The Official DDR Safety Thread

[{SFSA}MelJ]

There have been a handful of these posted, so im gonna try and shoot for a thread all by itself to limit the number of injury topics. so just like list wut has happened to u in the past, how it happened, how it wuz fixed, and if u can give advice to other players so it wont happen to them .

For myself, i have had a few injuries. Many players have most likely busted a toenail when they first started and pulled muscles. so heres my advice, dont play on ur tippy-toes and dont dont over-exert urself so much if u are just starting. this isnt really an injury, but pleez, dont DDR if u havent gotten a good meal or ne fluids in ur body, u can reall hurt urself
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Friends don't let friends play DDR with charlie horses.

[starcrafta]

One time I was playing MAX2 at my house and I was goofing off and I kicked the metal part of the bed, so my toe felt like it was going to explode.

I still went and played DDR the next day though

[2kM]

I got shot three times in the toe by a Tippmann '98 custom model from about 2 inches away. You know who pulled the trigger? ME.

I didn't think it would hurt but the second one punched through my toe and they busted up my toe badly. I went to play DDR the next day at an arcade (one of my first times..) and when I was done I pulled off my sock and my nail was.. black.

Hurt like a bitch on speed.
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[Ebisumaru]

Yeah shoot your foot. That won't hurt.

[DarkDDR]

Maxx Unlimited + Crappy Soft Pad + Thick Carpet + Close TV Screen = Disaster.

I learned this the hard way after falling into the TV, bouncing of it, and then falling on my buttocks. Ouch.

Also for those who like playing on their soft pads in shoes and are low steppers, careful not to catch part of the pad on your heel and trip... damn, that hurts.

Btw, thanks for the tip about not shooting myself in the foot... helped a lot

[Ultima Seven]

1. Clip your toenails. If you play on your toes, often times you can overexert the amount of stress on the balls of your feet, and you might accidently hit the pad a few times with the front end of your foot. Though this may sound stupid, it can cause skin to break under the toe nails (specifically the big toe). This bleeding eventually spreads, and most likely it'll fall off.

2. Keep yourself hydrated with water, but Powerade or Gatorade is recommended (keeps the saline and potassium in your body balanced). But, don't drink a lot before you play, because it causes cramps. Which leads me to my next point.

3. It's good to try and push yourself past your limits, but not to the extent that you pull a muscle, or worse, get a major cramp in your stomach. If you start to feel pain that's unusual, stop playing immedietely and stretch. If you've got a really bad cramp in your stomach, put your hands behind your head, walk around, and breathe through your nose.

4. Clean off the pads before you play, and don't bring food to the pads. If there's sand, water, smashed french fries ( ), or anything else that might be slippery or effecting your gameplay negatively, wipe it off. Falling off the pad hurts.

5. If you're about to fall off the pad or you're losing balance, grab onto the bar stabilize yourself. That's what its there for.

6. Don't do stupid stunts, like Matrix Walk, break dance on the pad, etc. You'll kick your own ass by getting yourself hurt.

7. It is generally reccommended that you wear shoes while playing on an arcade version of DDR. I've heard a lot of stories of feet getting torn open by the nuts and screws on the metal pad.
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BANNER. PLZ?

[GR]

1. Slipping on snow that was left on the pad by an inconsiderate fellow and bashing your head into the nearby "Big Mouth" game can really hurt.
2. Being in unfit physical status (a.k.a. really freaking sick) when playing is not a good idea. It usually just aggravates the condition.

more later. school now.
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A Xanga.

MegaTokyo, PennyArcade, 10K, Mac Hall, Applegeeks, and Ctrl+Alt+Del.

[{SFSA}MelJ]

yeah. clean ur shoes off if their wet. i came in from the snow and forgot to dry my shoes one time. i played Witch Doctor and almost fell on my face. . heres another safety tip. if u see some1 trying to show off on DDR but has no clue wtf they are doing, tell them not to FS. one kid did and he smashed his head on the pad and tried to blame it on the game.
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Friends don't let friends play DDR with charlie horses.

[RedChrono]

Powerade and gatorade for me, tend to rest too heavy int eh stomach, even worse than most soda. I do strongly recommend the gatorade divison thingy, "Propel", flavored water. It does wonders, I swear by it.
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LoneWolf can't clap to Vanity Angel on Dark!

[hello]

bar

[Flameboat]

Don't rape the bar because somebody might yell "Bar raper!" and the mall security will hear it and beat you with clubs because they think that you're raping somebody. So don't rape the bar, you bar rapers.
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"its never a mistake with flamebait"

[hello]

dont try to look cool

dont be a daredevil

be safe

use a bar

[Andre Segarra]

Everyone with a "MegaMix" in their arcade forgot the most important rule:

"Don't Fall Off!"

[{SFSA}MelJ]

lol. i think we are the only place that understands that. . oh yeah. piss b4 ya play. i know this is embarassing but i started to trickle when i wuz playin once. no1 wants pee pee on their pants
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Friends don't let friends play DDR with charlie horses.

[dmneoblade]

Here are some general tips I found for not getting hurt too badly while playing.

1: don't let your first game be on a metal pad. My first was on a hard plastic, where I slipped and the corner of the pad hit me in the ribs. plastic did't hurt too bad, and I still managed not to fail the song.

2: drink before and after DDR, but not during.

3: treat injuries asap. If you are bleeding, let someone else finish your set while you get first aid. This _can_ happen.

4: Until you can play 6-7 foot songs consistantly, please don't FS. Not only will it look really bad, but there is a good chance for you to hurt yourself.

5: Follow common-sense, like "Don't hit your head on the screen" and "Don't jump over the bar before checking who is behind you."

Be safe!

[Zukin-Man]

Speaking of drinking during DDR, limit your consumption of alcohol to only one drink. Any more, and you may run the risk of spilling your Smirnoff all over the pad, and that won't make your fellow players happy.
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DD:Recall (Defunct) - Last.fm - YouTube
Newest Video - Soul Calibur IV - Bemani Critical Finishes ver. 1.5

[LLX]

clean the pads with windex every couple of games. It helps. I realized if i play like 6 sets back to back of 9 and tens, the pad seems to get really slippery.

[cartoon_hero7]

ABOVE ALL:

DON'T FORGET TO BRING A TOWEL!!!

[chibidjinn]

Make sure your shoes are tied, but it doesn't help when they get untied doing play...

I almost tripped over my own shoelace because it laid upon an arrow..and with it flopping around I stepped on it...

[dreamdancer]