Neck issues-what would you do?

[DP #000]

I have been in an neck brace for 44 days after fracturing two vertebras in my neck after a crash at Walden Mx. Today i got it off, and the doctor told me i can ride and race. But then he said my neck is very weak and will be for up to a year. He told me if i crashed again (depending on the fall) i might be paralyzed because of how weak my neck is. Should i risk it racing or just wait. I race in neatv (A-class) and finished 3rd last year in points. So these guys are qucikkkk. Also i always wear my neck brace. I dont really know what to do. What would you do?

[Pappy]

Bravado aside, is a plaque worth it?

[Scro]

Take a year off, man. It's definitely not worth it.

[Stiles86]

i would chill for for the rest of this year and focus on next season and hit it strong.... glad to here your getting better

[muddy400EX]

ya chill for sure. definitively not worth being paralyzed

[lasher45]

In the end it's your choice to race. The chances of you crashing or wrecking arn't going to be any different than they were before. You just need to decide whether or not the risk is worth the reward.

Personally I would race but just hang in the back of the pack and take it easy until your neck fully heals.

[gncc025]

I would take a year off and excercise that neck!

not worth risking at all!

[aDviSol2y]

Originally posted by lasher45
In the end it's your choice to race. The chances of you crashing or wrecking arn't going to be any different than they were before. You just need to decide whether or not the risk is worth the reward.

Personally I would race but just hang in the back of the pack and take it easy until your neck fully heals.

Really? Personally, If I were going to race, I would go all out. It is a race afterall.
If I were you, I would spend the next year in rehab. Then in a year, hit it harder than before.

[quad2xtreme]

I am in a similar but not even as bad a situation as yours and I am holding off from the mx scene as long as possible. Doctor told me the same thing after performing surgery (Bankart Repair) on my shoulder (full year to be at 100% which is what I was at when it happened the first time). I am enjoying trail riding and doing exercises to strengthen the shoulder. My goal is to have it stronger than it was the first time so I come back at 150%. Hopefully you can do the same for your neck. My surgery was Oct 6th and I have stayed off the tracks until this past weekend and even then I just hit some baby jumps on the 400ex.

If you haven't, get in a wheelchair for a couple of days and see how that makes you feel. Don't get out of it to make a quick run to the store. Life is short...don't make it worse hurrying your recovery.

[blaster12s]

work out work out work out!!
then work out some more. take the year off. but dont stop rideing go trail ride and hit some very mellow and forgiving jumps to keep your head in the game.

[slightlybent47]

I would sit it out for a while, ride for fun just to keep in some kind of shape, though there are other ways to stay in shape. If you do ride stay out of the mix to reduce your chances of tangling up with someone, don’t worry your skills will still be there when you start back.

[DP #000]

I felt pretty good when i was out on my practice track (which is in my signature) but thats just taking it easy. Racing is a good amount different. But thanks everyone for your input.

[IRONFLIGHT2]

I WATCHED YOU WRECK MY BIKE BLEW UP IN THE SECOND LAP RIGHT OUTSIDE THE HOLESHOT STRAIGHT SO I HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT..... LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS SCARY AND UGLY.I THINK YOU SHOULDNT PUSH IT TAKE THE REST OF THE SEASON OFF THEY ARE ALREADY 5 RACES INTO THE SEASON AND PLASTIC PLAQUE THAT THEY GIVE YOU DAM SURE AINT WORTH A WHEEL CHAIR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. HIT THE GYM TRAIN AND COME BACK STRONGER AND FASTER FOR NEXT SEASON. IVE RACED WITH YOU B4 .YOU ARE FAST N YOU WILL BE JUST AS FAST NEXT YEAR. HELL YOU HAVE TO BE REAL FAST YOU WERE IN FRONT OF ME...NOT TO MANY PPL CAN SAY THAT. LOL

[firefighterjosh]

Don't be dumb, DO NOT RACE

Here is you choice

#1 - Wait and Race and race another day

#2 Race and wreck and possibly never race another day

You have already hurt your kneck once so it can happen again

[SRH]

you must have never seen anyone with a broken neck to even be considering it

[Quad18star]

A plaque is not worth your mobility.

[Lasher]

We kept Ryan (our son) out until he was 100% from mono (enlarged spleen). Tough to do, but the extra risk is not worth it.

You have a light at the end of the tunnel, that is next year.

Racing is dangerous to begin with. We all take that risk when we get on the track. If you asked the same question, but you neck was weak for the rest of you life, the answer would be your choice. But in one year you could eliminate that extra risk.

[extremeblastr]

dylan just take it easy man, i would take the time to smooth yourself out some. your definitely a fast rider with a lot of natural talent. i would find something else to do until next season that requires a lot of body control and just get use to flowing with things, your fast as hell but a little rough so take this as a chance to find the little things that you need to change to make everything flow the way it should and you'll pick up the speed to win the championship next year for sure. besides mathieu is on cruise control to the trophy this year so coming back now you would just be pushing yourself and taking a huge risk with even second place being out of the quesiton at this point.

[liex21]

Just think of what you went threw and do you really want that or even worse again. You just have to fight the riding bug for a little and like everyone said set up a plan to come back even harder so it will make the time off worth it. Where you wearing your brace when your crashed ?

[SRH]

honestly why not just ride, if youve already had damage to that area your at a higher risk again...u break it and get paralyzed from the neck down your going to wish someone would come kill you

[KXRida]

take the time to heal up. That was probably my only regret with riding/racing. When I'd get hurt I'd instantly be back on the bike and now at the ripe old age of 21 I'm already starting to pay for it sadly. This is the main reason why I'm currently getting out of mx for a while. I'm just so tired of being hurt and laid up. Mainly it's my back and my head that I'm worried about.

[usp4u]

dont race. go to the track and ride practice and work on beign smooth, fundementals. go trail riding. hit the gym and come back hard next spring.