Traumatic hand amputation while wakeboarding.

Wakeboarding is a sport increasing in popularity in the UK and the rest of the world. It is known to be associated with a high incidence of relatively minor injuries to the participating sportsperson. The authors present the case of a traumatic hand amputation to an associated third party and highlight the potential for serious injuries to all those directly involved with the sport. The authors demonstrate the successful application of military principles to a traumatic amputation in a civilian setting.