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Epillon

Jumping with a bad shoulder

Question

I've got a very bad shoulder, I've already had multiple surgeries but my rotator cuff is so  damaged my arm will just pop out. It wasn't a problem when I did my AFF license amazingly but the inevitable happened. On a local boogie I was under canopy coming in downwind and pulled on my riser and my shoulder popped right out. Crash landed, wasn't seriously injured but my skydiving career was seemingly over. 

But I've read of other jumpers with shoulder injuries who have been able to land using one arm to control both risers, which seems crazy to me. So my question is, is there any device or something I could use to get flying again? I need long risers to keep my shoulder in the 'safe zone' but it would be impossible to flare then I'd think. 

My problem isn't in freefall, it's the upward resistance of pulling on the riser under canopy that just yanks my arm out. I want to skydive again so badly its seriously bummed me out mentally. 

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Call the famous freefall photographer Norman Kent, who lives in Florida. Kent has long suffered from a weak left arm, but Norman handles it far more gracefully than Kaiser Whilhelm II.

I have also talked with a few similarly challenged skydivers. After opening, they "pop" brakes and do the usual controllability check. Then they reach their strong arm backwards - between the risers - to grab both steering toggles with their strong arm. They make gentle turns by pushing both toggles left or right - in front of their chest and flare by pulling both toggles down their sternum. They will never be precision landing or canopy formation or pond swooping champions, but they softly consistently.

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