Neck roll/brace use when adventure riding

[cooneyr]

Many of you probably know by now of my recient off. My worst - most dificult to deal with - injury is my cracked C1 vertebrae. This has got me wondering if a neck roll/brace would have helped and should be added to my standard gear.

Looking at the damage to my helmet and knowing where the vertebrae crack is I recon my head was rotated to my right (didnt break my collar bone) and then my neck compresed resulting in the crack.

I've never worn a neck roll or brace so dont know how restrictive or how supportive they are. I'm concerned about ability to turn my head when on the road i.e. at intersections etc. Is it pratical to wear one for adventure riding when days are up to 10-14 hours long? Is a neck roll going to help prevent injurys such as mine (I understand that the leatt brace is designed to help)?

So
1 - is a roll/brace pratical for 10-14 hours
2 - is a roll/brace going to help prevent this type of injury.

Cheers R

[soundbeltfarm]

Do a search on www.thumpertalk.com
the doc on there says the leatt brace isnt that great kit.
same as knee braces he says the guys that wear them are all paid too and he goes on about his proof that they no good.
i make my 2 boys wear those foam neck braces and they just tie too their armour.
i can see that if the kids try to touch their ear onto a shoulder the foam restricts it as it hits the armour and the helmet.
so i'd say they would help a bit.
i dont wear one but may look into it.
the leatt brace is about 650 to 1100 for the pro model.
and the foam ones i got the kids are sixsixone brand and they were 60 bucks each

[oldguy]

I know in the FIM motocross world champs, all the riders in the KTM team have to wear a neck brace which stops the forward and backward movement of the head well limits its movement.
They don't really know if it would help prevent neck injuries or not.

[oldguy]

check this link,http://www.racerxill.com/articles/de...inigadner.aspx

[NordieBoy]

the doc on there says the leatt brace isnt that great kit.
same as knee braces he says the guys that wear them are all paid too and he goes on about his proof that they no good.

Everyone who has had a biking related knee injury and started using a knee brace had lauded them and wished they'd started using them before the injury.
Apart from the cost, it's like a steering damper - no downside, all positives.

The foam neck brace mainly limits the rolling motion of the helmet, in a crash this means the base of the helmet isn't as likely to break a collarbone in a head-to-side incident and also limits compression injuries.
A mate wears one in 3-hour enduros no problem, turning motion isn't affected.
I'm tempted to try one as it's the wind pressure on the front of the helmet that gets my neck.

[warewolf]

Hey Ryan, go visit that KTM shop (you know, the one that has that bike you don't want to see) and grab a copy of the latest KTM newsletter/magazine thingy. Has an article on the neck brace. (If'n you can't get there, let me know, I'll post you one.)

Fran, I don't agree about the knee braces. 30 months ago I had a cruciate ligament reconstruction (due to a soccer injury ten or so years prior). I was seriously looking at knee braces, money no object ($900 each for CTI), and decided against it. Both my physiotherapist and my surgeon reckoned they weren't worth it - partly professional opinion, partly due to patients they had who were wearing the braces at the time of the injury! I got mixed results when I inquired about the pro's using them.

Having said that, I do expect them to work against fatigue, as they can take a fair bit of load off the knee joint (stops the leg bones being hammered together). And maybe they will stop lesser impacts from damaging the knee?

See podmx. They are $499 IIRC, very well priced and seem to be good stuff.

[NordieBoy]

partly due to patients they had who were wearing the braces at the time of the injury! I got mixed results when I inquired about the pro's using them.

I keep thinking how bad would those injuries have been without a brace.

If I could afford 2 I'd get them.
Too many times I've put my foot down in a corner and had it catch and start my knee aching for the next week.
My toes poing out quite a ways and if they do touch down it twists my knee quite easily, with a brace it would distribute the force over the whole leg.
Not to mention the side impact protection.

[cooneyr]

Hey Ryan, go visit that KTM shop (you know, the one that has that bike you don't want to see) and grab a copy of the latest KTM newsletter/magazine thingy. Has an article on the neck brace. (If'n you can't get there, let me know, I'll post you one.)

Did a little bit of reading and understand that the KTM and BMW braces are either based on or the same as the Leatt Brace.

I understand the supposed benefit (not convinced yet) but anybody actually got one?

Cheers R

[warewolf]

Too many times I've put my foot down in a corner and had it catch and start my knee aching for the next week.

So don't put your foot down!!

"Doctor! Doctor! I've broken my arm three times in the same place."
"Well, don't go there!"

Motocrossers can afford to do this because they visit each groomed corner every 20-30 seconds, but it is considered bad technique anywhere else.

As I said, I did a lot of research back then, and my findings convinced me they wouldn't stop the injuries. That sorta bums out their cost benefit ratio to me. I can do lots of free things to reduce injuries - like not put my foot down in corners.

I do like the idea of a neck brace... will investigate. I'm willing to be the guinea pig!

[NordieBoy]

The main problem with knee braces is that they are worth double my race bike each

For racing - yes.
For normal use - Nah, a shin/knee guard will do me.

I don't put my foot down normally, just when racing.

You still got that old banger in the shed?
The Anzac Day Classic MX is on this Sunday

[warewolf]

You still got that old banger in the shed?
The Anzac Day Classic MX is on this Sunday

Yes, but it's not mine and I won't be around.

Bummer, really.

[Motu]

If you want to put your foot down use a steel shoe! Even on a speedway track very little weight is put on the foot,although sometimes I used it as a brake.It's that saving ''stab'' that does the damage.

Steel shoes don't bend...I once twisted my leg when my steel shoe hit a stone,slammed it back into the frame and the rear wheel lifted into the air as the bike went over the shoe pivoting on my toe.I didn't crash,but couldn't put any weight on the leg.I had to race the next day so bandaged it up and enjoyed a day of racing.However,at 53 I can no longer swing my left leg over my tall bikes,I have to mount with the stand down.You can laugh these injuries off when you are young.....but you will remember them in later years.

[marks]

so - 12 months down the track - is anyone actually wearing a neck brace for adventure ridings - and what are people using for knee protection?

cheers


Mark

[cooneyr]

Ummmm - you'd have though I'd have jumped at at neck brace but no, I haven't. I don't really have any reason why not other than cost. I see that there is a new $250US Leatt Brace coming out that is the same concept but less adjustable. I'm still not convinced that they would help in a 80kpg over the handlebar crash. Correct me if I'm wrong but most MX/enduro crashes are likely to be 60kph or below wouldn't they?

Knee guards but not braces. I don't put my foot down very often and have never hurt my knees. El Scooto twisted his knee when he did a slow 180 on grass a while ago and was stiff for a couple of days. I'm not convinced that at knee brace will be that good on a 110kg guy trying to hold up a 160kg motorbike. How is a plastic channel going to stop the upper and lower leg rotating/bending relative to each other???

Cheers R

[NordieBoy]

I'm using a Thor Force knee brace/shin guard for racing (love it).
They may not stop the leg rotation/bending but they will restrict it compared to how much you'd get without them.
For adventuring I use cheapie fox knee/shin guards as they're more comfortable and less bulky.

Just started using a Thor neck roll (formed/contoured foam) for adventuring (it arrived the day after my last race) and I like it so far.
It limits how much side/fore/aft helmet movement you get and is light and comfortable so I'm more likely to use it.
But...
It means I can't ride with my jacket collar up and it's getting cold now