Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Wakeboarder needs your prayers


Brad B

Recommended Posts

Just, wow. I read through the whole thread & I saw at the end of it a couple of people talking about helmets & how they would wear one after this. Is this something that would have been prevented by wearing a helmet? Do they know that for sure? Freak accidents happen in all walks of life & I know that the helmet would give you a better chance in a situation like this, but would it have prevented it completely?

I don't know Colby, but he'll definitely be in my thoughts & prayers. I would also encourage people to donate to the fund, it didn't look like he has any medical insurance so every little bit will help.

Link to comment

Wow, I have seriously been thinking about getting a helmet and I guess this is the final push. I don't know for sure if a helmet would have helped, but I'm sure it could have taken some of the trauma. I'm guessing he got a massive concussion?

I hope Colby pulls out of it. Colby were praying for you.....

Link to comment

I am always curious as to why injury threads like this always turn into, I am going to buy/or start wearing a helmet?

What I have heard is nothing is conclusive as to the cause of the crash/coma.

I am just curious, it happens on every thread/board when something like this happens.

Link to comment
I am always curious as to why injury threads like this always turn into, I am going to buy/or start wearing a helmet?

What I have heard is nothing is conclusive as to the cause of the crash/coma.

I am just curious, it happens on every thread/board when something like this happens.

My thoughts exactly. I generally wear a helmet anyway & am a big advocate for them, but with the nature of this crash it makes me wonder how much good it would have done in this specific instance. I do know that it's helped me in crashes wear I know that I would have just gotten in the boat, I can get out & ride more without any problems at all.

I think that people try to take something out of an event like this that makes no sense at all. That's not a bad thing IMO.

Link to comment

From the limited information available, I would suspect either there was a harder fall earlier in the day with a subsequent subdural hematoma developing or a ruptured congenital aneurysm. If it was the latter case then a helmet would not have mattered. In the case of a subdural hematoma, a helmet would have certainly helped. Most subdurals respond well to intervention if it's caught early enough - and from the description this was certainly caught very early.

The problem with helmet studies are that there are so few accidents of this kind it makes it difficult to reach a statistical significance. Helmets are like seat belts - the reality is that you're likely to never need one. The reason to wear one is to limit the damage should you be the unlikely one to be in a serious accident. Of course, a helmet or a seatbelt don't guarantee a safe outcome; wearing one does guarantee that you've done everything you can.

As a physician, I strongly urge you to wear a helmet - no matter what level rider you are. Beginners make more mistakes and this incident shows that even routine falls can cause injury. Experts have more height and speed to increase their risk levels. I now require anyone behind my boat to use one (I have one in every size) and this incident just reinforces my decision. My prayers will be with him and his family.

Link to comment

I realize it's a little insensitive to talk about it this so soon after Colby's horrible accident, but I've got to tell you, when I read about it yesterday the helmet thing was the first thing I thought of. As it turns out, Heather and I just bought helmets last week, because we're going to try to learn some more tricks. But from what I understand, Colby wiped out on a W2W. Pretty scary stuff.

I too was wondering whether a helmet would've helped. Certainly makes me want to start wearing mine right away. Things like this do make you reflect on what you're doing or not doing.

I hope Colby recovers soon.

Link to comment

Its hard to say if a helmet would have helped or not, but I think there is one thing we can all agree on, it wouldn't have hurt in this case. I would think that helmets offer more protection from object impacts (i.e. rail, sliders, ramps) more than water impact but it may have offered just enough extra cushion to make the difference between a coma and a bell ringing concussion. Either way this is very sad and I will be praying for Colby.

Link to comment

Given the mechanism (head hitting water) and the description of his subsequent course (brain swelling without surgical intervention) he most likely sustained Diffuse Axonal Injury, a common head-in-motion injury where there is a lot of shearing of blood vessels from the brain sloshing around inside the skull. This causes diffuse swelling within the closed space of the skull and that increased pressure on the brain can cause more damage. Subdural hematoma is possible, but less likely I think.

I don't know if a helmet would have helped in this case, but it might have. The purpose of a helmet is to absorb as much of the energy from the blow as possible, but there's a limit to how much energy a helmet can absorb before it's transmitted to the brain. And when it's the head hitting water, I'm not sure how much more of that energy can be absorbed by the 3/4 inch of foam in a helmet compared to the energy dissipated as the head displaces the water. If I'm doing any aerials (attempts) on a hydrofoil, I wear a helmet...but that's because I'm trying to prevent more focal damage from the foil hitting me in the head. I don't have any illusions that such a helmet would definitely protect me from DAI from my head hitting the water.

Anyway, a terrible tragedy.

Link to comment
Wow, I have seriously been thinking about getting a helmet and I guess this is the final push. I don't know for sure if a helmet would have helped, but I'm sure it could have taken some of the trauma. I'm guessing he got a massive concussion?

I hope Colby pulls out of it. Colby were praying for you.....

You better get that helment, this year is off to a bad start with head injurys. DeAnna bought one after Shannook's bad wipeout during the Memorial Day trip.

I've been wearing mine for 2 seasons now, and have had several big faceplants without injury.

Link to comment
A boarder from the Dallas area was seriously injured yesterday

Colby thread on DWB

Ours prayers are needed

Has anyone got an update on Colby?

After hearing about this, I purchased a couple of helmets of different sizes this weekend....will require boarders to wear them behind my boat from now on.

Link to comment

Trust me, if I can crack my head open just standing up & riding along, then this is definately possible on a W2W. Scary stuff.

After my last fall (and subsequent bill), I'm definately wearing a helmet with my wakeboard. This is just one more reason, even if it wouldn't have helped at all. Better safe than sorry.

I sincerely hope that Colby is able to pull through this and that his swelling & bleeding goes down. What a horrible accident.

Link to comment
A boarder from the Dallas area was seriously injured yesterday

Colby thread on DWB

Ours prayers are needed

Has anyone got an update on Colby?

After hearing about this, I purchased a couple of helmets of different sizes this weekend....will require boarders to wear them behind my boat from now on.

nope i just checked the DWB forum (update on Colby thread) and nothing recent on his condition has been posted.

he is definitely in our prayers.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...