How many injuries have you sustained while wakeboarding?

After my first post you guys really helped me narrow down my boat choice (leaning towards a craz). After further research into boats and water sports in general I'm getting extremely close to purchasing a boat but want to study up on a few more things first. My question for you guys today is what injuries have you sustained during wake boarding (if any). I understand that of course this sport has dangers but want to try and get a grasp on how high a chance that there is for these (major) injuries to occur. my family that wants to learn to wakeboard ranges from ages 15-30 all fairly fit and have been active with various impact sports. None of us are looking to do a lot of the crazy tricks but have a desire to learn how to properly board and an end goal of getting some decent air and be able to eventually jump wake to wake. I expect minor injuries after each session but would rather not have a broken femur or major concussion be a regular thing. Are there many of you all who have been wakeboarding for quite a while who have never really had too many injuries?

I basically have a wall of text to find out how often you guys get major injuries to see if the adrenaline rush of wakeboarding is worth the risk of major injury for my family.

Surf, it’s way safer.


https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q...3DsXxfmoVX1b0J

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Never broken just bruised. Been doing it from age 14-30.

With good gear, I haven’t had any wakeboard injuries. With old style bindings, I’d mess up an ankle from time to time and take a few hits. Nothing along the lines of a concussion. Start with slow speeds and learn slowly. And never ride tired.

I surf much more than wakeboard. I enjoy both, but still like the intensity that wakeboarding brings. I would not call wakeboarding a major risk.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ryann

Never broken just bruised. Been doing it from age 14-30.

With good gear, I haven’t had any wakeboard injuries. With old style bindings, I’d mess up an ankle from time to time and take a few hits. Nothing along the lines of a concussion. Start with slow speeds and learn slowly. And never ride tired.

I surf much more than wakeboard. I enjoy both, but still like the intensity that wakeboarding brings. I would not call wakeboarding a major risk.

---

Wakeboarding = concussions. No way around it, it's a high risk, high reward sport. If you worried about risks its not the sport for you. Kids are designed to learn and able take the impacts and bounce back without issue, adults not so much.

You're not gonna see broken bones, I've had an ACL tear, bruised ribs, and head smacks that will f you up, I started wakeboarding late like 35? Definitely a young man sport.

Better to stick with skiing and surfing and tubing.

Wake boarding just depends on how far you want to take it. If all you’re doing is wake to wake and some grabs, you’re 99% of the time gonna be just fine. You start to really send it, and things can go sideways in a hurry. Ask my left knee. 18 years old, in good shape, Small time wake competition, and I ate it hard, tore my knee apart. It’s lucky I don’t walk with a limp (I thank my sister the orthopedic surgeon)
I almost lost my hand at the wrist when I got tangled in the rope on a simple 360 handle pass.
Concussions will happen, you’ll hit the water twisted up, it’s just part of a sport. If you want to be safe, play chess. Lol
Not to scare you or be a jerk, it’s just life, you can hurt your self getting out of bed.
Surfing is much easier on the body. But from time to time, you’ll even take a nasty hit there too. I’ve fallen on the board, had it come back and hit me, all kinds of crazy things. If you don’t know what a ‘credit card’ is, look it up skate boarding on YouTube. You’ll never wanna learn a shuvit! Lmao

At the end of the day, the chances are slim, but weird stuff happens. Just enjoy it, because at the end of the day you’re spending time with family and friends. Water sports is one of the few things that allows everyone of all different skill levels and ages to hang out, and learn from each other. To me, a few bumps here and there are worth it, I grew up slaloming with my parents before wakeboards. And I’d never trade the memories or skills. If it cost a knee, I’m still good with it, I love everything about it and will continue to wake up sore after a day on the water with with my wife and kids and friends.

Two years ago, I got way higher than usual because there were guys charging on our boat and wanted full ballast. So I was up longer than usual and came down flat on back. Couldn't do my nightly walks for six months. I was 66 at the time.

Had this boat for over 13 years -
Concussions
Hyper extended abdomen
Pulled hamstrings
Close to a dislocated shoulder (done it twice before but not on the water)

Mostly doing something stupid for the camera...

My knees were already on their way out from my younger days of snow skiing and yes, I'm sure there was a camera involved...

