Dumb Injuries

[WalkingBird]

I rolled an ATV on top of myself while running traps early in the morning before school. Luckily my dad was with me, but with our property being recently logged, our normal trails were out of action as the skidders had rutted the heck out of them. One of these trails had a near vertical hill you had to climb to finish the loop. I decided that I was going to ride up the hill parallel to the hill trail, and when I reach the bottom, I goosed the throttle to get the nose up (It was a Polaris Sportsman 500). I guess I gave it too much of a goose and I inadvertently began a wheelie while going up a 75* hill. I wasn't aware of my precarious position in the near black morning (it was about 5am in October I think) and I drove into a small sapling, causing the wheeler to go over the top into a backflip, with me landing 1st under the wheeler. When we hit, I was folded in half with my head (in a fully enclosed helmet) being pinned between the ground and the left handlebar, which in turn bent the handlebar downward. The only good news is on the next roll I was thrown off the seat and landed about 3/4 of the way down the hill as the polaris continued and was wrapped around a small hemlock tree at the bottom. I couldn't walk very well but dad rolled the wheeler back right side up and I was able to ride/limp it the 2 miles back to the house. At the ER I was given some muscle relaxers and told all I did was pull some muscles in my back and told I couldn't do anything strenuous for a few weeks (I was a wrestler).

So here's where the real dumb stuff comes in. I cannot stand watching people work while I'm not. I have to jump in or it just eats at me. So that being said, my family was a little behind on getting the rest of the firewood into the house before the real snows hit, so only 2 weeks after I wrecked the wheeler (it was considered totaled by the insurance company) I started to throw firewood while I was the only 1 home. It hurt like hell, but I was young, stupid and bored. So that really set me back on the healing process, between that and doing some light sparring on the side in wrestling practice, I royally F'd up my lower back to the point where it continuously is sore and I can feel my spine pop in and out of place when I work (I was also a mason for a couple years after college). Every year I have at least 1 week where I can barely walk/move without it feeling like someone is twisting a dull knife right above my belt line, but my wife has me use a 10s machine to keep the pain in check.

So yea, that's my biggest "dumb injury" story

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Last spring during snow melt I slipped in the mud coming down from the dog kennel.
First serious injury in 61 years...complete rupture of my quad tendon.

At Urgent Care the doc poked his fingers above my knee all the way to the bone
and said I can save you money..no need for an expensive MRI..you need to get to surgery.

At least I slipped in the yard and not somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness.

 

[Scott85]

ouch

I am hell on wheels when it comes to sports. I'm not very good but I will give 100% and will normal bleed from at least one spot on my body during a game. This great injury came from a game of softball. I was on 1st and single was hit to the short stop I tried to beat the throw from short to second but I was out and my foot landed wrong on the bag and that was all she wrote. It put me out of work for 30 days.

 

[hank4elk]

This year or over the last 63?..................I got a zillion of them.

 

[devon deer]

. Presently, though, I've got this nagging rotator cuff problem that makes me grouchy. It hurts just to sleep. Trying to do PT to avoid surgery.

You and me both Ben, left shoulder a few years ago played up but soon healed. Right shoulder, 12 months down the road same as you, PT is now causing problems with left shoulder as well, I have just been referred to a orthopaedic specialist to see what, if anything can be done, operation has very limited success rates apparently, in the meantime I might get my 3rd steroid injection!
Cheers
Richard

 

[LuketheDog]

Just last Friday I victimized myself, again. I wedged a scrap 18"x24" piece of sheet metal up behind some copper pipes in our basement ceiling so I could solder some new connections in. I did my work and left the sheet metal up there to cool off, promptly forgetting about it. 15 minutes later I was crouched on the floor getting more pipe ready, and the sheet metal fell out of the ceiling and sliced directly across the bridge of my nose, leaving a big gash. My 3-year-old was playing nearby and was kind enough to let me know "Daddy, you have blood all over your face! You're gross!" I called my wife, who's a doctor, and she told me I could load all 3 kids in the car and drive all the way down to the clinic to get stitched up, or man up and fix it myself. I will say there was a silver lining to my stupidity-my wife had recently brought home some expired Dermabond from her clinic and I was able to use it to close up my face, it worked great. I will definitely put some of that stuff in my hunting first aid kit, and I recommend you do too.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I use super glue for small cuts.

