stingers

when I catch my back edge and get slammed backwards, I sometimes get what I guess is called a stinger. One of my arms goes completely numb for a second, then it feels like it's on fire from my shoulder to my finger tips. My best guess is a nerve gets pinched.......
This happens to me at least twice a season. It hasn't happened yet when I wear my helmet, but I'm thinking that my worst crashes have been when the dome isn't protected.

It takes me several rides to get over these violent crashes. Sometimes even a few weeks....


my last one was last Wednesday. I've gone out 3 times since then. My riding still isn't back to my once proud level of mediocrity......

have any of you guys experienced one of these "stingers".

yup...they're nasty....luckily i've only had 2 or 3.

It happened to me the first time I tried a backroll. I talked to a Doc about it. He said that all of the nerves in your arm go there a "hole" in your shoulder. If you pinch those nerves in that "hole," your whole arm will go numb. He said no big deal though.

unless you get alot of them . . . no big deal

Stingers suck. I have not had them wakeboarding, but i have had them in my football days in both arms sometimes at the same time (not cool). If I swing a golf club the wrong way or to hard I get it in my left arm real bad. I do a lot of shoulder exersises to keep my strength up. It does help a little

You know, on of my favorite things about wakeboarding is the price you pay to learn. I totally love getting slammed. I really do. I have had stingers before, they do suck and are a bit scarey. My understanding is that you get them due to a muscle spasm that is pinching a nerve.

Anyway Go out there and take those slams, that's wakeboarding is all about!

(Message edited by andy_nintzel on July 02, 2009)

Andy, kinda like "fight club"

Totally Like Fight Club!!!

Some People Drink when there pissed, some people hit the gym, I beat the crap out of myself on my wakeboard. This summer HS OA BS 5's have my number, that is the best slam ever, mmmmmmmmmmmm blind heelside edge catch! HOOK ME UP!

takin a bunch of good slams and then stickin that same trick that has lit you up a few good times is probably one of the best feelings in any sport - its almost better than punchin on someone on the court or hittin a ball so square off the bat that you dont even feel it...

now that I know that this is a "normal" wakeboarding occurrence, I guess I need to step up my game....

mmmm slamming. you should make a video for fuel tv, they have a guy that goes out and intentionally slams on a skateboard... it'd be way more epic on a wakeboard

I'm with Andy, love the slams. It's definitely a wakeup call. Got a nice stinger in both arms this morning. You've just got to take your licks. I've had reconstructive surgery in both shoulders and I'm going back in September to get a partial shoulder replacement in the right shoulder. Doc said he'd do the other half in 10-15 years when I slow down. hahaha, never.

A stinger is generaly caused by a forceful pulling on the arm outstretched and/or forceful sideways/backward motion of the head. The nerves coming out of your neck go through muscles called Scalenes, and those get stretched and pinch the nerves, or the nerves themselves get stretched with the motion. Minor stingers are not too dangerous, but multiple stingers or moderate to severe stingers can cause damage to the nerves in the shoulder or the cervical plexus, which is the grouping of nerves that come out of the spinal cord. This can turn into permanent nerve damage and 'cervical plexus syndrome'. Just be aware that it can become worse, and there is not a whole lot you can do to make them better faster, other than just rest. Just some nerdy info for you to ponder Have fun slamming!

No offense Irene, but physical therapy is for people that are too lazy to do it themselves and are willing to dish up whatever the insurance dictates the co-pay is. I work in a hospital, and if people even new the politics and BS that is involved, the hospital would be making a lot less money.

Never had a stinger, but 2 days ago I caught a nasty back edge (I'm not even sure how... ts fs 180) and I think I hyperextended my back a little. It hurt so bad initially that I could barely get my boots off. Now I have no idea if they are related, but my neck hurts and my ab muscles hurt whenever I try to sit up. Weird.

I'm with andy, this is the price you pay, and it makes it even better when you really get the trick down pat.

Randy, I am not really sure how I deserved a cut-down on my profession. You obviously know NOTHING about the PT profession. I have nothing to do with the politics and BS that exists, but I can tell you that it is much larger than PT. If you think that someone who was in a car accident and has a fractured leg and arm or worse can get up and "do it themselves" and if not they are just "lazy" then you are an idiot. I hope you never have to go through a devistating injury, but if you do I hope the medical staff who saved your life tells you to "get up and do it yourself lazy ass." I don't understand why me trying to help someone by giving some information about an injury warrants your response. I wasn't trying to get anyone to do PT, or advertising my profession. I did not even mention that I was a PT. If you have nothing nice to say then keep it to yourself, especially if it has nothing to do with the subject of the post. If you feel that strongly about it then start your own new post about how much you hate PT or don't believe in it. Otherwise keep your uneducated mouth shut please.

Had a few of those... I actually like getting slammed myself but I do admit that I pay for it a little more at 40 and cannot afford to get hurt again as I am just coming off a blown knee. Never scared of the pain just the medical bills. ;)

I did take a sweet back edge body slam trying a late roll to blind last week though.

i haven't had a stinger yet, but i totally know what andy is talking about. it seems that i ride so much better and stick new tricks after i take a good slam or two. whether it's just that i'm more focused or what who knows

My bad Irene, I thought this was about stingers and not broken arms or legs.

Hey Randy, please stop being a dick. You were completely out of line with that attack post, and now you're continuing it.

Senior year in football, the starting noseguard had a stinger during two a days that was in his neck. He lost feeling in a lot more than just his arm...

As for slams, I love them until the next day, when my messed up back starts telling me that I'm not allowed to wakeboard, and I have massive migraines from my kinked neck. Grrrr...

I apologize Irene. My statement was poorly worded probably somewhat alcohol induced(it was the 4th) and was not intended to be a slam against you or your profession.

the only thing i worry about when falling is repetedly hitting my head.
i'd be willing to go through my body around on a wakeboard without even thinking of consequences but i've gotten concussions before and am scared of the lasting consequences.