jumping while cripple

[lippy 775]

I busted my tibia seven weeks ago, and am bolted back together and on the road to recovery. I waited until I felt confident I could safely exit the plane and butt-slide the landing (using a student rig with a 230 main in moderate winds) before I brought up the issue of jumping again. The S&TA shot me down, saying no skydiving until you can walk to the plane without crutches. While I understand and respect his decision, I'm just wondering what other people's experience has been in a similar situation, as I've seen people jump in my state (or worse) in the past.

I got nuthin

[BIGUN 1,069]

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The S&TA shot me down, saying no skydiving until you can walk to the plane without crutches.

Your S&TA is kinder than I am. After an injury you can jump if you can do three PLFs from the tailgate of my pickup on solid ground.

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butt-slide

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[eeneR 1]

Well think about this one....if you some how manage to actually try to stand up that landing...with out thinking, sheerly out of habit...and shatter that tib even more...you could risk loosing that lower part of your leg...perminatly....

There will be another day you can jump, risking life and lib litteraly for one lil moment of bliss...is it worth it? The sky will be there. Let things heal the way they need to, so that down the road you will not have bigger issues.

Just my .02.....

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[TALONSKY 0]

Why would you want to take a chance on screwing yourself up worse. If you can not walk you really have no business skydiving. You know if you hurt yourself you would increase the time it will take to truly be back to skydiving. As for myself ever since I started swooping (around 850 jumps ago) I have had one simple rule if I can not jog a mile I will not skydive.
Kirk

[PhreeZone 15]

We used to have a jumper that had a similar break that would have his crutches placed in the landing area after he took off, land beside them then hobble in. Its been done before. Granted he had probally double your jumps and was an S&TA at the time I think.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[billvon 2,426]

Don Swayze busted up his foot on a BASE jump. He got some pins inserted and a cast put on. Then he jumped again. He had a plan to land on his butt so he wouldn't reinjure his foot. Of course he hurt his foot again; this time they had to amputate it.

So decide what's more important to you - your leg or your next few skydives.

[lippy 775]

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So decide what's more important to you - your leg or your next few skydives.

That's kinda how the S&TA put it, and as I said I respect his decision. I'm gonna hold off until I'm back to full weight bearing, I'm just wondering what other people have done.

I got nuthin

[Dumpster 0]

I busted tib and fib last November when I botched up a normal, straight-in landing. I'm now host to a plate and eight screws, and sat in a cast for six weeks, followed by P.T. etc. My first jump back was a hop-n-pop on Safety Day. I made eight jumps then got slammed by a hard opening, now I'm nursing some damaged ribcage parts. (Not related to the leg, but just the same - )

Trust me, you want to let things heal up before getting back in the air. There will always be another day to skydive. A little extra time healing now=Lots more time skydiving later.

Helpful Hint - You can still put $$ on your account just like you were jumping, and then, when you do get back in the air, you'll be able to jump like a fool all weekend and then some!

Easy Does It

[NickDG 23]

Leave the DZ, and it's "May I?" mentality behind, get some friends together and set up a day of water jumping somehwere.

Oh, and there's always that other sport where you can do anything you want . . .

NickD BASE 194

[Lindsey 0]

spinal cord injuries suck....

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[Randy_H 0]

I feel your pain, I broke my tib and fib in March. I was in a fiberglass cast for 4 weeks and now I have a removable walking cast. I'm allowed to put weight on it with crutches but thats about it. Were you FULLY recovered when you did your hop-n-pop or were you pushing it? I'm jonsing to get back up in the air!

010010010110010101100001011101000111000001110101011100110111001101111001

[kelpdiver 2]

At least the norm now is 8 weeks to some sense of normalcy with a tib/fib. My mom broke her's in 1990 and was stuck in a cast for 8 months, when the better methods were just started to emerge. Never did heal well, and affects her ability to run.

[chuckbrown 0]

What Bigun said. If you're not ready for rough, off-DZ landings, you're not ready to come back.

