Kitesurfing is considered an extreme sport and should only be attempted by those who have been trained and are experienced in the field. However, injury may be sustained by any attempting this sport. One such incident involves a patient who was admitted after being lofted into the air four meters and dropped on the hard sand of the beach. The patient is still unable unable to recall the exact details of the incident, but was initially assisted by his friend and taken to a near by hospital where he was discharged. After going home, changing and complaining of pain over his left shoulder, the patient reported to another hospital which in turn referred him to the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital ER for further management. (Please consider our post City Trauma: "The beginning of a Trauma System for the Private Sector in the Western Cape" 11/2/2014)
Diagnostics relieved the following injuries: A broken left scapula and multiple rib fractures. The patient is also thought to present with a concussion and has been admitted to the ICU for further observations and management. Apart from a bone healing time of approximately six weeks, there is an expected lengthy rehabilitation time to regain the full range of motion and strength in the left shoulder.
Safety practices:
- Regularly check your safety releases by releasing them with no kite attached.
- Don't ever use a board leash (except possibly in large surf for experienced riders). Learn to body drag upwind to recover a lost board.
- Practice and be proficient at self rescue before you really need to use it
- Avoid going out in conditions above your ability. During your first year, 25 knots is the maximum wind you should go out in. If in doubt, don't go out.
- Avoid storm fronts until you have at least 1 years experience.
- Carefully consider other beach goers when you launch and land your kite. Keep a safe distance from them.
- Get another kitesurfer to launch and land your kite if they are around. Do not allow an unskilled onlooker to attempt to launch or land your kite.
- Exercise great caution when landing your kite, especially in gusty conditions.
- Make sure you use the correct kite size for your weight and the wind strength.
- Don't jump in shallow water, near other kiters or near objects.
- Depower your kite before you get overpowered. It can be very difficult to depower a kite once it is overpowered. Grab the front lines to take the pressure off, then reset the depower adjustment.
- Keep away from boats, piers, groynes, buoys and other objects
- Watch out carefully for shallow water. Hitting a sand bank just covered by flat water at speed can be catastrophic.
- If you lose your board, report this to local authorities to avoid them commencing a search for you.
- Avoid kiting alone. Get a kitesurfing buddy to share the fun with, and/or kitesurf at locations where there are other kitesurfers about.
- Assess local hazards and take steps to avoid them.
- Never touch or grab kite lines when they are under tension.
- Never use the kite as a flying device - despite what videos you may see on YouTube
- Secure your kite on the beach leading edge down with sand on either side of the main strut - or use a plastic or cloth bag full of sand
- Secure your possessions on the beach too. Kite bags and other gear have been blown out to sea by gusts on many occasions.
- Do not lend your gear to someone who had no instruction on kitesurfing.
- Let someone know before you go. Tell them where you are kiting and when you expect to get back.
Borrowed from: http://kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteboarding.com/safety
An Injury and Prevention Awareness Project brought to you by Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital Trauma & Emergency Centre.