Keep your head whole!

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OliverG
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Keep your head whole!

Post by OliverG » Wed Feb 09, 2005 10:47 pm

Another friendly reminder of things you can do to stay healthy and keep kiting. Wear that helmet! You can read the complete thread from Kiteforum here.

"Well it was blowing 20knots so I dropped down to my 8m , it was a bit gusty by about 7 knots.
I launched it gusted the kite back winded and started to move in front of me,
I started to un hook (to late the trigger got pulled) full power in the power zone.
I said to myself is this it is this how I die, it was the rocks in front of at low tide or it was the road, I got pulled hard into the air and then came down on the rocks hiting my head.
20 stitches and about 40 staples it took to put my scalp back together.
Iím having trouble focusing out of my right eye.
Broken shoulder and collarbone concussion.
My head wound could have been avoided if I used a helmet.
I know they donít look cool ,but Iím not bulletproof an either are you , so please put a helmet on it will save your life.
Aj Bahamas
when I say the kite back winded as the kite took off ,and the wind gusted the wind cam slightly more east and caused the kite to want to launch in a differant direction.
I plan to get get strong again by swimming and then get back on the horse , and beet the fear demons out of me.
I realy love kiteboarding and i'm not ready to give it up yet.
now I've got a bit of time on my hands ,I'm making some custom boards for local riders (taking a bit of tome seing I can only use one arm )and doing some kiteboarding photography."

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Bob
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Post by Bob » Thu Feb 10, 2005 12:14 am

Aww come on...

What could look cooler than forty staples along with twenty stitches in your scalp?

Answer:
None under a helmet.
#-o

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OliverG
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Post by OliverG » Fri Feb 11, 2005 9:20 am

Reposted from Kiteforum/FKA:

The rider suffered serious scalp lacerations requiring 20 stitches and about 40 staples as shown in the photos below. Don't wear a hat like he has on!

He also broke his shoulder, collar bone and fractured a vertabra. He is having trouble seeing out of his right eye at present. The kiteboarder was in hospital for 7 days and was released about a week ago.

It seems unlikely given the speed of travel that the kiter hit an actual rock head first but more likely suffered severe abrasions and lacerations while scraping across the hard uneven rock bottom nearshore.

He is planning on making custom kiteboards (with one arm until his shoulder heals) and shooting kiteboarding photography as he recovers.

The rider plans to condition through swimming and rehab then climb back on the horse that threw him (kiteboarding) as he really loves the sport and beat the fear demons out of himself.

He tells me he is going to hand out copies of one of those scalp injury photos to others in the future along with a warning to wear a helmet when kiteboarding. He told me this story because he wants to try to help other people to avoid going through something like this.

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