SA mountain biking warning amid rise in hospital trauma presentations

Two teenage boys who narrowly avoided becoming paralysed after horrific injuries in a hugely popular sport want other young people to know just how quickly things can go wrong.

14-year-old Jack Evans-Wood’s accident led to five spinal vertebrae being fractured, biting so hard that he almost detached his tongue and needing to be placed in an induced coma, he spent six days in the Intensive Care Unit.

Two South Australian teens who almost became paralysed in horror mountain biking accidents are urging other riders to be cautious amid a spike in emergency department presentations from the sport.

Jack Evans-Wood, 14, nearly bit off his own tongue and suffered five vertebrae fractures in a serious crash that left him in a coma for a day and spent six days in intensive care in October.

Just three weeks earlier, Elliott Senior, 15, had fractured two vertebrae in his neck that could have resulted in quadriplegia.

14-year-old Jack Evans-Wood in ICU. Picture: Supplied

Elliott Senior, aged 15, fractured two vertebrae in his cervical spine (his neck) which could have resulted in quadriplegia.

They are two of the 14 children to have suffered traumatic injuries and presented to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital ED since the beginning of October.

Jack said he got too much speed on his second jump and landed on his head.

“It was only when I got to the hospital that I realised I’d pretty much bitten my tongue off and was losing a lot of blood,” he said.

“If I’d gotten up, moved, or walked after the accident, I could be paraplegic now.”

Susan Evans-Wood with Jack Evans-Wood, and Joanne Bartemucci and Elliott Senior. Picture: Supplied

Elliott said he was in the wrong gear and didn’t have enough speed going into a jump, and knew he was not going to make it, but it was too late to get off the track.

Adult and Paediatric Spine surgeon Dr Meenu Shun said with mountain bikes set to be a popular Christmas gift, the appropriate safety gear and awareness needed to also be given.

“Our strong message to parents is make sure your child has the right protective gear, that they go with someone responsible, and if anything does happen – to remain still and call for help.”