I'm 45 now so surfing is my thing unless it's absolute butter and then I'll maybe strap on a board for a short ride.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by strato

Two years ago, I got way higher than usual because there were guys charging on our boat and wanted full ballast. So I was up longer than usual and came down flat on back. Couldn't do my nightly walks for six months. I was 66 at the time.

---

The last time I wakeboarded planned on doing a simple wake to wake, took of wrong and end up facing backwards, thought I might be able to save the landing, but caught the edge, the whip was so strong I felt all the vertebra in my spine separate in order, then smacked the back of my head so hard had headaches for weeks. I think experienced riders forget the steep learning curve in the beginning, or we forget from all the concussions.

Surfing is a little better, as with anything if you start pushing the limits it can mess you up to. I've one 2 blown ear drums, lots of big bruises and concussions.

Can we throw in the wakeskate(ouch) and the knee board of death?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by parrothd

The last time I wakeboarded planned on doing a simple wake to wake, took of wrong and end up facing backwards, thought I might be able to save the landing, but caught the edge, the whip was so strong I felt all the vertebra in my spine separate in order, then smacked the back of my head so hard had headaches for weeks. I think experienced riders forget the steep learning curve in the beginning, or we forget from all the concussions.

Surfing is a little better, as with anything if you start pushing the limits it can mess you up to. I've one 2 blown ear drums, lots of big bruises and concussions.

Can we throw in the wakeskate(ouch) and the knee board of death?

---

FYI.. I'm old, go out and try it, I would suggest a trip to wakeboard park, take a lesson. See if you like it.

I left my wakeboard in wisconsin when I moved 2 years ago and won't ever look back. I only rode it behind a buddies boat as others were boarding as well. really didn't enjoy it much. never broken a bone/dislocated or torn anything and quite frankly boats are expensive enough without adding medical costs in. 50 here and I don't think I'll ever strap a board on again.

surfing is so much more enjoyable, can do it all day long without sore muscles and yet to have a fall hurt. granted it's not as exciting as a guy doing inverts behind the boat but who cares :)

I’m a complete beginner and in the same boat as you (I’m 33 and bought a Craz) while learning the worst I’ve done is a catch a toeside edge which rings your bell/headache for 30-40 min and that’s it. Always get up the next morning and don’t feel really any soreness. Yesterday was my 6th time up on a wakeboard. I have some partial rotator cuff tears and need some physical therapy/PRP injections but I’m being careful and even that hasn’t gotten any worse.

Wake to wake and grabs, and even inverts (if you learn them the right way) are pretty harmless. My understanding is that any spin is where you really take a beating.

I’ve had a lot of compliments on the wake behind the Craz. It’s a very gradual ramp with no ballast, not super peaky, and very clean at lower speeds. Seems great to learn on in my opinion.

Ballast makes the peak higher and you can get some serious air once your skill set is where it needs to be. But like a coach told me last month, “with wakeboarding, ballast is earned”.

Here’s the wake at 18mph. Wakeplate at 50, about 1,500 of people and lead in the boat.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...be2e7a5b83.jpg

The boat surfs great stock too. 500# of lead wakes it up a bit. Really happy with it all around, was finding push 25-30’ back yesterday.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...75e119383d.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Matt0520

I’m a complete beginner and in the same boat as you (I’m 33 and bought a Craz) while learning the worst I’ve done is a catch a toeside edge which rings your bell/headache for 30-40 min and that’s it. Always get up the next morning and don’t feel really any soreness. Yesterday was my 6th time up on a wakeboard. I have some partial rotator cuff tears and need some physical therapy/PRP injections but I’m being careful and even that hasn’t gotten any worse.

Wake to wake and grabs, and even inverts (if you learn them the right way) are pretty harmless. My understanding is that any spin is where you really take a beating.

I’ve had a lot of compliments on the wake behind the Craz. It’s a very gradual ramp with no ballast, not super peaky, and very clean at lower speeds. Seems great to learn on in my opinion.

Ballast makes the peak higher and you can get some serious air once your skill set is where it needs to be. But like a coach told me last month, “with wakeboarding, ballast is earned”.

Here’s the wake at 18mph. Wakeplate at 50, about 1,500 of people and lead in the boat.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...be2e7a5b83.jpg

The boat surfs great stock too. 500# of lead wakes it up a bit. Really happy with it all around, was finding push 25-30’ back yesterday.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...75e119383d.jpg

---

I appreciate everyone's views, this forum has an amazing community. I'm going to definitely give wake boarding a shot. I figured I would get some "stick to tubing" replies but I just wanted to get some feedback before I made my decision on wakeboarding. My profession is in physical therapy so at least I will know where to go for rehab lol.

