larry 0 #1 August 20, 2003 After two years away from the sport I’m finally back. Did four jumps while on vacation last week. Starting Skydive University next month. I missed it, and I wont get out of currency again! My Question: Since my rig needed a reserve repack and AAD batteries I rented gear. After jumping the inside of both my biceps were bruised to hell. Instead of arching after pulling I did reach up in order to grab the risers as soon as they were out. Also the shoulder straps seemed to be out a little more than what I’m used to. Any ideas on what caused this and how to prevent it? Thanks,“Now click your heels together 3 times so you can return to Kansas to live in poverty with your teetotaling, dirt farming aunt and uncle!” paraphrased Prof. Farnsworth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,648 #2 August 20, 2003 QuoteAfter two years away from the sport I’m finally back. Did four jumps while on vacation last week. Starting Skydive University next month. I missed it, and I wont get out of currency again! My Question: Since my rig needed a reserve repack and AAD batteries I rented gear. After jumping the inside of both my biceps were bruised to hell. Instead of arching after pulling I did reach up in order to grab the risers as soon as they were out. Also the shoulder straps seemed to be out a little more than what I’m used to. Any ideas on what caused this and how to prevent it? Thanks, I get this occasionally, and I'm sure it's due to the risers slapping my arms when I reach up for the risers during deployment. Mind you, it's nothing like as bad as the bruise on my thigh that I got from falling off the steps while climbing into the Otter at Summerfest. Does it count as a skydiving injury if you sustain it before ever getting into the plane?... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dterrick 0 #3 August 20, 2003 Hi Larry, and welcome back. I just read kallend's reply and I'd not considered it to be riser slap because the tension on the risers starts at the 3 ring junction - which should be well inboard of your biceps. I'll admit I've watched very few deployments in slo-mo but I'm thinking it may have been from a poor fit of the main lift web / yoke too wide. My reasong follows the logic that, all during snatch and inflation, the main lift webs are being pulled 'up' off your shoulders. The MLW is bulky and stiff and it would take much less for it to hit you hard enough to bruise than a little piece of seatbelt webbing we call a riser. The closer to your shoulder socket the bruises are the more I'd suspect that the harness was just that much too large that it moved 'up and out' on you during deployment - especially if the rig has a low chest strap. I've had similar bruises when I've been in gear that's a bit too big/wide for me, be they student gear or borrowed. Funky deployments on large gear almost certainly caused me bruises early on. Of course, that's what you get for unstable paper pulls -Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #4 August 20, 2003 QuoteI'm thinking it may have been from a poor fit of the main lift web / yoke too wide In my limited experience, that's what I would say it was. If you watch students around the DZ, you'll see that fairly often on the smaller students. Then if you continue to watch them, once they buy a rig that fits them, the bruises go away.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #5 August 20, 2003 Yes, the biceps bruises are probably caused by the MLW or yoke being a loose fit, a common problem with student gear. The problem will disappear as soon as you get a harness that fits properly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heftee 0 #6 August 20, 2003 Funny you should ask this as I went through the same thing. I couldn't figure out for the life of me what it was coming from but I had them after every single weekend of jumping. I watched video after video of my deployments because I was scared that I was getting my arms in the way of the risers - never showed up on any of my videos. FINALLY, one day when I was walking back to the hangar, I felt that pain in that same area where I always get the bruises - turns out that it is from the side webbing of the harness and the 3-ring system of a nonperfect fitting rig - but it's from when I'm walking and swinging my arms back and forth - the inside of my arm was rubbing along the harness and causing the bruising. I would have never believed it if someone told me that is what it was - until I felt the pain and identified it right then and there. Weirdest thing ever. But, now that I know that, I make sure to hold my canopy up over my shoulder with one arm and that keeps it out of the way, and then I don't swing the other arm - or I use it to also hold my canopy - not a single bruise since then. See if this helps. ------------------------- "If you've never jumped out of a plane, the best way I can describe it is it feels as if you've just jumped out of a freakin' plane." David Whitley (Orlando Sentinel) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikkey 0 #7 August 21, 2003 I have to agree with the other posts. When I came back after a 10+ year lay off and re-gained currency on student rigs I had bad bruises on my arms every time I jumped. The moment my new "tailor made" rig arrived the problem was gone. So a) make sure the rig is adjusted to your size and b) get your own rig asap --------------------------------------------------------- When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
larry 0 #8 August 21, 2003 Thanks everyone for the advice. I do have my own rig but still might need to use the rental gear for one more weekend. I guess the bruises are a small price to pay for the thrill of jumping... “Now click your heels together 3 times so you can return to Kansas to live in poverty with your teetotaling, dirt farming aunt and uncle!” paraphrased Prof. Farnsworth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudOnMyTongue 0 #9 August 25, 2003 I get these "Mystery Bruise's" on the inside's of my upper arms and sometimes my triceps (the backs of my upper arms) They are always in the middle of my upper arms, at least three inches from my shoulder socket. I've watched a few slow mo versions of my openings and I haven't seen any way that I could get them. I am short, and I use rented gear. I just thought it was a conspiracy. I asked my AFF instructors about them, and they have no idea about their cause either. I wouldn't say these bruises are bad though, they are about the size of a quarter, but they are really really deep purple in colour. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #10 August 26, 2003 Do you reach up and grab risers during deployment? A video won't show it, because you will be way out of frame by the time you do it. But most likely, the main lift web is hitting your inner bicep as you grab risers. Just an aside - grabbing risers during deployment contributes to off-heading openings - i.e. you are pulling on one riser harder than another. Hooknswoop advised me to "tough out" the opening (don't grab risers), continue to fly my body and harness steer through opening. Doing so might give you fewer bruises, but the best thing is to have a well-fitting harness. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jlbodin 0 #11 August 26, 2003 Hmmm.... Good to know - when I did my aff a few weeks ago I had said bruise on my R-bicep near the arm-pit. Didn't think much of it. Didn't remember getting it and thought I hurt myself sparring/TaeKwonDo... (Bruises are a given there... my wife refers to it as "Fight club"). I just did jumps 10-15 last saturday and then sunday, there were those bruises again (this time on R & L, but R was more pronounced). Going to talk to the DZO/Rigger about the gear I'm renting. They don't hurt but they sure do look nasty (and I get some sympathy from the wife, too!). - Jeff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingSquirrel 0 #12 September 30, 2003 QuoteIf you watch students around the DZ, you'll see that fairly often on the smaller students. It's true! I'm using the smallest student rig they have at the DZ and I get the bruises on the inside of my upper arms. The rig's too wide on my shoulders -- It'll be nice to get my A license so I can use a smaller rig... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff 0 #13 September 30, 2003 QuoteDoes it count as a skydiving injury if you sustain it before ever getting into the plane? Definitely in the UK it does. The BPA STC minutes often include reports of injuries collected during ground training - often people hurt themselves on aircraft exit mock-ups, and I'm sure I heard of someone who dislocated their jaw with an over-enthusiastic yelled practise exit count "ONE THOUSAND..TWO THOUSAND...." Must be really embarrassing to explain that at the hospital..... Geoff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
