Is it ok to jump if I had a past back injury?

[pertierr 0]

So, i'm a newbie...never jumped before. I've wanted to do this for so long, but i have one question. I am 25 and back in 1999 I was on a motorcycle and a drunk driver coming in the opposite direction hit me. I had a compressive fracture of the L4 along with a pelvis fracture but the pelvis fracture wasn't serious since it was a large chip on the outside, not affecting the joint.

I had a fusion L3-L5 with Ti rods which are still there. Now my doctor says that my back is as strong as before, but he's one of those people who will tell me i'm insane if i think about going skydiving, so i wanted to hear experiences, opinions, etc.

Also, i'm just as flexible as before except my back flexibility was reduced by about 3 degrees because L3-L5 are fused now.

Thanks in advance!
Juan

• Quote

[dayle 0]

Hi Juan, I understand your situation as I've been there myself. I'm not a doctor or a medical professional so my opinion truly means squat.....

However, I suffered a compression fracture of my T8 vertabre March 2003. My doctor also said I was insane to continue jumping but told me that if I waited 6 months it would be fine.

6 months later (actually a little sooner, I couldn't resist) I was jumping again with no real issues. The only thing my doctor said was for the 6 months avoid any hard impact to the spine.

Since your injury happened so long ago, I don't really see any problem with you jumping.

Good luck

Dayle

[pertierr 0]

Thanks for the reply.

That is reassuring, and my main concern was not arching but rather any impact or stress on my back when the parachute opens..i've heard some people tell me it's very low impact and other that it really 'smacks' you...i guess either way i'll be fine, but it certainly doesn't hurt to be safe.

Thanks!
Juan

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[flypunk 0]

I would advise you to talk to your doctor or a sports related dr to get good advice, It might not be what you want but better safe than sorry.

Although skydiving can be low impact, I've also had friends end up with compresion fractures from when things go not as we planned, like a terminal reserve opening of a bad landing on your tailbone. So just keep the risks involved in mind.

Hope you get play in the skies.

...

[ChrisL 2]

A question about your medical condition and what is or is not advisable regarding physical activities is not a question for this forum.

You should be directing this question to a doctor that specializes in the type of injury you sustained.

__

My mighty steed

[Nutz 0]

I kind of think what Chris said, take what you hear here with a grain of salt. That being said, I jump with two herniated dics in my neck and one in my lower back. Hard openings REALLY hurt my neck. Thank goodness I hardly ever have one anymore. Only one has been hard enough to hurt my lower back. I would say jump, but understand there is risk involved, as with anything.

"Don't! Get! Eliminated!"

[skybytch 259]

I had L5 - S1 fused in 2001. I made 150+ jumps in 2002... so yeah, jumping is possible after a back surgery.

If your back is as flexible and strong (or stronger) than before the injury you could likely jump without a problem.

I'm not a doctor though...

[rjackson 0]

Quote

So, i'm a newbie...never jumped before. I've wanted to do this for so long, but i have one question. I am 25 and back in 1999 I was on a motorcycle and a drunk driver coming in the opposite direction hit me. I had a compressive fracture of the L4 along with a pelvis fracture but the pelvis fracture wasn't serious since it was a large chip on the outside, not affecting the joint.

I had a fusion L3-L5 with Ti rods which are still there. Now my doctor says that my back is as strong as before, but he's one of those people who will tell me i'm insane if i think about going skydiving, so i wanted to hear experiences, opinions, etc.

Also, i'm just as flexible as before except my back flexibility was reduced by about 3 degrees because L3-L5 are fused now.

Thanks in advance!
Juan

I had a 10mm buldge in a disk between L4-L5 back in 01. My doctor knew I was a skydiver and gave me the all clear after 4 months. I jump with the soft brace that they gave me after the operation. I really dont need it but its kind of a crutch and it makes me feel better to know its there.

I think the best thing you can do is see your doctor have him inform you of the risks and then you can make an informed choice.

If you do choose to do a jump, enjoy.

---------------------------------------------

Randy

[pertierr 0]

Thanks to everyone for their great input!

To those who suggested to go see a doctor, i complete understand where you're coming from...i did not expect this to be a replacement for a doctor's assessment, however I do think that talking to experienced skydivers about...er..skydiving might be good information. I've talked to two doctors already, but unfortunately they are both the 'only insane people skydive' type. I'm seeing a third one next week who is a sports orthopedic surgeon.

I just wanted to make sure that if i decided to go, it was not common knowledge that this was a big no-no because of some specific type of force encountered in the sport, which i avoided by just by asking :)

Thanks again! i really look forward to this, i've been trying to learn every single thing I can reading tutorials, accident reports/lessons and these forums are invaluable..and yes, taken with teaspoons of salt and all that. :)

Juan

[skymick 0]

Ive got my L1 fused with rods and a chuck of hip missing due to a low turn about 11 months ago. I was told never to jump again, I eventually convinced my doc to say to jump after I get the rods out (in a few months) but I got bored and started jumping in dec (after 6 months, doc still doesnt know )

So far have had no probs. I moved up to a larger canopy and chose a safire 2 (slow opening), considering you havent jump you dont have that luxury to choose canopies.

