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Injuring your ankles from board straps during crashes?

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Created by Down2kite > 9 months ago, 27 Feb 2023
Down2kite
NSW, 1 posts
27 Feb 2023 10:59AM
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I bought a used, and a bit old, board recently. Sometimes when I crash one of my feet stays in the footpads, and this has twisted my ankles fairly strongly a few times. This didn't seem to occur frequently with other boards I've used, and I'm getting a bit worried about an injury. The foot straps don't appear to be too tight.Does anyone know if this is a known problem with older footpad/footstrap designs? Thanks, kiters!

Sandfoot
VIC, 566 posts
28 Feb 2023 5:55PM
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Coming out of bad fitting straps is a problem, wheather the straps are new or old.

The newer straps are generally better fitting. I wouldnt train yourself to come out of the staps if youre scared or in trouble this can easilly lead to ankle / foot injury.

The general midset is stay in the straps and turn sideways to the impact.

As you progress you learn to twist you're feet in the straps to increase foot hold of the board.

you'll need to try as many straps as possible to find the right fit.

hope this helps

thuffam
QLD, 42 posts
10 Mar 2023 2:07PM
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Same issue with new Duotone TT. The new straps are obviously designed with more contour but this is actually a bad thing from my experience. They grip your feet too much, even when ridiculously loose which is super dangerous when needing to ditch the board from a high off-axis boost (read imminent heavy crash)
A few years ago I snapped a metatarsal during a big air comp using the sponsors TT.. terrible kite, board and straps... the silver lining however, was the following day i was forced to make a carbon moon boot so i could get back on the water ... which got me into riding a surfboard strapless.. no injuries since :-)
FWIW best and safest straps I've ever used where Dakines... I'm guessing around 2008. Only retired them a couple months ago... miss them already. Just flat foot pads on the deck and simple arches over the foot.

Froth Goth
333 posts
10 Mar 2023 12:37PM
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Strictly boots since 2012 not a single foot injury since

dirtykiter
QLD, 5 posts
11 Mar 2023 1:23PM
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Regular foot straps one foot out crash

speller
QLD, 130 posts
17 Mar 2023 8:16AM
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Maybe check that the amount of "duck" isn't different with your new (old) board? if your feet are splayed more or less than you're used to, they may jam in the straps more easily.

derek72
WA, 49 posts
21 Mar 2023 4:40PM
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broke my ankle a few years ago, same deal - one foot out crash. I was riding a surfboard style kite/wakefoil board with two footstraps but the back one was a bit rubbish, prior to crash I was riding toeside so had the front foot jammed into the strap all the way to get the foot centred and get angle upwind, after gybing and an unexpectedly high and powered jump on heel-side i landed hard, back foot instantly came out and front leg snapped over the rail. It recovered well after surgery and I still race and freeride foil with straps, I even use front straps only for freeride but I'm pretty careful not to have that foot wedged in there too hard. With racing I get the feet right in there but I always crash either both feet in or both feet out.



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"Injuring your ankles from board straps during crashes?" started by Down2kite