Seat Size and Rib Injury

Randy Mckee · Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2001 12:54 pm Post subject: Seat Size and Rib Injury

I'm in the midst of another long layoff due to a rib injury sustained during the last race. This is the second such injury I've encountered in the past 4 months.

Here's the question(s):
Does seat size contribute a great deal to the risk of sustaining a rib injury? What other factors may play a part?

My seat is pretty tight (when I have on my rib vest). I've heard this is good; it doesn't leave a lot of room to build up lateral speed before smacking the side of the seat. What are your thoughts?

Michael Polizzi · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1565

Randy

Any extra room is too much. It has been said if you can sit and be comfortable in your seat it's to loose. You should be snug in the seat wth the vest on, Almost uncomfortable. It is supprizing how much your upper body compresses through a turn increasing the space between you and the seat, this is how your body gets the room to exccelerate going back the other way. Hit a bump or get a hop and the edge of the seat can...well you know the rest.
There are couple of seats on the market that can greatly reduce your risk of a rib injury. Check out my web site to see my suggestion, I'm sure we can help. Remember ANY seat that is to loose is potential for injury. Good luck with your racing, FEEL THE SPEED...NOT THE PAIN!

Michael Polizzi 69n
Full Bore Karting www.fullborekarting.com

David Tallant · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 35

It is not just the seat size. The way the seat fits "your" body, makes a huge difference. A deeper seat will also distribute the load better. A good tillet as well as others will also help.
If you want to know what it is on your seat, that is whaking you, set in it while you are hurt. You will find the spot, from there, you can modify your seat. A "good" rib vest will help.

Marc Miller · Advertiser Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 1834

After watching these types of threads turn into a war over product endorsements.. I would like tot hank David and Michael for answering the way they did.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for not endorsing something publicly and actually answering the question. *applause*

Oh.. and sorry I DIDN'T answer the question.. hehe.. even though I know what it is like to hurt my ribs!! Multiple times!

My thoughts are though that it depends on your frame as well as the seat. A seat that wraps around you more or that is deeper has definately helped me by 1. holding me in the seat better and 2. support the rib area better. I KNOw i broke my ribs the first time while in a fast corner while decelerating my body started to come out of the seat then I hit a nasty bump... snap crackle POP! A deeper seat would not have done that, as I said before. The seats that I know are more uncomfy for my ribs are the standard fiberglass euro style buckets.

Hope that helps.

MM

Jeff Welch · Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2001 5:32 pm Post subject: Seat Size and Rib Injury

Randy,

I use a normal euro style fiberglass seat, and what I do is add foam padding to make the seat fit tighter and conform to my body better. I have it tight enough that I don't move in the seat at all, so I haven't needed to try a deepseat. But, like the others said, you need to use what fits you the best.

Jeff Welch
Weltek Racing Online

Darren Swisher · Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2001 7:42 pm Post subject: Seat Size and Rib Injury

Randy, E-mail me privately, I am concerned about your rib protector.

Darren

Randy Mckee · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2001 7:20 am Post subject: Seat Size and Rib Injury

Thanks guys.

Darren, my rib protector is great. It's made by a medical specialist; many karters in my area use it and have no problems.

I have a nice padded tillet seat, but I think there are some areas where it doesn't fit well. I'm going to try adding some extra padding in those areas. If that doesn't improve the situation considerably, I'll look into the deap seat option.

Thanks again!

Randy

Darren Swisher · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2001 7:30 am Post subject: Seat Size and Rib Injury

Randy, Frankly, if you have sore ribs, your rib protector is not working. I would like to talk to you in private about it. Feel free to contact me toll-free at info@shiftersafetygear.com

Darren

Dan Meray · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2001 9:06 am Post subject: Seat Size and Rib Injury

At the last Grattan race, Johnny West had a seat on his 250 that was way cool, and soft too. (He said it was better than his barkolounger) He had a company bond material that was originally a gymnastics mat to his seat. Call Johnny for details. (I received no payment, goods or services from providing this information, your milage may vary)
Dan

Carl Scott · Joined: 20 Aug 2001 Posts: 2 Location: Tempe, Arizona

While seat fit is crucial to comfort and safety, this problem can also be helped (not solved!) by driving. While I am braking heavily into a turn in my 80 the rear wheels have a tendency to lock up. I have found that i can maintain heavier braking power by simply pushing myself back into the seat. this not only helps me to put more weight on the rear wheels to prevent them from locking but also keeps me fully in my seat so that i do not move at all (the seat front squeezes in around me).

P.S. Foam padding used as sleeping bag padding works great.

