Back protectors not the best back protection?

[icenian]

(Related to this thread: CE armour for clothing; Rukka in particular)

I read something that stated that motorcyclists are far more likely to suffer spinal injury as a result of impact to shoulders or hips than from an impact direct to the spine itself. This is attributed to T-Pro...

Back Protection for Motorcyclists. Only a few motorcyclists receive a direct blow to the spine causing serious injury; more spine injuries are probably due to direct blows to the shoulders and hips. The products commonly known as motorcyclists back protectors, if correctly designed and constructed may alleviate some minor direct impacts on the back, but will not prevent skeletal or neurological injuries to the spine in motorcycle accidents.

So it may be more worthwhile making sure you have good shoulder/hip armour than a good back protector?

[Sharribee]

thats really interesting. I always wear my back protecter but can see how the mechanism of injury would mean that you would not necessarily get the protection that you need from it

[Recycler]

Mate of mine died when he colided with a tree that he struck with the side of his chest.

R.I.P.

I gave up sportsbikes shortly after.

Just getting a light blow to the chest winds you, a handle bar strike doesn't bare thinking about. Surprising chest protection only comes in offroad type kit.

[Sharribee]

Mate of mine died when he colided with a tree that he struck with the side of his chest.

R.I.P.

I gave up sportsbikes shortly after.

Just getting a light blow to the chest winds you, a handle bar strike doesn't bare thinking about. Surprising chest protection only comes in offroad type kit.

Your post has reminded me of a young lad I looked after 8 years ago, he had come of a trial bike he was messing about with, the handlebars and hit him in the chest. He spent 2 months in ICU then died because his lungs basically disentigrated because of the trauma they had sustained.

He was only 16, I looked after him every shift I worked for the 2 months, when he died it pushed me into the decision to leave ICU I had had enough by that stage, too many young people dying. Horrible death

[iswoolley]

So it may be more worthwhile making sure you have good shoulder/hip armour than a good back protector?

When it comes down to it you really need to dress like Bibendum to cover all the bases. That's not very realistic though, so most folk compromise. All the falling off bikes I've done over the years has tended to hurt my hands the most. It's instinctive to put your hands out to stop a fall. Hips or shoulders tend to hit the deck next, followed by the rest. The one thing I've managed to achieve which has had the greatest influence on my walking away each time has been never to collide with the scenery. My worst off was a somersault over a bonnet with a shoulder-first landing. Luckily no other vehicles were involved so only injury to me was some whiplash. Bike ended up 2ft shorter though. If a bus had been coming the other way it wouldn't have mattered how good my gear was...

[steveR]

(Related to this thread: CE armour for clothing; Rukka in particular)

I read something that stated that motorcyclists are far more likely to suffer spinal injury as a result of impact to shoulders or hips than from an impact direct to the spine itself. This is attributed to T-Pro...



So it may be more worthwhile making sure you have good shoulder/hip armour than a good back protector?

I can remember when back protectors first appeared on the scene and they always appeared to be aimed more at road racers who routinely come off bikes and then slide down the road on their back. MotoX gear has always seemed a better bet as it gives better shoulder/top end support. The hips seem to be left behind in most safety gear!

[icenian]

Well it did inspire me to get the Knox hip armour, which came with my Scott leather jeans, out of the back of the cupboard.

It feels very strange to wear, and I look like I'm wearing a pair of those bizarre German fighter ace trousers...


(picture credit: http://www.luftwaffe39-45.historia.n...es/galland.htm)

...but apparently my back is better protected.

[Chad]

Well it did inspire me to get the Knox hip armour, which came with my Scott leather jeans, out of the back of the cupboard.

It feels very strange to wear, and I look like I'm wearing a pair of those bizarre German fighter ace trousers...


(picture credit: http://www.luftwaffe39-45.historia.n...es/galland.htm)

...but apparently my back is better protected.

where did you get that pic of vader

[icenian]

where did you get that pic of vader

That's a photo from the UKGS rally; I just gimp'ed it to make it look old

[Chad]

That's a photo from the UKGS rally; I just gimp'ed it to make it look old

brilliant