Just how common are foot injurys in kiteboarding?

[Darkside]

Hey guys while on holiday recently and after landing a trick, one foot came out the strap and as I was pulled forward the board did a 180 and broke 3 metatarsal bones in my foot.
After getting back home and visiting my local hospital I was informed I had a lisfranc fracture very rare very nasty may need surgery may cause arthritis bla bla .
So basically I hit the forums thinking this twisting injury must be very common with kiters only to find very limited information and no real documented recovery stories
I also spoke to my local surf shop as the owner as been involved in Kitesurfking windsurf for over 25 yrs and he also had not herd of this type of injury

So was I just super unlucky to have this happen to me? Or is it more common than I think

On a positive note after been told I can expect a year out of the game with a possibility it may never be right, four months on I'm on my feet tearing up trails on my mountain bike runnin up hill on the treadmill at the gym and overall feeling super stoked looking forward to this coming season.

I put my recovery down to the doctor telling me to get ready for the possibility not to kite wakeboard or mountain bike again (yeh right)

[Werito]

This almost happened to me, but i was lucky to be able kick the board off my foot before landing. Bought pair of wake bindings afterwards. I found that this can be a problem especially when learning some unhooked stuff and if you have to wear straps with socks or booties...
So, i haven't broke my foot but I met one guy who had similar injury. He was able to do kiting, but told it was still hurting or something after two years. The healing process was also quite long for him. :s Hope that you have better luck and get your foot back in business soon!

[Toby]

this is why many ride boots...so they will stay inside and the board does not come unloose.

Of course, this also can lead to a big injury, if you cannot bail out...

Back then we had several knee injuries, who slipped out one strap and the board twisted around the other...

But foot injuries? Didn't hear of too many...rather knee injuries.

I crash a lot...but my straps are that wide, that my foot can twist inside the strap...that for sure helps to prevent some injuries. Plus I can bail out easier by kicking the board away.
With the right technique it is no problem to have a good grip even with big straps.

Anyway, wishing you a speedy recovery!

[matth]

The used to make a twisting strap for windsurfing to prevent foot and knee injuries. I wish someone would make one for kiting. Until then I now keep my straps wide open also.

[Darkside]

this is why many ride boots...so they will stay inside and the board does not come unloose.

Of course, this also can lead to a big injury, if you cannot bail out...

Back then we had several knee injuries, who slipped out one strap and the board twisted around the other...

But foot injuries? Didn't hear of too many...rather knee injuries.

I crash a lot...but my straps are that wide, that my foot can twist inside the strap...that for sure helps to prevent some injuries. Plus I can bail out easier by kicking the board away.
With the right technique it is no problem to have a good grip even with big straps.

Anyway, wishing you a speedy recovery!

Yeh I agree 100%. thing is I have flat feet so from the very start of my learning to kite I did not feel my feet felt secure in straps, people said just be patient when your ability gets better it will not be a issue. But after improving also trying various different pad strap combinations it never got to the point I was happy.
Then I tried wakeboarding problem solved baught some boots and never looked back. Unfortunately I was teaching my 13yr old on holiday set a board up for him (strapped) and while I was assessing the wind to make sure it was safe for him it happend, on the plus side my son had a fantastic time I got one of the local instructers to teach him while I hobbled to the spot on my crutches everyday to watch him rip never felt totally elated and devastated at the same time before

[Darkside]

This almost happened to me, but i was lucky to be able kick the board off my foot before landing. Bought pair of wake bindings afterwards. I found that this can be a problem especially when learning some unhooked stuff and if you have to wear straps with socks or booties...
So, i haven't broke my foot but I met one guy who had similar injury. He was able to do kiting, but told it was still hurting or something after two years. The healing process was also quite long for him. :s Hope that you have better luck and get your foot back in business soon!

Yeh the recommended recovery time is a year and on my 1st visit to the phisio after the cast came off and the walking boot came off she was blown away by what I could do with it at that stage which I must admit made me feel great I'm considering re naming myself Wolverine lol
On a serious note tho I think my sheer determination not to be that guy that the docs said I could be made the difference

Bring on next season

[airsurfer]

not as serious as what you expeeienced but ive broken my big toe on left foot twice from landing hard and foot getting twisted out of the strap. Taped the toes kept riding not much you can do for broken toe other than immobilize it and let it heal. I ride in the ocean only so boots are a not a good option. I hope your recovery goes well.

[LiquidXtasy]

Damn I'm sorry to hear about your foot bro. Make sure the doctors prescribe you something good for the pain, or else um there will be a lot of pain lol.

Yeah man I've almost twisted my ankle from trying to relaunch the kite while one of my feet were out of the strap. It sucks because I like to have my straps on really tight, I like to feel like my feet are glued to the board, but I guess this is not a good idea

[windsuks]

I broke a bone in my foot (and my fib) on a messed up kiteloop three years ago. It looked at the time that I would need an op for my foot but they decided to plaster it and see how it went.....and constant checks and X-rays along the way for six weeks.

The six weeks were meant to be non weight baring, It was sometimes funny on each visit them making sure I wasn't putting any weight on it. I should say it felt quite strong from an early stage though.

I was down the beach most days taking photos/videos of the guys kiting,I gave up on the crutches for this at least as they just got in the way.

Then we had a extremely rare few days of snow here, I discovered my foot in the paster fitted perfectly in my snowboard boot (with the liner removed). Once strapped into the binding it was as good as new, I had a few days snowboarding and snow kiting on the nearby mountains. I had to rely on lifts though as would not have been insured incase of an accident driving.

I should mention I also had to have the plaster renewed twice as I soaked it at the beach - it's not easy walking around the rock pools in plaster.

I believe I'm not alone in believing in my head that I will heal faster than what the Dr's suggest and I'm pretty sure the very nature of most kitesurfers is the same!

Heal fast fella!

[foilonfoil]

Buddy clean snapped both bones in his leg two seasons back when his foot came out of his board strap just before landing.