Tubing causes the worst injuries in my opinion.

I have a tube ban on my boat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by larry_arizona

Tubing causes the worst injuries in my opinion.

I have a tube ban on my boat.

---

Agreed. My kids will attest to that! LOL Can't enforce a ban though, they keep coming back for more.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Matt0520

My understanding is that any spin is where you really take a beating.

---

Hahahaha .... yes!!!!

The comment regarding not riding when you are tired is solid advise.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lightfoot

I appreciate everyone's views, this forum has an amazing community. I'm going to definitely give wake boarding a shot. I figured I would get some "stick to tubing" replies but I just wanted to get some feedback before I made my decision on wakeboarding. My profession is in physical therapy so at least I will know where to go for rehab lol.

---

You can't rehab your brian, my concerns aren't about broken bones and stuff. Just concussions.

Started wakeboarding at 23 and have never been injured and never had any injuries behind my boat. *knock on wood*. Take it easy and learn the basics before trying to charge and get some air. One of the main reasons I have never been injured I think has to do with my knowing that I can't afford to get injured, so I don't take too many unnecessary risks. Another important tip is if you feel like something is going wrong, LET GO! Don't hold onto the rope in an effort to save a fall, that only makes it 10 times worse. If you feel you are going down, let the rope go and try again.

Once you start trying things that 360s, raleys, and inverts the injuries really start to happen. I have seen people break ankles and ribs, just not on my boat. I had a friend tear his lisfranc (I think thats what its called) tendon in his foot too.

Wakeboarded for years with no issues other than some bell ringers. That all changed when I progressed into inverts. I now walk around on a 10% meniscus tear. Was advised against surgery due to the risk of arthritis.

Doesn’t bother me much anymore. Ran a marathon in Feb so I guess I’m doing ok....thought I had broken myself when I did it back in 2011.

I surf now. 38 years old.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by larry_arizona

Tubing causes the worst injuries in my opinion.

I have a tube ban on my boat.

---

I couldn't agree more. back when I was in my late 20's we went on a houseboat trip. We wakeboarded, skied, kneeboarded until we'd felt we'd done it all. Just for kicks, we pulled out the tube. My "Friends" destroyed me to the point where I literally couldn't strap on any kind of equipment and do any more watersports for the last day of the trip. My first chiropractic visit ever followed... No thanks. My family believes that the best tube is the one you leave at home.



That said, I've been wakeboarding 23 years. I'm almost 47 now. I don't do inverts. I got to intermediate and plateaued. (a lot of it had to do with the fact that there really wasn't any coaching available to us in the late 90s. No one we knew wakeboarded!)

My tricks include wake to wake jumps, sometimes out into the flats. I can throw a few different grabs. toe and heel butter slides. Toeside 180's. That's about it. I've had plenty of times over the years where I've rung my bell like mentioned above. I now ride with a helmet (there's some disagreement about the whole helmet thing, but since I wear one on the motorcycle, snowboard, and mountain bike; I also wear one wakeboarding and on the wakefoil. I've knocked the wind out of myself. I've woke up with a stuff neck (minor whiplash) but honestly NO more dangerous than snowboarding. In fact, my biggest soft tissue injury was a torn MCL and partially torn ACL and that was from snowboarding, not wakeboarding. Even with full boot bindings cinched up tight on my wakeboard, my biggest crashes have ripped my feet out of the board. in both slalom skiing and wakeboarding, I've probably cut too hard for my own good and given myself a bit of "golfer's elbow" and I get some wrist ache from fatigue from gripping the handle.

Definitely wakeboard. There's nothing else like it. The feeling of flying thorough the air is fantastic. And the feeling of gliding and cutting the the butter glassy water. It's something that surfing can't even come close to. Like any boardsport, you pay for it occasionally. But I wouldn't give it up.

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/...psc9lzrwrx.jpg

A couple years ago a friend of mine came out on my boat and did some vid for me and it completely captured my joy of watersports. Here's my commercial for that life we love! Watch it in 1080p, and if this doesn't fuel your stoke for doing all the watersports, there's honestly something wrong with you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR7Lpbvdug0