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.lots of fractures,” Calver says, noting
the most common involve tailbones,
wrists, legs and arms. “We’ve all been
warned of road rash, and if you’ve ever
had it or seen treatment for it, you can
understand why nobody would wish
this upon their worst enemy.”
Shoulders are arguably the most
vulnerable joint in the body; torn
ligaments or dislocated shoulders are
quite common – an injury I’ve experi-
enced multiple times after a bad crash
on a Timbersled.
Calvers advises, “If you don’t have
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taking a course no matter how basic it
is. It’s valuable knowledge and gets you
acquainted with dealing with intense
situations.”
So, now that your body aches with
the thought of potential trauma that
hitting the ground can cause, let’s talk
about some of the things we can do to
ensure we can provide ourselves with
the best care, and in some cases prevent
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Take a Riding Course
It doesn’t matter what you ride or how
long you’ve ridden, there is nothing
more important than improving your
own skills. Riding in a controlled area
with experts homing in on the bad hab-
its we’ve gained over years is invalu-
able. Taking a course will improve your
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whether it’s on the street or dirt.
Know Your Gear
There are so many types of gear on the
market now. Do your research and pick
the gear that suits your riding style and
offers well-placed protection.
Don’t put a price tag on your well-
being or your life; it’s worth it to spend
the money on gear that offers real
protection.
Helmet
Your head is the most important body
part to protect. Know your helmet – is
it modular? open-faced? full-faced?
Can someone access your face easily
after a crash? Paramedics are trained
to remove helmets, but having to pull
off your helmet to ensure your airway
is open could increase the possibility
also have taken the time to ask the
ultimate question “What do women
want” and have addressed those issues
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of all shapes and sizes. Companies
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make vests and jackets that offer airbag
protection in crash situations.
Boots
Get a motorcycle boot that covers your
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rigid ankle support, but be sure it doesn’t
hinder the movement of your foot.
Gloves
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thing that goes out is our hands. Gloves
with an abrasion-resistant palm is
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it’s best to get something with hard
knuckles to protect from falls and levers
that could crush your hand.
“MOTORCYCLING IS NOT,
OF ITSELF, INHERENTLY
DANGEROUS. IT IS,
HOWEVER, EXTREMELY
UNFORGIVING OF
INATTENTION, IGNORANCE,
INCOMPETENCE
O R S T U P I D I T Y.”
- ANONYMOUS
of a spinal injury. If your helmet is
a modular or open-face type, your
mouth and airway are much more
accessible in emergency situations. If
your helmet is full-face, check to see if
it has easy-to-remove cheek pads, and
would therefore be easier to remove in
an emergency.
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properly? There are three main head
shapes; learn which shape of helmet
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designs helmets based on these three
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Make sure there is no additional space
in your helmet. Any space can amplify
the force of the impact into your skull.
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actually cause you to have two impacts:
one when the helmet hits a solid object
or pavement, and the other from your
head hitting the interior of the helmet.
Jackets and Pants
Most riding gear will have some sort
of integrated armour included. Some
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own brand of armour, while others just
have Kevlar patches in easy-to-wear
spots. The most important areas to
have armour are your back, shoulders,
elbows, hips and knees. Aerostich and
Klim are great examples of gear that
is well thought out when it comes to
being waterproof, with protection and
ventilation where most needed. They