Break Arms. Are they worth it?

[Steve Inzalaco]

I know there are way more additional injuries we can get from armwrestling. I'm still a believer if you compete a lot and practice a lot for 2-3 years the MAJORITY of us are out of the woods. Not all of us but most.

I personally dislocated my shoulder and elbow joint twice from armwrestling. As others have broken their arms, have injured their wrists, fingers, torn their biceps...etc.

But is it worth it? I mean we don't get paid 30 million like a Pro Boxer like Tyson did...then he injured his left shoulder during a fight. Damn even a Pro Boxers Pro Debut which is in Venues worse than most Armwrestling Venues Get paid more than a Armwrestler in X amounts of rounds then John Brzenk Competing Right and Left Arm 198 class and all classes above. Yet John uses his sore arms,bad back to repair Jetliners. That is his bread and butter to make a living.

I mean lately two Pullers breaking their arms.... John Hoffman against a Novice yet he sounded motivated on the board shortly after to come back and be dominate in the sport. (I praise his courage!) . Then Brandon at Practice...this great man serves our Country... not sure what he does for a living, but what does the US Military tell him? His job?

Sure we can get on Disability.... but does that even come close to paying the bills?

I know we can get in a car accident....shot....a motor cycle accident....whatever ....but we know this is a possibility when we go up on the table ...Tournament Or Practice......that there is that chance. Or even your the best Pro in the World you win say 1,000 in a day of pulling.
Then return to work sore on Monday and possibly not able to do your job or worse if you break your arm.

Armwrestling IS NOT a Natural Arm Movement, There are so many other sports that dont have as many unexpected injuries compared to Armwrestling....

So I just ask is it worth it for a Sport that pays Pennies compared to other sports (freakin rock,paper,scissors) is on TV and pays more and Thumb Wrestling! But worth the possibility you may get injured and not be able to work from a break arm....

They say people that get DUI's 65-70% of them will get another. I'd say if you broke your arm in armwrestling your chances are better that you will get injured again or break your other arm.....Is it worth it?....Is it pride?....Is it all your good at?......I would just like to know other people thoughts.

My injuries.......Well my shoulder.....happened at a long hard practice. Took 6 months for me to pull again without feeling pain. My Elbow dislocations which was OUR common elbow tendon injury a lot of pullers get....which I pulled with that never really healing for numerous tournaments....then in a tournament in Palmdale, Ca that John Burgesson had it finally gave out and dislocated twice in that tournament ....having Bob Eazor put it back in place for me twice in that tournament....I think I finished 2nd against behind Ed Shelton.....but me continuing was pure love of the sport and pride.

Now that I'm getting older late 30's. And I been training again plus I'm injury free.....I think twice....I need my arms to continue being a Paramedic/Firefighter....lol my patients weigh a ton sometimes.....But that's my bread in butter......

So thoughts and discussion would be cool....if anybody would like to share them.
Best,
Steve

[Robin the manhandler Chandler]

Every time I'm pulling in a men's tournament I am scared my bones will not hold up at I try to get it out of my head but I do think about it. My left has been hurt cuz I was pulling a a-hole that false started me on purpose cuz he didn't want me in his class so I always think about it

[Paul Talbott]

I broke my arm and thought about not coming back to the sport, but less than one year later I was pulling again and sure glad I did. I love the sport and nothing will keep me away. But like Robin said it is always in the back of your head ,,you just got to push it aside and ("Press") on.

[Steve Inzalaco]

Thats cool Paul. I mean the purpose of this thread is to get other thoughts on how it affects them or how it would if it happened to them.Not to be bias or put people on the spot. I'm glad your arm is better bro!


Steve

[Deleted]

I think i'd have to give this up if I broke my arm, or maybe even if my opponent broke theirs in a match. Might not be able to get over that sound...

[Shawn Lattimer]

It depends a lot on why you armwrestle. For me its a hobby that I enjoy. Some people collect stamps, I am into strength sports. My choice of hobbies is a bit more dangerous than stamps.

[John Byerley]

I broke my thumb and tore a ligament back in October - and I was itching the whole time to get back training and recently started again. But I didn't miss work because of it - the first month it hurt really bad - as I had to use my hand daily, climbing turning valves and all that good stuff. But eventually it "healed."

If I had broken my arm - it would have been a different story - I could get maybe 1 pass at work during the healing process but I couldn't risk what may happen if I were two hurt myself a SECOND time. This last injury was a freak deal - shouldn't have happened and my ligaments, bones were pretty weak at the time as I hadn't even pulled a single match in 5-6 months and I know what to look out for. Trying to train now with an even bigger emphasis on long term tendon/ligament health and keeping bones as healthy as possible as well. Its a great sport if you can somehow avoid the injuries - I would be REALLY upset if I found myself at a place where I could no longer compete.

