Jin2Kazama

Mate, I did my AFF in Sebastian Florida. It's a very friendly DZ and the views at altitude of the treasure coast are awsome. There are 3 British instructors there (USPA though, not BPA). Aff course cost me 1250USD which worked out around £700. If you want anymore info feel free to pm me.

I have just returned from Sebastian a few weeks ago having completed my AFF and and a further 12 skydives. I would have done more but could feel my shoulder starting to come out on my last jump on deployment. What actually made yours come out - was it the force of the wind during your throwaway phase? You may find this thread I started about shoulder supports useful http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3316884;page=unread#unread Lawrence

Went and had some tunnel time today, I only booked 2 x 1minute 15 sec lessons as I was convinced I was going to have issues. I went in there very nervous and had a hard time trying to relax and worrying alot, however, it went without incident which came as a relief. The staff were really good there, and they turned the fan down and built it up. After watching myself on video afterwards, I realised how rubbish I was at it. It looked like at one point I had one leg straight and the other bent. I will definitely be spending alot more time there before my AFF to sort my shit out. Thanks for all your support and comments guys

Thanks, that's very useful. So reducing the drag on the arms sounds like a good plan. What sort of exercises do you do at the gym? Thinking about your comment about being relaxed, it sounds like relaxing puts the shoulders at the mercy of the wind, but using muscular strength to keep the elbows slightly below the shoulders (in flat position) would prevent anything happening.

Thanks for your input Ashley. Was your experience as terrifying as it sounds, or is it just something you just dealt with? When my shoulder(s) dislocated, the dislocated arm became parylized and I had to use my good arm to support the weight and to try and make the pain more bearable. I am amazed at people who were able to continue to use their dislocated shoulder as I never thought it was possible going from my own expreriences. I accept a dislocation in freefall would get the body's adrenalin going so maybe this has something to do with it. Or maybe I'm just a pussy! How did your dislocation happen on your conversion jump? Have you been jumping much in that 7 years and do you still wear the support? Have you had tunnel time?

Unfortunately, my surgeon is not a skydiver so I would not have thought he would have a fair appreciation of how much pressure is put on the shoulder during freefall. So what your saying is the wind blast during freefall is not too bad on the shoulders - that is reassuring. I am going to get over to airkix this weekend and I will report back. I just hope I won't be doing one fingered typing with my other arm in a MFin' sling!

Right, I get it now! Doh. Ok, you've convinced me to go get in the tunnel. On reflection, I think it will be best because I get depressed now everytime I think about the trip. Stayhigh amd Snowflake, you're right, I think I just need the confidence and the tunnel will give it to me if my shoulder holds up. How long do people normally spend in the tunnel?

??? You'd rather take your chances that it happens in freefall? Then you might break some leg parts too! No. not at all hence the last comment.

Thanks for all your comments so far guys

Speaking theoreticaly as I cannot speak from experience as I don't have any, I would think the main if reachable would be the first choice over cutting away, but then I would worry about dislocating my remaining good arm struggling to get to the throw away hey, what do I know!

I did not know reserves were not steerable. I am newbie after all. This is a contradiction in terms.

I am only going by my search results on this forum. It seems quite a few people have resorted to wearing a shoulder support and with good results. I couldn't believe how common an injury this is in skydiving; however it is very reassuring as I thought I was the only one with this problem! So do the dislocations hurt less now because you are used to them more?

I think I would probably pass out if that happened to me, I cannot imagine how painful that must be. My biggest fear is having both pop out and leaving my fate to the AAD!

I have emailed Sebastian and have given them my history, and they say it's my call if I want to jump. I thought AFF was AFF and cannot be modified, even to suit someone with potentially vulnerable shoulders. Re: the wind tunnel thing, I have been thinking about trying this out but the thought of my arm slipping out just fills me with dread, and being so close to going it would stuff up my chances of doing AFF in October too. although better it pops in the tunnel than 12000 ft up I suppose.

Hi all, I am going to Sebastian for AFF end of October and was really excited and looking forward to it until a discussion on a uk forum cropped up about injuries. I am becoming increasingly concerned (read shitting myself) about dislocating my shoulder. My left shoulder came out once about 14 years ago, and my right came out 3 or 4 times, this happenned during matial arts mainly, but since then I had surgery (Bankarts procedure) on my right arm around 12 years ago and it has been ok since. I really do not relish the thought of a dislocation in mid air - they're bad enough on the ground - so I was thinking of trying a shoulder support or brace. I wanted to know from the people that have worn a shoulder brace how it has worked for them and what sort of success rate it has. Thanks, Lawrence