A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Yowwwch!

Johnny got in a terrible dirt bike accident in Australia about three years ago, when this photo was snapped… I get a kick out of the “Taz ripping out of the skin” tattoo, perfectly placed by some psychic tattoo artist seven years earlier. He had to wear that intense fixture for two years by the way!

Comments

124 responses to “Yowwwch!”

  1. Lane Jensen Avatar

    Now that’s pain.

  2. Lane Jensen Avatar

    Now that’s pain.

  3. ivyann Avatar
    ivyann

    dana… there are patterns for sewing what are called “adaptive” garments that can accommodate equipment like this. basically, pajama pants/boxer shorts with one leg that’s 36″ around, and the other a normal 20″ or so, and the sides of the legs open up vertically and close with velcro. there’s a nonprofit that recruits people with sewing skills to make them for soldiers who get fucked up in iraq.

  4. ivyann Avatar
    ivyann

    dana… there are patterns for sewing what are called “adaptive” garments that can accommodate equipment like this. basically, pajama pants/boxer shorts with one leg that’s 36″ around, and the other a normal 20″ or so, and the sides of the legs open up vertically and close with velcro. there’s a nonprofit that recruits people with sewing skills to make them for soldiers who get fucked up in iraq.

  5. ivyann Avatar
    ivyann

    dana… there are patterns for sewing what are called “adaptive” garments that can accommodate equipment like this. basically, pajama pants/boxer shorts with one leg that’s 36″ around, and the other a normal 20″ or so, and the sides of the legs open up vertically and close with velcro. there’s a nonprofit that recruits people with sewing skills to make them for soldiers who get fucked up in iraq.

  6. ivyann Avatar
    ivyann

    dana… there are patterns for sewing what are called “adaptive” garments that can accommodate equipment like this. basically, pajama pants/boxer shorts with one leg that’s 36″ around, and the other a normal 20″ or so, and the sides of the legs open up vertically and close with velcro. there’s a nonprofit that recruits people with sewing skills to make them for soldiers who get fucked up in iraq.

  7. Psylocke Avatar
    Psylocke

    That’s called an external fixator, and they do have a nasty tendency to get infected. I worked orthopedics (RN) for years, and it’s one of the most brutal things I’ve ever seen.

  8. Psylocke Avatar
    Psylocke

    That’s called an external fixator, and they do have a nasty tendency to get infected. I worked orthopedics (RN) for years, and it’s one of the most brutal things I’ve ever seen.

  9. Psylocke Avatar
    Psylocke

    That’s called an external fixator, and they do have a nasty tendency to get infected. I worked orthopedics (RN) for years, and it’s one of the most brutal things I’ve ever seen.

  10. Psylocke Avatar
    Psylocke

    That’s called an external fixator, and they do have a nasty tendency to get infected. I worked orthopedics (RN) for years, and it’s one of the most brutal things I’ve ever seen.

  11. pierced_wolf2006 Avatar

    ouchies…

    but that is a point, how DID he wear trousers?
    xxx

  12. pierced_wolf2006 Avatar

    ouchies…

    but that is a point, how DID he wear trousers?
    xxx

  13. pierced_wolf2006 Avatar

    ouchies…

    but that is a point, how DID he wear trousers?
    xxx

  14. pierced_wolf2006 Avatar

    ouchies…

    but that is a point, how DID he wear trousers?
    xxx

  15. phrawzty Avatar
    phrawzty

    And yet, i’m sure there a number of people who’d do things like this for fun.

    Ahh, modblog.

  16. phrawzty Avatar
    phrawzty

    And yet, i’m sure there a number of people who’d do things like this for fun.

    Ahh, modblog.

  17. phrawzty Avatar
    phrawzty

    And yet, i’m sure there a number of people who’d do things like this for fun.

    Ahh, modblog.

  18. phrawzty Avatar
    phrawzty

    And yet, i’m sure there a number of people who’d do things like this for fun.

    Ahh, modblog.

  19. Louie Avatar

    Holy gah this makes me ache all over!

  20. Louie Avatar

    Holy gah this makes me ache all over!

