Footing and Pain

I've been wondering about this for a while and as it's winter I lack useful things to occupy me, so the question is - how much does a barefoot fall hurt?

I think about the pain a good crash at wakeboard speeds - 21-22 mph in my case - can inflict (I'm usually just about better from last weekend in time for next weekend) and I wonder how you guys cope?

I'm 37 and can definitely feel that i don't bounce like i used to, some of you guys are, with all respect, a bot more than 37. I'm now wondering if I'm just soft and have a low pain threshold?

Let me into your secrets.

Tom

I'm a few months away from 50 and I'll tell you that the hardest fall I took last year was on a darn wakeboard. I faceplanted harder than I ever have footing, it actually sent me to the boat and I sat out the rest of the day. I don't think I've ever hit so hard.

I will add I rarely have a fall footing that actually hurt, it's more of a bell ringer than pain and usually goes away pretty quickly. Every once in a while I'll come up dizzy from a faceplant, I've noticed I don't have the resistance to the dizzyness like I did when I was younger.

Don't afraid to give it a try because of the falls, just get out with someone that knows what they're doing and the falls can be minimalized. At the very least grab Lane Bowers dvd because it has driving tips that may be helpful.

ps. I sat out last year because of an unrelated injury but I plan to foot on my 50th birthday this summer and hope to do it again in another 10 years.

You also will frequently skip across the water on a barefoot crash. not so much at 22-23mph with a big piece of fiberglass strapped to you.

I have lots of time footing but not much wakeboarding, but found the typical wakeboard forward toeside slap to be more violent than a typical barefoot forward biff feet-to-face. The BF is more spectacular and more style points awarded. Albiet i 1-foot at 36 mph, not 41.
I no longer foot but thats due to sinus irritations than the pain.
The guys who taught me well are all 60+ and they are still going strong and putting on a clinic. Technique conquers all. At age 37 its beginning time you best not figgure it out the techniques the hard way, one needs an experienced driver/instructor to begin enjoying the barefoot experience.

It doesn't have to be so painful as many have stated.
besides "Pain is Temporary, Glory is Forever"

BTW: I'll be 48 this year and do not plan on giving it up until I can no longer physically do it any more. Just like....

To bad they can't invent meds to get you up barefootin'

***************, kap just reminded me that I've been knocked out once, broke my eardrum twice and broke my ankle once, that may be where my dizzyness comes from....but WTF "man up" and get out there.

All the above comes from being 21 and Hollywood balls to the wall crazy about footin. And those injuries came before we had a boom and no one to learn from, all trial and ERROR! haha I'm getting stoked just thinking about it.

Wakeboards are evil! I don't think the falls are any worse than what I can do to myself on a foil, but the wakeboard is more likely to do more substantial damage to your knees and ankles, and they happen much more frequently, at least in my case. I can see where the lack of equipment attached to a barefooter and speed keeps them from digging in an wrenching something as easy as you would with the slower speeds in other sports.

81nautique wrote: ***************, kap just reminded me that I've been knocked out once, broke my eardrum twice and broke my ankle once, that may be where my dizzyness comes from....but WTF "man up" and get out there. All the above comes from being 21 and Hollywood balls to the wall crazy about footin. And those injuries came before we had a boom and no one to learn from, all trial and ERROR! haha I'm getting stoked just thinking about it.

OK since all the oldtimers are chiming in, I guess I will too, and until JBear gets home tonight, at 55, I think I am, momentarily, the senior ambassador.

I guess the point of the seniors division offering opinions is that we are not quite as resiliant as we were 30 years ago, and we still find it worth the occasional ache or pain. I included Alan's response becasue its similar to mine. Multiple broken ear drums, a few days in the hospital with 31 stitches holding my heal back on, too many bell ringers to mention, back surgery (not directly related, but based on the timing of the symptoms that led to it, I would certainly say related, pulled hammies/groin just 2 summers ago, learning back deeps.

The most common things, I would guess, are the bell ringer falls, which get your attention, but really arent too bad. Last fall I was taking some runs with a very experienced skier, but who had little exposure to barefooting. According to my son, who was driving, Peter was pretty amazed that I kept getting up and going for more after each fall. He thought each one was a run-ender, but to us, they were just another fall. Right now I am counting the days (estimated to be 87) till I get back out there and break in my new Barefoot Central neck brace. Can't wait!!

Thanks for the lead-in Larry.....

I'll up the ante...just turned 59 and will be footin' in 10 years when Alan turns 60. Wow...then I'll be knocking on..yikes.

Learned to backerds when I was 57. Have to second what was said about good instruction. My guy was/is backfoot100..Eddie..what a teacher. Of course footin' with guys like Hollywood tends to keep one young. Invest in a neck brace too. Money well spent.

As to the falls...best I can say is my wakeboard has been in the garage attic for 2 years now and is gonna stay there for awhile more. Jump and kite crashes used to hurt even when I was younger but I haven't done either of those in quite a few years.

I'd show-off with a bacerds pic but I crahed my computer a couple weeks ago trying to "fix" it. So it might be awhile before I find my pictures. Man I hate computers! But our IT guy finally had pity on me and came to the house yesterday and got me going. Sure am glad to be back!

john

Thanks Larry! Must be the very smooth water and great instruction..which btw..you could easily take advantage of with a short visit here. You'd get to try out that new neck brace.

john

I was. I needed our IT guy to have pity on me. Did a house call last night..man it is good to be back on at full speed. Still some stuff to figure out tho..like no sound for some reason and lost all my addresses. Got to redo the favorites list..but still good to be back none the less.

What do you mean "gracious host"? We would have been better hosts if you had stopped for a night with me and Patti. BTW..still enjoying the liquid refreshment you brought me...thanks!

john

Heel blister, yup I know all about that! I did mine two years ago on the July 4th going long line! The lake was smooth,and I was was having a blast. I noticed that into a sharp left turn while outside the wake that my left foot began to burn, but felt better going back into the chop of the boat. It felt numb behind the boat! I ended my run because of a big 28 ft fishing boat throwing a good wake. At the time, I was upset at the fisherman, but he really did me a favor. My small eraser sized blister got worse as the day went on, did oatmeal baths and toher things, and stopped footing after that. The blister grew into the size of a quarter, never got black though! The wound repairs itself in layers from the inside out. While at a campground at the Wisconsin Dells, it finally closed up, same day that we were going to a water park. There was no way that I was going on any rides, I sat, read a book and let the air and sun continue to repair the damage. My mistake was that I also continued to ski while wearing a sock that summer, most likely adding bacteria to the wound.    

I kept active, but could not wear closed toe shoes. My foot would really throb after walking around. While camping n mid August, I noticed these little flys (size of fruit flies) congregating around my wound, as I tried to keep it uncovered so that air could help to close it up!

It's all good now, but I still have a dark pink area the size of a small eraser which shows the spot of the wound, not tender, but there! I still foot, but drop when it starts to burn! Only thing that came close was a fall from jumping into a cross wind and hitting the water sideways with the body!

talking about pain..had a bad scorpion yesterday, my neck and waist are still in pain, Waist is still stiff and I can´t arch back!!!
lesson: never foot in choppy waters!!!

You must be pretty busy at work these days Larry...10:56am!

john

little better today..still some pain though...
lol