What was your worst surfing injury?

casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
43,212
17,642
113
Petak Island
Coming in exhausted at JBay, missed the keyhole and decided to snag one at Coins.

Was quite windier at Coins, got caught in a gust on the drop, somehow landed chin to chest on the bottom of my board.

Neck was fucked for some days - hasn't been the same since. I was pretty lucky though
 
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Waterlogged05

Michael Peterson status
May 14, 2005
1,923
1,822
113
I have a few good good near misses, dropped in on a a late drop and floor dropped out under me.

Board dropped down and flipped upside down mid air
I landed on the back fin with my ass... thank god I was wearing a wetsuit I think it saved my anus from a tear.
 
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SrPato

Miki Dora status
Jul 12, 2005
4,962
1,220
113
San Buena Ventura
About 10 years ago I was dealing with a repetitive motion injury in my right shoulder. Half way into a session I hit the lip at an awkward angle and got tossed into the flats. I landed with my right arm extended and palm flat on the surface. Immediately the pain spread over my shoulder. Once I surfaced, I tried to reach for my board but my arm wouldn't move beyond my ribs. Once I got to the car, I had to have a friend help pull my wetsuit off. After x-rays, MRI's and finally a Ultrasound, the doctor's discovered that I had shredded my bicep anchor. For three months afterward, I couldn't reach the stereo knobs in my car much less anything in a cupboard over chest high, and it took over a year of PT before I could paddle properly. :cry:
 
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QuadFin

Gerry Lopez status
Oct 10, 2018
1,318
486
83
Dropped in reef about 8-10' day. Bottom dropped out and I fell forward unbalance. My face met my board at base of wave and over falls down into reef. Busted my lip open and dazed me.
 

enframed

Tom Curren status
Apr 11, 2006
11,644
6,436
113
Del Boca Vista, Phase III
Aside from the nipple rash and quite a few bruises from landing on my board the wrong way, the worst was walking out on the west side of Santa Cruz.

One of those west of Steamer Lane outcroppings of rock covered with mussels. Was low tide afternoon in winter IIRC, so more steps than normally necessary to get off. Sliced my heel really good on the walk out. Felt it happen (must have been razor sharp, this one) but didn't "hurt." Noticed a pool of red under my feet in the water. Was only me and a couple other guys out so I kept surfing into the sunset cuz the bleeding stopped right away. No one noticed any chum, so, fvvk it. Got out and bleeding started again, pretty bad. Hurt like a motherfooker too by the time I was dressed. Wrapped it in a towel.

Couple/three days later I was getting my vasectomy and the urology nurse noticed my foot wrapped up, then took a look. She said it had begun healing and stitches, while maybe would have helped two/three days ago, were unnecessary at this point. She sent me off with a bunch of dressing and antibiotics for it, and sore nuts.

Oh, that and going left (backside) and landing on Waiohai Reef and tearing my back up a bit.

Worst I ever saw was a guy whose pointy nose went through his upper lip at Steamer Lane. That was gross.
 

Bob Dobbalina

Miki Dora status
Feb 23, 2016
4,261
4,655
113
Busted eardrum 3xs

That's about it.

I wouldn't say the time my back went out were surfing injuries per se. More of a gradual problem that manifested itself while surfing.
 

_____

Phil Edwards status
Sep 17, 2012
6,910
3,176
113
Mine is mental/emotional and happened this AM and surf related since it was along the beach. Riding back from getting coffee at 1st light, the homeless along the boardwalk wall were waking up and starting to move. Out of one big pile of clothes/bags/luggage were popping two knees (face/torso etc were buried under the stuff). I looked down to where the attached legs met in a "V", and a big, red/orange/brown/hairy/filthy/homeless/totally spread eagle naked clambeaver was staring directly at me like that eye in Lord of the Rings from like 5 feet away and cast a spell. I immediately started gagging and coughing for a good 1/4 mile.
 

rice

Duke status
Jul 2, 2002
24,304
1,801
113
CA
Mine is mental/emotional and happened this AM and surf related since it was along the beach. Riding back from getting coffee at 1st light, the homeless along the boardwalk wall were waking up and starting to move. Out of one big pile of clothes/bags/luggage were popping two knees (face/torso etc were buried under the stuff). I looked down to where the attached legs met in a "V", and a big, red/orange/brown/hairy/filthy/homeless/totally spread eagle naked clambeaver was staring directly at me like that eye in Lord of the Rings from like 5 feet away and cast a spell. I immediately started gagging and coughing for a good 1/4 mile.
:roflmao::ROFLMAO:

Yeah, but do you have pictures of your crazy head injury from years back?
 

warble2

Gerry Lopez status
May 5, 2008
1,320
545
113
Worst physical injury pulling into an overhead barrel on an inside section over the rocks. Swallowed by the foamball and got cycled downward without a full breath. Board was tombstoning as I shot upwards without any thoughts to covering my head. Finned myself and scalped the top of my dome. Since it was sunny day, I wasn't wearing my hood which I have on 99% of the time in our colder waters to help protect my f'd up ears. The cold water had numbed my head enough that I didn't think much of it until I positioned myself next to the only other guy out. His eyes turned to saucers as he said "You need to go in". Was drenched in blood down to my waist by the time I got to the truck. Drove myself to the ER with a towel around my head for 12 staples and slightly concussed.

Worst psychological trauma occurs 50% of the time I paddle out to the Hook during a long/lull interval south swell. Witnessing and hearing the fuckery that goes on in the lineup there makes me question all decisions in my life that lead me to that point of desperation for surfing there (quarterly work trips, limited time window, and ease of access). Only cure is solo beach break session somewhere north or south within 24 hours of the infection.
 
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GromsDad

Duke status
Jan 21, 2014
54,153
16,170
113
West of the Atlantic. East of the ICW.
Hit by a vintage longboard up at my hairline. Was lucky not to lose consciousness. Was alone and not wearing a leash. Don't even know quite what happened but there was an nice ding in the nose with my hair in it afterwards. Even though the board hit me all the way up at my hair line well above my right eye I got two black eyes. Also cut my scalp pretty good. For a few days I looked like I'd been in a boxing match. This happened on the 4th of July and the beach was mobbed. Blood mixed with salt water goes a long way and I had blood mixed with water all the way down to my waist. People were coming up and asking if I needed an ambulance. Hindsight 20/20 I probably should have gone to the hospital. Being 21 years old I got in my car and drove home.
 

parkiteric

Nep status
Jul 3, 2010
762
226
43
buckled my left knee surfing head high shorebreak at SS Seal Beach Pier Winter 2015. Fortunately, no torn ligaments. Stretched my PCL. After 3 right knee surgeries, I was definitely concerned. Havent been back there since.
 
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