  21. Louie Avatar

    Holy gah this makes me ache all over!

  22. Louie Avatar

    Holy gah this makes me ache all over!

  23. Odd Avatar
    Odd

    Oh the pain!! 😡
    No wonder Taz jumps out, there’s no room left for him with all those iron spikes! 😉
    I guess the simple knee surgery I had once is NOTHING compared to this… it looks so… painfull beyond imagination!!
    And it looks like some zombie stiched together! 😛

  24. Odd Avatar
    Odd

    Oh the pain!! 😡
    No wonder Taz jumps out, there’s no room left for him with all those iron spikes! 😉
    I guess the simple knee surgery I had once is NOTHING compared to this… it looks so… painfull beyond imagination!!
    And it looks like some zombie stiched together! 😛

  25. Odd Avatar
    Odd

    Oh the pain!! 😡
    No wonder Taz jumps out, there’s no room left for him with all those iron spikes! 😉
    I guess the simple knee surgery I had once is NOTHING compared to this… it looks so… painfull beyond imagination!!
    And it looks like some zombie stiched together! 😛

  26. Odd Avatar
    Odd

    Oh the pain!! 😡
    No wonder Taz jumps out, there’s no room left for him with all those iron spikes! 😉
    I guess the simple knee surgery I had once is NOTHING compared to this… it looks so… painfull beyond imagination!!
    And it looks like some zombie stiched together! 😛

  27. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    # 15, you say you were an RN.. i’m surprised you haven’t said anything about this yet…

    There is no way he wore that for two years. Not only would it not be beneficial at that point, it would cause more harm then good. Even a shattered femur won’t take a normal person more than 6 months to heal. Once a bone, or its fragments, have made even a light connection, the external fixation device (EFD) is removed. Otherwise bone growth occurs on and around the screws and makes removal painful and likely to cause more damage.

    All it takes is a basic understading of human biology, health sciences and some common sense to know that two years is way over-shot for something like this. Two months is more like it.

  28. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    # 15, you say you were an RN.. i’m surprised you haven’t said anything about this yet…

    There is no way he wore that for two years. Not only would it not be beneficial at that point, it would cause more harm then good. Even a shattered femur won’t take a normal person more than 6 months to heal. Once a bone, or its fragments, have made even a light connection, the external fixation device (EFD) is removed. Otherwise bone growth occurs on and around the screws and makes removal painful and likely to cause more damage.

    All it takes is a basic understading of human biology, health sciences and some common sense to know that two years is way over-shot for something like this. Two months is more like it.

  29. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    # 15, you say you were an RN.. i’m surprised you haven’t said anything about this yet…

    There is no way he wore that for two years. Not only would it not be beneficial at that point, it would cause more harm then good. Even a shattered femur won’t take a normal person more than 6 months to heal. Once a bone, or its fragments, have made even a light connection, the external fixation device (EFD) is removed. Otherwise bone growth occurs on and around the screws and makes removal painful and likely to cause more damage.

    All it takes is a basic understading of human biology, health sciences and some common sense to know that two years is way over-shot for something like this. Two months is more like it.

  30. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    # 15, you say you were an RN.. i’m surprised you haven’t said anything about this yet…

    There is no way he wore that for two years. Not only would it not be beneficial at that point, it would cause more harm then good. Even a shattered femur won’t take a normal person more than 6 months to heal. Once a bone, or its fragments, have made even a light connection, the external fixation device (EFD) is removed. Otherwise bone growth occurs on and around the screws and makes removal painful and likely to cause more damage.

    All it takes is a basic understading of human biology, health sciences and some common sense to know that two years is way over-shot for something like this. Two months is more like it.

  31. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    I have no medical training and even I thought that in two years he’s probably going to have that thing permanently grown into his leg.
    Still, I know they also use EFD to lengthen legbones over a period of time, how long I do not know, nor do I know if, say, the device’s screws are repositioned to avoid bone growth around the screws during that time…

    Hmmm, interesting.

  32. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    I have no medical training and even I thought that in two years he’s probably going to have that thing permanently grown into his leg.
    Still, I know they also use EFD to lengthen legbones over a period of time, how long I do not know, nor do I know if, say, the device’s screws are repositioned to avoid bone growth around the screws during that time…

    Hmmm, interesting.

