Arm getting caught in handle?
 

How likely is it to get your arm stuck in the handle? Also it seems most of these handle injuries happen behind boat. Also what about broken legs? Is the safest way just to make sure your bindings are screwed on tight to your board? And the bindings should be tight to your feet? I saw a couple pictures and it was pretty freaky.

just don't be dumb.. don't wrap your arm in rope, dont land in the flats if your boots aren't snug, and don't ride beyond your level, bindings should be tight enough to move with you but not cut off circulation; a tight boot is better than a loose boot

HAVE FUN

But what about on handle passes?

It happens, but I'd say it's quite rare. I spin a LOT (seriously I might do 1-2 inverts per set but probably 10-20 handle pass spins) and, knock on wood, it has never happened.

Of all the riders I know well, I can only think of it happening 2 or 3 times. Unfortunately you're much more likely to blow your knee out. Same with breaking a leg, I've only seen it once in person, and heard about it <5 times. Bindings being screwed in tight is a given...the tightness of your laces is up for debate. Personally I crank them down so one foot can't come out (easy way to wrench a knee), or even halfway out (ankle=ouch). I also like as tight of a connection to the board as possible. Some people probably still keep them loose to hopefully eject, but I think you're much more likely to twist ankles when loose too.

At the end of the day, injuries happen. My biggest word of advice would echo Rich B. Don't ride way beyond your ability, and the easiest mistake to avoid is riding a wake/speed way bigger/faster than your ability. Charging into a slammed Xstar at 24.5mph when you can only do sketchy HS wake jumps is a recipe for disaster.

I've seen more people go through the handle surfing than I have seen wakeboarding. If you lose the handle wakeboarding, it's traveling faster than you are and will usually get away from you before your arm can go through it.

That said, accidents happen. I work at a cable and had a beginner out one day. He was very confident as he was a competitive snowboarder and said he does inverts often on snowboards. I told him to take it slow because solid kickers on water are a different feel from snow to snow kicker, but he decided to do a backroll anyways. He spun all the way around and as he landed on his board (completely flat) he extended his legs rather than absorbing, and his femur snapped. I heard it from 200 ft away and had to go in after him. Riding with proper form and not trying to ride outside of your skill level will greatly reduce your chances of injury. Knees blow, ankles break, concussions happen. They're just inherent risks of the sport.

Getting your arm caught in the handle happens quite a bit on the cable. One of the riders at OWC is currently recovering from a complete break in the upper arm and has probably a 10"-12" scar as proof. I got the rope wrapped around my arm once and suffered what I believe was a very minor hairline fracture. Didn't get it xrayed or treated but the signs were there. Behind the boat the rope is much more dangerous as many non stretch ropes now are very thin, which makes them more capable of slicing through your arm.

Arm through the handle happens. I did it coming off of a slider. Fell and let go of the handle to put my hand out to catch myself from hitting my butt on the slider. Four of my friends have broken their legs.....all behind the boat. All it takes is a weird landing.

Personally, my preference is loose on the bindings. I like to come out on an edge catch as rare as it happens. Years ago my boots were cinched down tight. My foot came half way out and did a number of my ankle. It took months to recover and today I still have issues with it.

Play hard and it pay a price. If you worry about injuries, maybe this is not the sport for you. I hate to be that guy, put if you push it hard in any action style sport eventually its going to lay you out. Just how it works, even the best in the world get laid out. I'd be more concerned with smacking your nuts and getting campfire balls than putting an arm through the handle.

I went arm through the handle before, had a huge bruise when it ripped out. I've also fallen forward on a toe 5 with my wrist in the handle, cracked a carbon handle that way and had a minor bruise.

I've also landed and ridden away from a handle pass 3 with my thumb/wrist holding on.

Just need to be careful and pay attention. **** happens...

Is campfire balls kinda like having a roasted flaming marshmallow over the campfire...except in your pants? or...

HA! Great Analogy. In my crew campfire balls is like your sitting on a campfire. It's the strangest form of getting your nuts slapped, a good example is a toeside front roll to landing on your butt. Your nuts feel like they are on fire! Just awful.

I cant believe I just explained that.

You explained it, I've experienced it. LOL

Campfire balls and nutcussion are common terms amongst my crew.

I was totally picturing campfire balls as you get nuttapped so hard that they swell to twice their size, like a slowly cooked marshmallow will do.

Either way, it isn't pleasant.

I can confirm that twice their size can happen.

I second that notion! One of the worst experiences of my life.

went to the cable 2 yrs ago learning raleys, didnt think I was going to make the kicker so I cut a little harder and never got the launch correct due to my butt behind the board instead of butt ahead of board at the lip of the kicker. SOARED 60' straight to landing right on my butt.. and nuts. Needless to say, i took a break for a while. Discovered the meaning of nutcussion

I have only ever heard of someone's arm getting caught in the handle when wakesurfing, but never wakeboarding. It's always a possibility, I suppose, but it's not something I would worry about when starting to ride. As far as breaking legs and other injuries, that just comes with any action sport. Again, I know people who have done it but it's pretty rare. If you're going big enough to break your leg then you're sending it - good for you! haha. Just work your way towards progression. Learn to jump properly before throwing huge raleys on a 90' rope. Have fun!

One of my worst boat injuries was arm through the handle wake skating. Was working on wake-to-wake jumps on the skate and landed on top of the second wake and kind of popped off the board forwards towards the boat. Put my arms out to dive into the water and my left arm went right into the handle and caught in my armpit. Luckily, that particular handle had plastic sides which snapped but not before giving me a nasty bruise all along my ARM and tearing my pectoral muscle (still have a "dimple" in my pec muscle 4 years later.) So, I agree that this is probably pretty tough to do on a wakeboard but can definitely happen on a wake skate.

I had my arm go through the handle wakeboarding trying to learn a three when I was around 19. The handle was right at the bend in my elbow and the force on the back of my forearm/wrist area was so great that I couldn't get out. It ripped me out of my board and I got drug under water like a fishing lure. Thankfully we don't power turn so i just had to survive til the boat came to a stop before i could get out. If it had happened behind my power turning uncles boat i probably wouldn't have an arm. My elbow was the size of a softball and forearm was also really swollen. No long term damage but it was pretty scary to feel that helpless.

Parks Bonifay got his head stuck in he handle once... scary to think about.

One reason I'm glad to have a big head for once.

Is there video of that? I mean it's not exactly a huge hole to get your head in the handle, but I suppose anything is possible at the level he rides.

Arms in the handle happens. Like anything there are risk. Comptech marine makes a nice adjustable release it's saved me and a lot of other riders. Popular with hydrofoilers but can be used for all boat sports. It seems most injury's happen when you least expect it and on something you have probably done 100+ times. There are some cheaper release options out there but don't have the options of the Comptech.

Not a video, but proof.
http://www.alliancewake.com/wake/firsts-parks-bonifay/

Not arm through the handle, but I recall a gory thread here about the rope wrapping around the arm. It can pull the flesh off the bone almost like you turned your arm inside out. I don't remember how long ago the thread was around, but I remember some of the photos being downright frightening.

Fifth post in this thread: http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=788632

Obviously a freak occurrence, but holy crap :eek: