So how many of you all have had a dislocated shoulder?

I fell hard snowboarding over the winter and dislocated my left shoulder and fractured my clavicle at the same time. Just wondering how this may affect my kiting.

I popped my shoulder skiing a long time ago. Bust my clavicle on a motorcycle before that as well.

Both have had many years to heal before I started kiting and neither causes any big problems for me related to kiting. It could be a different story with a recent injury ?
The shoulder grinds and aches sometimes but it seems more weather related. Be VERY CAREFUL not to pop it out again. It gets more loose and easy to do with each injury.
The Clavicle doesn't bother me all though there is a bump there.

might make your arm rip off if a gust over 25 comes along.But thats ok you got 2 of em.And I got a roll of duct tape in the truck

Kinda hard to play with a 4 line kite with only one arm though isnt it :puzzled:

flying on a bar mite work:puzzled:

If Im flying in moderate winds are there any chances of big pulls yanking on my shoulder or would I be ok with KS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s and just letting go?

well my friend , fly a small one first and work your way up. The little sting wont hurt ya it's a 1.7 . I used it one day to board with in like25-30+ wind ,was funny as heck

Do you have a harness ?
Without a doubt flying a bar and harness will be easier on your shoulder. Even handles and a harness will be better. I think you are most vulnerable when you fly with fully extended arms. Particularily overhead !
I wonder about the kite killers. I have taken some pretty strong tugs when letting go and I think often my arms were extended at the time. I only use killers when I have to. ( I always wear a helmet )

with soar shoulders I would keep my elbows into your hips, pull down flexing my pecks, avoid outreached arms and lower back strains...
start a cross-fit program asap!

Thanks for the info guys.

Ive been hitting the gym ever since my arm came out of the sling and I have full range of motion back. Only problem Im still having is reaching straight back (if that makes sence to you guys). Still feels tight but even thats getting better pretty mych every day. Push ups and pull-ups are no problem. I can even go all the way down and back up while doing weighted pull-ups(fully extended).

I guess Im mainly wondering how much strain this puts on your shoulders.

My day job is installing kitchen hood fire suppression systems so Im constanly carrying and lifting up to 120 pound cylinders. Even up ladders to hang on a wall.

Sounds like you are fit enough to find out.

Get a harness for sure. It will extend your fly time and fun time. It will also be the easiest on the shoulder.

It is the PULL when the kite is overhead and arms extended that will put you in the most vulnerable position to hurt yourself. With the harness you don't get in that position.

Besides flying with a harness is just plain great !
You will need to get hooked in if you are ever going to fly depower kites.

there isn't much strain involved with the shoulders in mind. avoid you arms at 90 and your elbows to ears. bend your arm 90 at the elbows and take your elbows to ears and you'll see what I mean.

with safety in mind, learn when NOT to fly...

You guys are just swell Thats the info I was lookin for.

Thanks

My advice is get a harness and also a helmet.

Susan (npw goddess)