To test if i was good to jump again I got a step ladder and jumped off each step going higher and higher too see how my back handled the impact, my back didnt even twitch doing that so i figured I would be fine on normal jumps, but if I stuffed up again then id be screwed...i decided it was worth the risk.

Since it years since the accident your back should be fine (im not a doc so dont quote me on that), however its the rods that are the problem as while they are very strong they are also brittle so if they shatter...well you can guess the rest . Obviously get as many opinions as possible, maybe try and find a doc/skydiver who you can get advice from.

[pertierr 0]

So, a quick question, just out of curiosity...

I would think that the military rigs like the MC-4 and the MC-5 which are designed to carry a heavy load should be very smooth (opening?), large canopies is this correct? How common is it for recreational skydivers to use this kind of rigs? or are there no real advantages?

I like the idea of having the same canopy for both main and reserve, but my common sense might be wrong.

[skymick 0]

I dont know anything about those rigs, but just cause they are designed to carry large loads does'nt necessarily means it will open slow. If you're in the US I think here are a few DZ's that offer sabre2s (or other similar canopies) for students. These canopies do have a reputation for slow openings.

Best bet is to goto a local DZ and talk to the DZSO (or ST&A for you yanks) or an instructor about it

[riggerrob 558]

I'm seeing a third one next week who is a sports orthopedic surgeon.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yes, definitely consult a sports medicine doctor.
I was fortunate that a sports medicine doctor was the first to diagnose the herniated disc that was causing my sciatica. Sports medicine doctors understand getting you back on your feet/parachute as soon as possible.
If I had to endure that agony again, I would have done far more sit-ups and stretching with far less rock-garden-building.
The only thing that got me back on my feet was a million sit-ups and thousands of hours of stretching.
The point I am getting at is: keep the muscles that support your spine/pelvis strong to support your old bones.On that note I am leaving the computer to do my morning sit-ups and stretch.

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

I had a fusion L3-L5 with Ti rods which are still there. Now my doctor says that my back is as strong as before, but he's one of those people who will tell me i'm insane if i think about going skydiving, so i wanted to hear experiences, opinions, etc.

Also, i'm just as flexible as before except my back flexibility was reduced by about 3 degrees because L3-L5 are fused now.

***

I have L2-L5 fused...rods and screws still in place,
operation was 9 years ago and I have not problems
jumping what so ever...
I did take a year off to heal, and started out slow
to work myself back into it.

(Similar injury...except I was drunk and ON the motorcycle!)

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[pertierr 0]

Ok, so i went ahead and saw the orthopedic athletics doctor...she took some X-rays, etc. She's not a skydiver so the message I got from her was kind of mixed. She said she wasn't as concerned about the parachute opening as much as the landing, and she wasn't sure if it was considered a 'contact' sport(whatever that means). I guess it all boils down to how hard i hit the ground when i land....also, even though I had a fractured L4 as opposed to other people here who have had multiple vertebrae fractured, she said what made it a bit more serious was the fact that it was a 3-level fracture. Again whatever that means.

I've been going to doctors long enough to know that no-one really wants to take responsibility for saying anything, because they get sued all the time. So i'm not expecting a doctor to tell me either way, i'm just trying to inform myself the best i can.

Soooo...experienced people...how hard can i expect to hit the ground on my first jump? What is a good measure of the impact, i.e. can i go up stairs/step to a certain height and jump down to simulate it? Is it unusual to do a soft landing when you're starting out?

I see all these cool tip-toe landings on video, but that is slowly fading away :) Now i feel like i'm going to be jumping a round canopy for the army or something.

Thanks for all your help
Juan

[argon 0]

Quote

Ok, so i went ahead and saw the orthopedic athletics doctor...she took some X-rays, etc. She's not a skydiver so the message I got from her was kind of mixed. She said she wasn't as concerned about the parachute opening as much as the landing, and she wasn't sure if it was considered a 'contact' sport(whatever that means). I guess it all boils down to how hard i hit the ground when i land....also, even though I had a fractured L4 as opposed to other people here who have had multiple vertebrae fractured, she said what made it a bit more serious was the fact that it was a 3-level fracture. Again whatever that means.

I've been going to doctors long enough to know that no-one really wants to take responsibility for saying anything, because they get sued all the time. So i'm not expecting a doctor to tell me either way, i'm just trying to inform myself the best i can.