  33. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    I have no medical training and even I thought that in two years he’s probably going to have that thing permanently grown into his leg.
    Still, I know they also use EFD to lengthen legbones over a period of time, how long I do not know, nor do I know if, say, the device’s screws are repositioned to avoid bone growth around the screws during that time…

    Hmmm, interesting.

  34. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    I have no medical training and even I thought that in two years he’s probably going to have that thing permanently grown into his leg.
    Still, I know they also use EFD to lengthen legbones over a period of time, how long I do not know, nor do I know if, say, the device’s screws are repositioned to avoid bone growth around the screws during that time…

    Hmmm, interesting.

  35. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    HereKittyKitty : Yes, often “little people” (dwarfism) go through this very painful procedure where their leg bones are broken, set with the EFD’s, left to heal, rebroken and the EFD is then cranked to add mere millimeters, then it is left to fill in, is re-cranked, and so on. Its extremely painful, and only adds mere centimeters. Its NOT a fun procedure and there is little reason for someone like this guy to have such a procedure. Even so, said procedures do not go on for two full years. One year per leg, MAYBE, but not one leg only.
    He had that put in because of an accident, where obviously he shattered his bone in three places (thus three sets of external screws, aligning the bone)

    The purpose of an EFD is to ensure that large weight-bearing bones heal straight and properly so that in the future they have no problem weight-baring and have no risk snapping the bone. They need it to be very strong. Still, once the bones have even a minimum of growth, its safe to remove them, cast the leg, and then start physio within a few months.

    In the worst, WORST case scenario, they’d stay in for a max. of 6 months. i’ve never ever heard of longer, and there are good, logical reasons for this.

  36. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    HereKittyKitty : Yes, often “little people” (dwarfism) go through this very painful procedure where their leg bones are broken, set with the EFD’s, left to heal, rebroken and the EFD is then cranked to add mere millimeters, then it is left to fill in, is re-cranked, and so on. Its extremely painful, and only adds mere centimeters. Its NOT a fun procedure and there is little reason for someone like this guy to have such a procedure. Even so, said procedures do not go on for two full years. One year per leg, MAYBE, but not one leg only.
    He had that put in because of an accident, where obviously he shattered his bone in three places (thus three sets of external screws, aligning the bone)

    The purpose of an EFD is to ensure that large weight-bearing bones heal straight and properly so that in the future they have no problem weight-baring and have no risk snapping the bone. They need it to be very strong. Still, once the bones have even a minimum of growth, its safe to remove them, cast the leg, and then start physio within a few months.

    In the worst, WORST case scenario, they’d stay in for a max. of 6 months. i’ve never ever heard of longer, and there are good, logical reasons for this.

  37. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    HereKittyKitty : Yes, often “little people” (dwarfism) go through this very painful procedure where their leg bones are broken, set with the EFD’s, left to heal, rebroken and the EFD is then cranked to add mere millimeters, then it is left to fill in, is re-cranked, and so on. Its extremely painful, and only adds mere centimeters. Its NOT a fun procedure and there is little reason for someone like this guy to have such a procedure. Even so, said procedures do not go on for two full years. One year per leg, MAYBE, but not one leg only.
    He had that put in because of an accident, where obviously he shattered his bone in three places (thus three sets of external screws, aligning the bone)

    The purpose of an EFD is to ensure that large weight-bearing bones heal straight and properly so that in the future they have no problem weight-baring and have no risk snapping the bone. They need it to be very strong. Still, once the bones have even a minimum of growth, its safe to remove them, cast the leg, and then start physio within a few months.

    In the worst, WORST case scenario, they’d stay in for a max. of 6 months. i’ve never ever heard of longer, and there are good, logical reasons for this.

  38. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    HereKittyKitty : Yes, often “little people” (dwarfism) go through this very painful procedure where their leg bones are broken, set with the EFD’s, left to heal, rebroken and the EFD is then cranked to add mere millimeters, then it is left to fill in, is re-cranked, and so on. Its extremely painful, and only adds mere centimeters. Its NOT a fun procedure and there is little reason for someone like this guy to have such a procedure. Even so, said procedures do not go on for two full years. One year per leg, MAYBE, but not one leg only.
    He had that put in because of an accident, where obviously he shattered his bone in three places (thus three sets of external screws, aligning the bone)

    The purpose of an EFD is to ensure that large weight-bearing bones heal straight and properly so that in the future they have no problem weight-baring and have no risk snapping the bone. They need it to be very strong. Still, once the bones have even a minimum of growth, its safe to remove them, cast the leg, and then start physio within a few months.

    In the worst, WORST case scenario, they’d stay in for a max. of 6 months. i’ve never ever heard of longer, and there are good, logical reasons for this.

  39. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    The only thing i can think of is, if perhaps he broke the bone at some point so badly that a certain length of it needed to be removed, and he had to infact suffer through the procedures of bone-lengthening. I’m not convinced it would take two years though, and i’m certainly not convinced if it would be the best or even recommended course of action if said bone length needed to be removed. I’d really like to hear from the wearer of the EFD on this one.

    Maybe there’s been a misunderstanding along the way.

  40. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    The only thing i can think of is, if perhaps he broke the bone at some point so badly that a certain length of it needed to be removed, and he had to infact suffer through the procedures of bone-lengthening. I’m not convinced it would take two years though, and i’m certainly not convinced if it would be the best or even recommended course of action if said bone length needed to be removed. I’d really like to hear from the wearer of the EFD on this one.

    Maybe there’s been a misunderstanding along the way.

  41. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    The only thing i can think of is, if perhaps he broke the bone at some point so badly that a certain length of it needed to be removed, and he had to infact suffer through the procedures of bone-lengthening. I’m not convinced it would take two years though, and i’m certainly not convinced if it would be the best or even recommended course of action if said bone length needed to be removed. I’d really like to hear from the wearer of the EFD on this one.

    Maybe there’s been a misunderstanding along the way.

  42. LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen Avatar
    LeaveThePoliticsToMadmen

    The only thing i can think of is, if perhaps he broke the bone at some point so badly that a certain length of it needed to be removed, and he had to infact suffer through the procedures of bone-lengthening. I’m not convinced it would take two years though, and i’m certainly not convinced if it would be the best or even recommended course of action if said bone length needed to be removed. I’d really like to hear from the wearer of the EFD on this one.

    Maybe there’s been a misunderstanding along the way.

  43. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    I’m aware that this person has the device because of an accident shattering the bone versus one for EXTENDING the legbone. I was trying to draw a comparison of the time-frame used for the EFD in each case (roughly).
    In the second case, I was thinking of perhaps someone born with one leg shorter than the other…I never thought about it being used for “dwarfism”, though it obviously is used for that as well. It sounds esp painful used in that way.

    Thanks for the info and input, LTPTM

  44. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    I’m aware that this person has the device because of an accident shattering the bone versus one for EXTENDING the legbone. I was trying to draw a comparison of the time-frame used for the EFD in each case (roughly).
    In the second case, I was thinking of perhaps someone born with one leg shorter than the other…I never thought about it being used for “dwarfism”, though it obviously is used for that as well. It sounds esp painful used in that way.

    Thanks for the info and input, LTPTM

  45. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    I’m aware that this person has the device because of an accident shattering the bone versus one for EXTENDING the legbone. I was trying to draw a comparison of the time-frame used for the EFD in each case (roughly).
    In the second case, I was thinking of perhaps someone born with one leg shorter than the other…I never thought about it being used for “dwarfism”, though it obviously is used for that as well. It sounds esp painful used in that way.

    Thanks for the info and input, LTPTM

  46. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    I’m aware that this person has the device because of an accident shattering the bone versus one for EXTENDING the legbone. I was trying to draw a comparison of the time-frame used for the EFD in each case (roughly).
    In the second case, I was thinking of perhaps someone born with one leg shorter than the other…I never thought about it being used for “dwarfism”, though it obviously is used for that as well. It sounds esp painful used in that way.

    Thanks for the info and input, LTPTM

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