For me yes, its worth a possible broken arm - but unfortunately, whether worth it to me or not, couldn't risk a repeated, similar injury.

Definitely will vary from person to person - but the money surely has nothing to do with it for 90% plus I'm sure. Most of us do it because we love it - and not much can keep you away from something like that.

[John Wilson]

I think Shawn said it best. Most of us are into armwrestling because on some inner level we love strength sports, contact sports, etc. Any physical sport will have risk involved. If you rock climb you could fall. Ride motorcycles? ATVs? You could drown while sailing. Or water skiing. Every sport that is about adrenalin involves risk. When you look at the big picture, the risk in armwrestling is way down there.

I once had a guy get fairly nasty during a conversation about armwrestling. Apparently his friend had gotten his arm broken and this guy was all about "armwrestling is dangerous. To compete in it is just stupid! It's not worth it.... yadda yadda yadda"

I told him the same thing I tell anyone else. The WORST that can happen is a broken arm. You let your kid play football? People get crippled for life playing football. My friend in high school ruptured his spleen. How many of us have back or neck injuries for life from playing high school football? If you want to talk about stupid, well there's stupid for you. But nobody would ever call playing football stupid, right?

[Shawn Lattimer]

May 10, 2012 14:12:15 GMT -5 John Wilson said:

I think Shawn said it best. Most of us are into armwrestling because on some inner level we love strength sports, contact sports, etc. Any physical sport will have risk involved. If you rock climb you could fall. Ride motorcycles? ATVs? You could drown while sailing. Or water skiing. Every sport that is about adrenalin involves risk. When you look at the big picture, the risk in armwrestling is way down there.

I once had a guy get fairly nasty during a conversation about armwrestling. Apparently his friend had gotten his arm broken and this guy was all about "armwrestling is dangerous. To compete in it is just stupid! It's not worth it.... yadda yadda yadda"

I told him the same thing I tell anyone else. The WORST that can happen is a broken arm. You let your kid play football? People get crippled for life playing football. My friend in high school ruptured his spleen. How many of us have back or neck injuries for life from playing high school football? If you want to talk about stupid, well there's stupid for you. But nobody would ever call playing football stupid, right?

Along that line:

About 10 years ago I lived in an apartment complex across from a guy who was a quadriplegic. Broke his neck in high school playing football. He was working on getting through college at the time to be a paralegal. Nice guy who had his life seriously derailed by an injury.

I'd rather have a broken arm. At least that will heal. And it really wouldn't have an impact on my job---I can still work in a cast.

[ryanconstantino]

I broke my right arm in August of 2003, and had minimal use of my hand for four months due to nerve damage which occurred during surgery. I ended up discovering my left arm was fairly decent, and was able to have a small degree of success, and a lot of fun in this sport. Hopefully I have more to come. There is nothing I wouldn't trade for the memories and friendships I have acquired over the course of the past ten years. Injuries will happen in any sport......in my opinion , being an older man living with regrets and questions of how good he could have been is far worse than any injury you will be exposed to while armwrestling.

[John Parton]

38 years ago I was logging which is an extremely dangerous job. My fiance hated it and talked me into leaving the profession. I went to school to be a mechanic, so I took a job in a body shop. Two days before Christmas I buried her from a car wreck, and the next time they brought in a wrecked car I quit. When I went back to logging my boss who had kept my job for me should iwant it back said this. "Life is dangerous, and the most dangerous thing we do every day is drive our car, if this is what you love to do then do it, if not find something else. Don't however let the fear of what might happen make you descisions or you will never do anything worth while". In the last 35 years more poeple have been killed driving in the US than in all of the conflicts we have had since we became a country, but we still drive because we need to. Since play is proven to be an important part of life and this is our hobby for me I pull because I need to!

[Steve Inzalaco]

What all you great people are saying is very inspiring. ..... BUT RYAN CONSTANTINO THIS IS FOR YOU REGARDING YOUR LEFT ARM...NEVER FORGET WHERE BRO! LOL

RYAN THIS IS US BRO....!!! LOVE YOU BRO!

Steve

[Robert Miller]

Very good analogy John & so true... Life in general is a risk! Likewise, every sport has its own set of risk & its a personal decision only you can make if its worth it to you as an individual.

[Mike West]

I broke my right arm in 1982, didn't have surgery, and am still going. I don't have any fear of breaking it again, I know what I did wrong the first time, and train not to do it again.
I have seen over 30 breaks over the years, have been on the other end a few times when it happens.
I hate it when someone breaks an arm, and people start saying "He wasn't in a bad position", well apparently he was, it's not always the obvious twist that you can see, but the pressure that you apply with the shoulder is what breaks it, either from twisting it, or pressing with it past your hand.

[Andrew Bieganski]

Ive been told john buxton from Idaho broke his right arm his first tourny. Came back to his 2nd tourny and broke his left. Thats crazy. It could b his lh first then rh. Kinda forgot