 

[ovis2]

Two events come to mind.

(1) When I was in my teens, a cousin and I were wrestling around the house and we bumped into the wall, knocking a shark jaw off the wall. Being young, having quick reflexes of an all-star second basement, I lunged out to catch the jaw before it could shatter to the floor. Shark teeth remain sharp, even after years of hanging on the wall. Still have the scar on my thumb.

(2) While skiing with the wife many ears ago at a resort north of Spokane, very thick fogged rolled in just as we got off the lift. Skiing down the hill was almost like flying. You couldn't really see the ground, the trees. or the sky - not much more than the end of your skis. Shoulda' been going slower. Almost to the bottom and laughing my head off, I suddenly realized I was just flying off the edge of a rather sizable jump/drop off. I tried to yell back to my wife to stop as I was flying through a horizontal twist in the air when the air was violently pushed out of my lungs as I slammed into the hard snowpack and bounced and ground to a ski equipment debris filled stop. I rolled over just in time to see a hazy vision of my wife screech to an almost stop but with enough momentum to carry her over the lip and land with an unnatural thud at the bottom of the drop off. No broken bones, some bent up poles, and lots of bruises. And my wife got the worst of it she face planted hard and the whole side of her face was yellow and bruised for a couple of weeks. I got a lot of sideways looks for a few days until our friends finally believed what really happened. But it still seemed really cool flying through the features fog.

 

[TwistedSage]

When I was a kid I was known as a frequent flyer in the ER.
Growing up outside of philly Skateboarding was my outlet and I used to be damn good jumping stairs, gaps, handrails all that stuff. Most of my injuries came from lacsidaisically trying tricks on flat ground. Including a broken foot and a completely jacked hand torn the ligament in my thumb when my thumb touched my forearm blood spurting from my hand.

Broken tailbone trying to gap a stair set plus the sidewalk into the parking lot. Kicked board away when I knew I couldn't make it my feet hit the ground they went straight out and I slammed my tailbone on the edge of the curb. Sliced into my knee deep enough to go through all of the nerves grinding a metal table down some stairs. I didnt even know I was cut, tried the trick a few more times until i felt my foot was wet looked down and could see the gash. had to ride my buddies bike back to my house while that thing flapping open with every pedal. When I got home and told my mom I thought I needed stitches she looked at it and asked if it hurt, when I said no I cant even feel it she yelled what do you mean it doesnt hurt at me like she wanted me to be in some pain. Sorry mom. I have a boy on the way and I hope I am not in for some payback

One of the dumbest injuries I've had was during my 3rd year in the army I started getting shin splints, most likely due to not replacing my running shoes after the cushioning worn out or just having the wrong shoe/combination of the 2. Anywho I followed my Sgt advice of running through the shin splints and eventually they will go away. A couple months later after some sprints I could barely put any weight on my feet seriously felt like my shins were about to snap. Ended up having full blown stress fractures in both legs that took 6 weeks before I could start light running again and the pain will come back to this day if I push the running to hard without more crosstraining. I really wish I would have asked for another opinion, is running through shin splints until they go away even a real thing. I call nonsense

 

[FAIR CHASE]

Over 6 years ago and still hurts ........

 

[oleefish2]

In the good old days when you had to have a tv antenna, I had mine on an old 20 foot telephone poll. I built steps up it and had 2, 2 inch heavy belts to go around the poll. Well I was leaning back adjusting the antenna and the buckle broke. I fell straight back and hit the top of my old barn wood fence under my left arm, landing in my wife's flower bed. She comes out the door and says why are you laying in the flowers? Then she realizes I am not trying to take a knap. She goes nest door and gets the guy there and he helps me to his trailer. My arm is not broken but is full of splinters. He has me drink half a bottle Jack Daniels and then starts pulling them out. I believe the hang over was more brutal then the pain in my arm.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I had a rake sticking through the back rack of a 4 wheeler when I was a young kid and drove too close to the porch rail. Rake handle caught the porch and snapped and when I looked down the rake handle was sticking out of my arm.

