Key points from this video
- A motorcycle crash can transmit enough energy to injure the neck, back, spinal cord, and other organs even when protective gear is used.
- Ladder falls are common and can produce fractures or head injury; stable placement and another person nearby matter.
- Never dive head-first into water when the depth and underwater hazards are not known.
- After a major impact, severe spine pain, weakness, numbness, or inability to move normally warrants emergency evaluation.
What this video can—and cannot—tell you
This is not a promise that cautious behavior eliminates risk. It is a reminder that high-energy falls, crashes, and head-first impacts can injure the spinal column or spinal cord in an instant, so prevention matters more than any later treatment.
This is general educational information, not medical advice. Symptoms vary by person — a clinical evaluation is the only way to know what’s right for you.
Full video transcript
All right, here are three things I would never do as a spine surgeon. The first thing, ride a motorcycle. They're sweet, they're fun, they're awesome, but where I did my spine fellowship in Rhode Island, uh we had a saying, "It's motorcycle season." Because every summer there would be countless traumas that would come in from people riding motorcycles. They left that day walking onto their motorcycle and they never walked again. Second thing, ladders. Always seems like you're doing something productive or fun, but to be honest, the second most common uh neck fracture that I see is due to someone falling off a ladder who wasn't properly trained to be on a ladder. And the third one, diving headfirst into the ocean or any body of water that you're not familiar with. It sucks. You're having a great day, it's hot, it's warm, you want to jump into the water, and one mistake can change the rest of your life. I treated a couple of people who went through it, some recovered neurologic function, others unfortunately never did.
