barrington314
PR Elite
has anyone heard of people suffering neck, back or shoulder injury while wearing the bionic or omega braces like we have with the leatt? i personally havent, but am very interested to know if anyone has.
Alpinestars Bionic Neck Support
- Thread starter PitRacer
- Start date
GeorgiePorgie
PR Founding Father
I respect your opinion...John, in that guess you are wrong. I have read statistics where people are still getting injured. I'll have to dig them up and put them here. BUT... There has not been an improvement in less amounts of neck related/collarbone injuries and a slight increase in T-4-5-6 related injuries.
I'm a firm believer in that God designed your neck the ability to hyperextend for a reason. It's the only part of your body that can naturally hyperextend. This gives you more area for force to dissipate.
Any way you fall can contribute to an injury and people will never know what if. But I firmly believe that the Leatt redistributes all the force of impact to a small area of the brace and this is where we are seeing the same type of breaks. I find that hard to believe it's coincidence.
In all Respect, if anyones opinion on this topic should be valued more then I think Barrington is the guy to ask about Neck braces. He's done his homework and endured a terrible tremendous first hand experience with them.
barrington314
PR Elite
thanks georgie for putting the pressure on me. lol.
if i were going to buy a new brace, or had questions about which one is best, id call each company and ask what the difference is between them and why you should buy one over the other.
talonrunner18
PR Addict
Neck braces are like shoes, they fit everyone differently. Differances between $299 and $799 braces is how much money you got in your pocket.
mxj281
Noob
I've been a believer for a long time now, but just recently i've been thinking about not wearing my Leatt anymore. Baker since you are in the medical field ( I think correct?) what would you say? Also Barrington with all the info your getting about everything what would you say? Im only asking because since I have rode with one for 4 years im nervous to go ride without it and then something happen and be like wow I should of had it on. But again nothing prevents all injuries so.
barrington314
PR Elite
I really don't want to steer people in the wrong direction. Im not saying stop wearing your brace. Its a touchy subject for everyone. I understand it. Alot of people on this site along probably have a good 25 years of riding under their belt. But then u hear "I wrecked and I know for sure my brace saved me". So in the 20 years before these braces came out you never wrecked? I can name alot of people who were injured (neck,back,shoulder/collarbone) while wearing a brace, than I can of people without braces.
My encouragment is for people to research for themselves. Check out each brace. Take into consideration that just because a brace is as solid as a rock, doesn't quite mean its good. Think more than just protecting your neck. Think about every piece that contacts your body, because something has to give. And just because one brace resembles another doesn't mean its the least bit the same.
mxj281
Noob
Thanks for that reply I 100% agree. Ive only been riding since i was 12 so 8 years and I know what you mean about crashing and saying "I no the brace saved me". Im leaning more towards not wearing one. I dont no a whole lot, but isnt it worse to break your upper back where the brace sits on your spine?
Also, i dont care what pro's do, but i do wonder why some have stopped and some never even trying the brace? Especially like Mays who has broken his back and Craig (i no he landed on his butt nothing could save that) but now he doesnt wear one either. Makes me wonder I guess
Also, i dont care what pro's do, but i do wonder why some have stopped and some never even trying the brace? Especially like Mays who has broken his back and Craig (i no he landed on his butt nothing could save that) but now he doesnt wear one either. Makes me wonder I guess
barrington314
PR Elite
The farther up you break your spine the worse it is.
As for the pros, it was said that reed stopped wearing his after andrew mcfarlans death. I don't really know the exact details, but im sure chad does as that was his best friend.
jfalat
PR Addict
I keep reading everyone posts and one time im getting a brace.... them im not... i think for me i dont care if i have one,but for my son..... do i make him wear one and hope it doesnt cause a injury if he falls??? or say you dont need one.... then what if he crashes and gets hurt.... then man i should have made him wear one. that is something as a dad is very hard. i guess i will keep reading...... its all good stuff!!!
barrington314
PR Elite
very very understandable. and as im giving out my opinions, which at this point thats all it is, im worried about the same thing. people thinking im saying dont wear one, then they dont and crash... you get the point.
PitRacer
PR Founding Father
At Area51 today there was a large onsite vendor there and I asked if he had the Astars brace for me to try on. He went into a 10 minute dialog about how that brace is not medically designed correctly, etc. He showed me how when removing the brace it actually opens and pushes forward into the spine.
Anyway, he said my Leatt was probably not fitted correctly and offered to go over it with me. I had to hurry to practice and first moto but came back during a break. He changed out some parts and moved some others and I will say it fit better and seemed to put less pressure on my shoulders. I will run with this for a bit and see what happens.
