2022 11:39am
9/13/2022 11:39am
There is no way to do it 100% safely, but I believe you can ride smart and reduce chance of injury. Still, this is dirt bike racing/riding and anything can happen at any time.
I'm in my mid-50s and most racers I know have some type of physical issue from riding (I got a hip replacement).
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lumpy790
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lumpy790 9/13/2022 11:56am
9/13/2022 11:56am
If you do not crash every now and then you are not trying hard enough - Gary Bailey

In 46 years …….. I would 100% rather break a bone than pop a joint. Joints never heal where bones do. Have broken Tibia and both shoulder blades and separated both AC, popped knee and dislocated shoulder. For some reason My injuries are usually on my left side.
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davis224
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davis224 9/13/2022 11:59am
9/13/2022 11:59am
I've rung my bell a few times/been sore as hell, but I've never broken a bone or torn anything.
mike44
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mike44 9/13/2022 12:07pm
9/13/2022 12:07pm
Falcon wrote:
You cannot eliminate the possibility of getting injured, but you can stack the deck in your favor. Ride within your limits, wear protective gear, and like...
You cannot eliminate the possibility of getting injured, but you can stack the deck in your favor. Ride within your limits, wear protective gear, and like UpTite mentioned, work on your flexibility and general fitness.
That the point Wink flexibility unfortunately i will never have.... SmileSmileSmile But i am fit, riding hard in kitesurf since almost 20 years ! Wink
bigsal
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bigsal 9/13/2022 12:11pm
9/13/2022 12:11pm
Falcon wrote:
You cannot eliminate the possibility of getting injured, but you can stack the deck in your favor. Ride within your limits, wear protective gear, and like...
You cannot eliminate the possibility of getting injured, but you can stack the deck in your favor. Ride within your limits, wear protective gear, and like UpTite mentioned, work on your flexibility and general fitness.
What?
WFO
JustMX
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JustMX 9/13/2022 1:59pm
9/13/2022 1:59pm
bigsal wrote:
What? [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2022/09/13/568279/s1200_20210406_160315.jpg[/img] WFO
What?
WFO
Is that the very first scrub?

well, at least his right arm
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