Scott McFadden · Joined: 20 Jul 2001 Posts: 125

Definitely contact Darren. I have had no problems with ribs. since I "e-chatted" with him last year.

Chaz Clover · Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 879

As much as I agree w/ Tony on the thread war idea, I'm a bit curious has to whose seat has or hasn't contributed to a rib injury.

I'm coming off a rib bruising that occured using s "very popular" seat. I've lost some #'s, and am using a thinner rib vest, and was on a tight, twisty track. I suspect I'm a bit loose in the seat, but not _that_ loose.

I'm conisdering getting a different seat that either wraps around more than the current seat, or is deeper.

I've had enough sore ribs for one lifetime ( 2x this year), thank you very much.

quote:
Originally posted by Tony Gaylord:
WOW! This hasn't turned into an endoresment thread/war, so let me tell you about this killer seat by this killer company.....

Kidding... Really, listen to whats beeing posted here about the seat and them ribs. Take it from my busted up butt, I just went through some injury that landed me (after going to three different MD's) in the office of a chiro, in which the chiro made an 'adjustment' that landed me in the ER. Now puching two months, my back is screwed because the chiro caused a hirniated (disc into the spine) disc. And all xrays point to 'after' the chiro made is so called adjustment, so BE CAREFULL and choose a seat wisely and stear hard-left from any chiros

I wont say the name of the seat for the sake of argument but to put it simply, I have a larger diameter rib cage that this popular seat just doesn't like. My body would roll out of the seat and put big time pressure on the ribs that the edge of the seat was riding on resulting in torn intercostal muscles and a small contusion in the plora. After sitting back in the kart (Oooh the memorys ) I can now see exactly where the seat hits on the ribcage. So I'm going with a more "Rib Friendly" seat. FYI it was in a 125shifter/6'2 200lbs.....

Good luck to ya and choose wisely, the seat is so important, not only in terms of performance but most importantly, safety and comfort.

Rock on-
*TG*

Tony Gaylord · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2001 10:01 am Post subject: Seat Size and Rib Injury

WOW! This hasn't turned into an endoresment thread/war, so let me tell you about this killer seat by this killer company.....

Kidding... Really, listen to whats beeing posted here about the seat and them ribs. Take it from my busted up butt, I just went through some injury that landed me (after going to three different MD's) in the office of a chiro, in which the chiro made an 'adjustment' that landed me in the ER. Now puching two months, my back is screwed because the chiro caused a hirniated (disc into the spine) disc. And all xrays point to 'after' the chiro made is so called adjustment, so BE CAREFULL and choose a seat wisely and stear hard-left from any chiros

I wont say the name of the seat for the sake of argument but to put it simply, I have a larger diameter rib cage that this popular seat just doesn't like. My body would roll out of the seat and put big time pressure on the ribs that the edge of the seat was riding on resulting in torn intercostal muscles and a small contusion in the plora. After sitting back in the kart (Oooh the memorys

) I can now see exactly where the seat hits on the ribcage. So I'm going with a more "Rib Friendly" seat. FYI it was in a 125shifter/6'2 200lbs.....

Good luck to ya and choose wisely, the seat is so important, not only in terms of performance but most importantly, safety and comfort.

Rock on-
*TG*

Tony Gaylord · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2001 5:42 pm Post subject: Seat Size and Rib Injury

quote:
Originally posted by Chaz Clover:
As much as I agree w/ Tony on the thread war idea, I'm a bit curious has to whose seat has or hasn't contributed to a rib injury.

I'm coming off a rib bruising that occured using s "very popular" seat. I've lost some #'s, and am using a thinner rib vest, and was on a tight, twisty track. I suspect I'm a bit loose in the seat, but not _that_ loose.

I'm conisdering getting a different seat that either wraps around more than the current seat, or is deeper.

I've had enough sore ribs for one lifetime ( 2x this year), thank you very much.

Chaz, like we all agreed *Grin* I'm not going to say the name of the seat but basicly my point was that seats are different, peoples bodies are different. A full rib rap around is going in place very,very soon.

I feel like I'm walking with KISS boots on eggshells on this subject.....

*TG*

Robert Harlan · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2001 6:46 pm Post subject: Seat Size and Rib Injury

Help me understand. I am confused by all this reluctance to put a manufacturers name to a product. As one considering getting into karting for 2002, it would really help me evaluate potential purchases to have product names with the comments. I think we all understand these are subjective comments and another person might have a totally different opinion. Hopefully the different opinion would post a message. I know there could be an exchange of e-mails, but I believe this thread would be a lot more helpful with manufacturers names.

It's kind of like Headline News talking about this huge recall of auto tires but refusing to say "Firestone".

Thanks and have a good day.
Bob