Sport Today

Last week at the Gorge I fell chest first on my boom during a jibe. It
knocked the air out of me - but really did not hurt that much - I sailed
for about another hour.  Then my chest really started to get sore.  
About 4 hrs later while downhauling a sail for a beginner friend I heard
(and felt) a slow zipper like sensation up my sternum - I think I kind
of tweaked where the cartilaginous ribs articulate with the sternum.  
But boy was it sore.  It is a lot better now.  I can still barely take a
deep breath or roll over in bed. I won't mention sneezing or coughing!
Anyways I'm sure it will be OK soon - but anybody have this injury.  
Thanks.  .  .  .  . . . . . ..........\_  ERIC

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: Last week at the Gorge I fell chest first on my boom during a jibe. It
: knocked the air out of me - but really did not hurt that much - I sailed
: for about another hour.  Then my chest really started to get sore.  

You probably broke the cartilage connecting your ribs. If the pain
persists, it's worth seeing a doctor. They will probably prescribe
Ibuprofen. Rib injuries are painful but usually self-healing.

I broke one skiing. It's was the last one on the right front, broken
during a face-plant. Later I was climbing on my board chest-first and
re-injured it with an audable pop. Took months to finally heal and
still hurts sometimes.

Note: I am not a medical doctor, I just play one on the net.

Best of luck!

USWA Member #US233
Boards: Seatrend 9'0" and 8'6", Mistral One Design
Sails: Waddell
Spars: Fiberspar

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I got thrown in some 3-4 foot waves similar to the wipeout described.
My shoulder went into my boom at a surprising speed.  I was 'stunned'
for a few seconds, as I really felt the point of impact.  But I'm sure
my lifejacket saved me from any serious damage and I was able to sail
on the rest of the day without any problems.

Windsurfing is similar to driving.  You don't realize how fast you're
going, until you come to a sudden stop!

Alex.

---
Check out my rec.Windsurfing Archives:
http://www.interlog.com/~aoldham/windsurf.html

I have been sailing for a long time.  I have bruised, broke and separated cartilage
in my ribs from windsurfing.  Its a rough sport if you take it seriously.  As I have
learned
the rib area is full of nerves and any of the aforementioned injuries will hurt
like a ***!  If you were still on the water it could not have been that serious.
If you damaged the cartilage you will have a bump over the area -- (that will
never go away unless you have surgery)

For the most part, there is nothing the doctor can do for you.  Go if you feel worse.
Take Alive for the discomfort.  You may not be right again for several weeks.

Shine
To Air Is Human,
To shred divine

--
Glenn Woodell-  Windsurfing the lower Chesapeake Bay, Hatteras and
anywhere else my surfmobile and my credit cards will take me.  If you're
not scared, your board is too big.
http://www.visi.net/windvisions/index.html

Ditto on the life jacket.  I got catapulted a few weeks ago and put
the ribs right on the mast.  Very painful through a 1 inch fairly
dense foam life jacket.  Sore ribs for a week.  Hate to think what
it might have done without the jacket.  Funny that this type of
protection from the jacket had never really occurred to me before
this.  

Andy
--
Andy Brazier        Research Associate, Human Factors in Safety

My last bad "pain" caused me to faint and as I had such terrible pain
it was off to hospital in a big white van (I was in the street and sombody
assumed I had had a heart attack).

The good news it goes away quickly (2 days) the bad news its easy to inflame
again (I'v had this injury on and off for over 6 years).

Lifes a *** and then you die :-)

Trevor

Eric--
        I did something similar 4 weeks before a trip to Aruba.  
Bounced my chest off the boom but kept sailing.  Five days later
my secretary made me go to the doctor.  Turns out I "broke" or
separated the cartilege (sp?) in my upper ribs = functional
equivalent of a broken rib.  Four weeks of taking it easy
(with a single day interval allowed to race 75 stories to
the top of the First Interstate Tower in Los Angeles --
any one interested in racing this year -- October 5, 1996

Aruba, but it was only the rush of sailing that even allowed me
to ignore the pain that still existed (at least finally I could
sneeze, laugh, cough etc.) My doc warned against vigorous sex,
however, as an airline stewardess he had treated had cracked a
rib (same symptoms as yours and mine) and then punctured her lung
during a fun session.
        Anyways, get it checked out.  If its just a broken rib
there's not much one can do (sometime tape, but who wants to pull
off all those chest hairs), but as others have said, better than
running around with a punctured lung and not knowing it.

--

Go and get it checked out.  Have an xray done, because you never know what
may have happened.  You may have a pnuemothorax, fractured sternum, or
fractured rib.  I have studied these things, so don't play stupid.  If you
get sick with one of these things, you will be out of condition for some
time.  That means less sailing time!?

Anyway: DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR PAIN it is there for some reason.

C Ya    Pierre

I regard my flotation vest as my "torso helmet". That's why I add 1/2"
neoprene or similar padding to the sides below the armholes, so I can land
on my side from way up or onto hard parts without feeling the impact.

Rather than wear a bulky coat riding dirt bikes at sub-freezing (even
sub-zero F) temps, I sometimes wore a full PFD just for the rib
protection, lighter weight, and reduced bulk.

I much prefer preventing injuries to healing from them, and prefer sailing
to downtime.
Mike \m/
Never Leave Wind To Find Wind