Mooooooooooooom! lol

Years later, I have a smiley face scar on my arm from where I pulled that rake handle out. Chalk it up to more stitches.

 

[FlatlandHunter]

In February 9, 2009 I took a day off work to go ice fishing. The lake had great ice with no snow and I did not have spikes on. Slipped on a frozen snowmobile trail and went straight down on my left knee. Self rescued with my Dad and a friend, rode 1 1/2 hours to my parents house, then drove myself to home another 1/2 hour. My wife was confused why I wanted a pair of shorts in the garage told her the hospital wasn't cutting my new long johns off. Broke my tibia plateau and somehow did not need surgery, 11 weeks of rest and rehab I returned to work. My Chief called me to ask how I was doing and then told me they sell perch at the store and he has never fallen there... Knee still acts up when I work it too hard but elk don't carry themselves out of the mountains by themselves.

 

[kgm1276]

To you guys with constant shoulder pain, I would seriously consider surgery, especially with how much PT costs now. I went through 2 rounds of PT and a Cortisone shot over the years for my shoulder. Pain continued until my wife was tired of the complaining and told me to shut up or do something about it. I went in and had surgery on what ended up being a torn labrum. 13 titanium eye-bolts and 7 years later I have never regretted that decision. I felt better doing the rehab than I did prior to the surgery.

Surgeries are so precise now, it is amazing how fast you can get back into action.

 

[MThuntr]

Went full send yesterday on my first double diamond (I've been told it is way easier than most doubles)...stuck a ski and my boot didn't release. Got some rotation out of my right ankle and knee. Initial doctor visit is sprained ankle (lots of swelling) and damage to my MCL. No tears or broken bones on initial visit but have been ordered to take it easy. Doctor says I need to dial it back if I want to be healthy for my Spartan Race in 3 months

 

[jryoung]

I was putting away my pelican 75 cooler on the top storage rack in my garage....brilliant idea to put big heavy things up high. It got hung up and started to fall, since they are really delicate I wanted to see if I could slow it's fall and tried to grab it. Only to have my middle finger land squarely on the rail inbetween the lid and body (since I'm smart and put them away unlatched so they "vent".

The black and blue was a month past the accident, the other is today, over 3 months later.

 

[Phaseolus]

I’m still recovering from my accident on opening day of 4th Elk season in Colorado. I live where I can hunt directly from my house by leaving on my atv. It’s a B list cow tag so it was my second elk hunt.

I’ve ridden the abandoned county road I use to get close to the Grand Mesa Slopes hundreds of times. Well enough to ‘think’ I know it well enough to go fast. I was coming back in the dark from hunting and hit a rain caused groove perpendicular to the the road that was about 2 feet deep and two feet across. I flipped the atv and dove to the side so I wouldn’t get crushed. I bounced off of my chest and broke my sternum and menubrium. I’m not sure what hurt worse, rolling my atv back up rightside or telling my Wife she needed to take me to the ER, again. That was almost three months ago and I’m still not 100%

 

[westbranch]

A few people are mentioning achilles injuries. Last Tuesday I was playing some pickup basketball, practicing for a winter league and it felt like someone kicked me in the heel and my foot quit working. Made it to urgent care that night and they told me I had to go to orthopedic Dr in the morning. Orthopedic doctor poked and prodded for a few minutes and said no MRI was needed, achilles was completely ruptured. Had surgery Thursday and in a splint/cast for 3+ weeks with no weight bearing. Will be in a boot for a few more weeks after that and then a lot of PT. 6 months to full activity.

Spring bear and turkey will be a bit delayed, but should be able to get out for a few short days.

 

[BrentD]

westbranch, you must be a young guy for a 6 mo recovery. That is the injury that scares me the most. I'm 60+.

Good luck.

 

[westbranch]

Yep, I am 30. Probably more active than most with hiking, running, weightlifting, etc. a few times a week. But had not played basketball for 10 years or so. They said it happens more to those that are fairly active. I was more worried that I would have a knee issue, so this was a bit unexpected.