Edited to add: My personal experience is a cleanly broken fib (as in broken off) and a shattered tib. I was in a cast for 8 weeks and did PT like hell, including running at full speed over rough ground at night. When I felt comfortable doing that, I knew I was ready to come back. I jumped 7 months to the day after my injury.

[Dumpster 0]

I was 95% recovered at least. I could spend my entire day on my feet at work, (I'm an industrial mechanic/electrcian) had gone through 6 weeks of physical therapy, and gotten a green light from both the therapist and the doc. - I also practiced hopping off the second and third steps at home, and didn't favor myslef much jumping off of forklifts and such.--- They did request I wear a brace at first, a McDavid level III. The first landing I had to "run" out (about four steps) actually felt GOOD!

It's still a bit achey from time to time, and I feel the dampness and colder weather. Stick to your excercises!

Easy Does It

[mouth 0]

I broke my raidal neck and messed up the elbow joint and spent 8 weeks out 2 years ago. I was jonesing so bad for a jump I did a tandem and just held onto the cast at deployment. Considering the Drs said I would never regain full range of motion and never be able to jump I was back in the air within 2.5 months with pain but at least I felt confident I could flare my main after doing twice the rehab prescribed.

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.

[Travman 6]

The sky isn't going anywhere, get well first.

[sunshine 2]

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Your S&TA is kinder than I am. After an injury you can jump if you can do three PLFs from the tailgate of my pickup on solid ground.

Thats something i cant do. I can't hop on my right ankle either. I rely on butt slides.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[freakflyer9999 1]

You're lucky to have even survived your accident. Just cool it until you're back at 100%.

[Tonto 1]

It's not worth it.

I broke my femur and was jumping again after 2 months. I spent nearly 6 months on crutches as the leg was non load bearing.

At the time, jumping seemed hyper important to me, I suspect, due to my mounting fear. I did 20 dives that year before I was "OK." I now do that in a weekend.

The risk I placed myself at was unacceptable. Wait till you're STRONG, and then take the world by storm when you come back.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Ripple 0]

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So decide what's more important to you - your leg or your next few skydives.

That's exactly why I decided to never jump again.

Having an internally fixed femur and a spinal injury (not skydiving related) resulting in not being able to walk without crutches is bad enough. I'd hate to bust my femur again and lose the leg completely.

Next Mood Swing: 6 minutes

[achowe 0]

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Thats something i cant do. I can't hop on my right ankle either. I rely on butt slides.

Well IMHO, you shoudn't be jumping. Or at least I wouldn't if I were you. But each to their own. Doesnt it worry you about getting a hard landing and damaging your back?

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Woooaaaaaa!!! Woooaaaa!!! I'm gettin' off it!

[sunshine 2]

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Well IMHO, you shoudn't be jumping. Or at least I wouldn't if I were you. But each to their own. Doesnt it worry you about getting a hard landing and damaging your back?

I will never have the stregth in my ankle. Tis how i must live the rest of my life. So i can either stop jumping forever, or i can do butt slides. I'll stick with butt slides.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[achowe 0]

PM sent

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Woooaaaaaa!!! Woooaaaa!!! I'm gettin' off it!

[Kris 0]

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I will never have the stregth in my ankle. Tis how i must live the rest of my life. So i can either stop jumping forever, or i can do butt slides. I'll stick with butt slides.

And if you understand and accept that level of risk then to hell with anyone that says you shouldn't be jumping.

Butt-slides are tricky landings to begin with, but you've definitely got the jump experience to pull them off.

[GaryP 0]

Roland (Slim) Simpson
- 2 broken femurs
- 3 broken vertibrae
- smashed pelvis
- punctured lung
- returned to life after CPR
- teetering on the brink for days in ICU
- spinal unit for months

Jumping again (with wingsuit!!!) after 12 months. Hobbling to BASE exit points and on to aircraft with determination and a zeal for life.

My goodness, if there ever was a lesson in not giving up and jumping no matter what the odds are against you here was one.

RIP Slim mate

g.


"and who said cripples can't fly"

"Altitude is birthright to any individual who seeks it"

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