Soooo...experienced people...how hard can i expect to hit the ground on my first jump? What is a good measure of the impact, i.e. can i go up stairs/step to a certain height and jump down to simulate it? Is it unusual to do a soft landing when you're starting out?

I see all these cool tip-toe landings on video, but that is slowly fading away :) Now i feel like i'm going to be jumping a round canopy for the army or something.

Thanks for all your help
Juan

Well, In 1998 I had a three level fusion,L4-S1,bone graph from my hip,20 inches of titanium rod,12 bolts(called pedicle screws)triple laminectomy,I had extensive ligament damage as well as advanced degenerative facet disease. All as a result of 2 job related injuries(law enforcement) 5 years apart. After the fusion my neuro surgeon cleared me to get my second class medical back (commercial pilot,Multiengine, Instrument ratings). He took extensive xray studies for 3 years. Each succesive year showed an immensively strong fusion.Well... After a 20 year layoff, I took a tandem jump on a beautiful but somewhat windy saturday morning about 16 days ago. After an absolutely fantastic jump we basically piled it into the peas like a sack of bowling balls-I have to admit I have NEVER in my life hit the ground so hard,even jumping surplus round t10's. Although the ambulance personnel was there I did my own "evaluation" and didn't take the ride to the hospital and was able to walk away after laying in the dirt for about 10 minutes. Long story short-the ONLY thing stopping me now is a sore tail bone. Initially I thought hitting THAT hard would have broken my back. I'm 205 and the tandem master heavier than me and he basically landed on top of me bending me over after my ass hit the ground (feet up-slip about 1 inch then ass next.)My doctor is realistic-your back is NEVER again good as new,this is due to a change in the mechanics, but the fused section is STRONGER than new-its a SOLID bone-there is NO joint now. Yes, it is possible to injure the areas above and below the fusion. But you could do that changing a light bulb falling off a kitchen chair. I can't tell you what to do-and there isn't a doctor in the world going to tell you a hard landing won't hurt your back. But then again,a car accident on the way to the dz might kill you anyway. I've lived like a fragile invalid for far too long. That jump was the best thing that has occurred in my life in a LONG time. Maybe it was good that I put my back to the test early in the process. I've been practicing PLF's in the backyard an as soon as I can comfortably ride in the car on my sore ass-I'll be bac in the air. Just my two cents-you have to make your own decisions. Everybody is afraid to get sued. Skydivers don't sue Skydivers.(PS: I'm also a former New Jersey Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic nad my wife is an Advance Practice Registered Nurse with an Orthapaedic Trauma Specialty--she's just glad I sold my motorcycle (Suzuki GSXR1000)to buy gear when I get done my training.

***********
Freedom isn't free. Don't forget: Mother Earth is waiting for you--there is a debt you have to pay...... POPS #9329 Commercial Pilot,Instrument MEL

[skyjunior 0]

I broke my back on Jan. 5th. I crushed L1 with a 20 percent compression. I am supposed to start rehab in early June. About 2 months ago I asked my doc when I could start to wrestle again, as that can be a pretty high impact sport. He said in one year, so then I asked him when I could skydive and again he said one year so..... early 05 I am back in the air.

PLEASE REMEMB

[pertierr 0]

Well, I did it! I completed my AFF1 yesterday and it was fantastic. My back didn't even twitch.

I did a stand-up landing, but that is to be expected given the humongous canopy i was under, i think it was a 250 and i weight about 170lbs.

This is probably boring for everyone here, but i have the video online at:
http://expert.cc.purdue.edu/~pertierr/AFF1.mov

Thanks again to everyone for their input...now i have to go get some goggles and an altimeter... :)

Juan

[FliegendeWolf 0]

CLICKY!

Nice job. Where was your jump, by the way? Was that Greensburg?

A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

[pertierr 0]

Yup, that's greensburg and the PPP(Purple People Pooper).

All the people there were awesome.

[FliegendeWolf 0]

I made my first skydive there as well, although I was living in Michigan at the time and did my AFF there. They did not have the PPP when I was there, though. It was an ordinary Caravan that I jumped out of. I did recognize your rig and jumpsuit, though.

So a hearty welcome to the skies! And have a malted shake for me over at the Utopia Diner.

A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

[2wheeljunkie 0]

Congratulations. AFF looks like a blast. My first was a tandem. 2,3,4, and 5 static line. 6 was hop-n-pop. Nice landing. I was so excited that I made soft landings on my first 3 solos that I forgot to collapse the canopy and got dragged. And I was warned not to get dragged or the JM's would laugh. Shut up JM's. It's not that funny. Anyway, get some more jumps in. I need to, too. If I don't hurry, they're going to make me do another static line. Missed the last 2 weeks. One due to hangover, one due to wind. Shouldn't have been hung over that first week. It was beautiful. Anyway, good luck and Blue Skies.

By no means have I conquered fear, but I have knocked the crap out of it.