Anyway, he said my Leatt was probably not fitted correctly and offered to go over it with me. I had to hurry to practice and first moto but came back during a break. He changed out some parts and moved some others and I will say it fit better and seemed to put less pressure on my shoulders. I will run with this for a bit and see what happens.
mxj281
Noob
Barrington thats all you can do is your opinion people are guna make thier own choices. After reading a lot about this on here an vital mx and thinking about it, I see it as 50 50 theres pro's and con's to wearing one or not wearing one. Motocross is scary and dangerous regardless what equipement you have on. Im leaning towards im not guna wear it anymore. Obviously im nervous about it and pray everyday nothing happens, but even if I wore one im not completely safe so.
barrington314
PR Elite
exactly, and the only way to be 100% safe from motocross crashes, is to not ride.
GeorgiePorgie
PR Founding Father
@John Well I never read a study that said we shouldn't be wearing brace. It's pretty much a compilation of motorcycle injuries and the people are still being injured with the same injuries, there is no relation to less injuries today than there was 10 years ago when nobody was wearing braces...
Pretty much, nobody is getting hurt More or Less. Except that there was a higher incidence in T 4 5 6 injuries when the spine was involved in the accidents. No Leatt or any brace was specifically noted or used in the studies. But 10 years ago people weren't wearing them. We won't know until there is a definite study done. Too much what-if...I would guess that proves to me it's really not preventing anything otherwise 10 years ago one would expect to see a higher % of spine injuries in relation to a lower % today when they are being worn.....does that kind of make sense? Or am I in left field. But that's my reasoning behind it. I choose not to wear one, and I can also agree 100% with everything Barrington has to say related to neck braces. I read his posts and just nod my head the entire time, if he wasn't posting that, mine would be very similar.
@everyone else: If you want to wear one, then wear one. Just make sure you do your own personal research and form your own opinion about wearing the braces as well all know the risks involved.
Also, Compression is really what hurts the worst. Like a diver hitting concrete at 90 degree angle. Your neck and the round shape of your head can allow for absorbing force and your neck to bend away in a direction other than coming straight into the spine. But if you put a helmet and leatt on the diver I don't think it would allow his head to move in an effort to dissipate force or to bend away in an alternate direction besides a full 90 degree compress...No doubt it would save his skull, but his neck would still be broke...
Pretty much, nobody is getting hurt More or Less. Except that there was a higher incidence in T 4 5 6 injuries when the spine was involved in the accidents. No Leatt or any brace was specifically noted or used in the studies. But 10 years ago people weren't wearing them. We won't know until there is a definite study done. Too much what-if...I would guess that proves to me it's really not preventing anything otherwise 10 years ago one would expect to see a higher % of spine injuries in relation to a lower % today when they are being worn.....does that kind of make sense? Or am I in left field. But that's my reasoning behind it. I choose not to wear one, and I can also agree 100% with everything Barrington has to say related to neck braces. I read his posts and just nod my head the entire time, if he wasn't posting that, mine would be very similar.
@everyone else: If you want to wear one, then wear one. Just make sure you do your own personal research and form your own opinion about wearing the braces as well all know the risks involved.
Also, Compression is really what hurts the worst. Like a diver hitting concrete at 90 degree angle. Your neck and the round shape of your head can allow for absorbing force and your neck to bend away in a direction other than coming straight into the spine. But if you put a helmet and leatt on the diver I don't think it would allow his head to move in an effort to dissipate force or to bend away in an alternate direction besides a full 90 degree compress...No doubt it would save his skull, but his neck would still be broke...
washel157
PR Addict
I know we can go round and round with this but I just think that these neck braces came out at just the right time when there were alot of neck injuries and everyone was looking for an answer. I also think that the braces ruined the whole look of the sport. I`m obviously not the only one who thinks this because just about Short is the only one still wearing one in a photo shoot. I`ve tried wearing a neck brace with and without a chest pro on and and I`ll say till my death bed that there is NO WAY that anyone wearing that whole getup loose enough for be riding properly. Don`t take it to heart it`s just my opinion.
mooch
PR Elite
Looking at statistics for the last 10 years might not give a good indication if braces are reducing injuries. Ten years ago, a good number of riders were still riding less powerful 2 strokes on tracks that were a bit more mellow. With more riders being on more powerful and heavier 4 strokes and also attempting to ride supercross/arenacross style tracks makes for an apples to oranges comparison.
At this point, with the lack of any substantial data, it comes down to being a personal choice. I think I've put my brace to good use a few times and prefer to wear it.
barrington314
PR Elite
so did you just never crash before these braces came out? or just not as hard?
i dont understand why since these braces came out, so many people say they for sure saved them. with all these people saying this, half of our mx community would be in wheelchairs just in the last 6 years if it wasnt for neck braces.
mooch
PR Elite
I didn't say anything about me being "saved" by wearing a brace.
If my numbers up to take a header, I'd personally prefer to be wearing one.
Nothing more I need to say other than to repeat that I feel it's a personal decision and I'd never try to talk anyone into or out of wearing one.