Jumping with Bad Cervical Problems

[warpedskydiver 0]

C5-C7

Narrowing of the cervical spine and large bone spurs.

If you get warned that this might cause you to be paralyzed but that whether it will or not due to skydiving is unknown.

What do the people who have this problem do, and what do the spine docs who jump say?

[soulshine 0]

I have nothing helpful to offer with regards to your question. However, I couldn't help but to laugh at your thread title...my first thought was why does he have a cervix and how could that effect skydiving!

Haha... sorry...

Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity!
~DEVIOUS BEEF~~FGF #69~

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

I can't address the medical queston. However, if you decide to jump, consider the following ways to diminsh the abuse your neck will have to absorb when jumping:

--Master the proper body position for a gentle canopy opening.

--Jump a main canopy with a reputation for soft openings (such as a Spectre).

--Have main canopy rigged with dacron lines to further soften the deceleration.

--Make sure you are using the correct slider to s-l-o-w canopy inflation (as specified by manufacturer).

--Be vigilant regarding following the container manufacturer's recommendations about making the line stows.

--Be VERY wary of putting a camera on your helmet. The extra mass will increase the load on your neck during opening.

--Get lots of canopy coaching to make your landings as smooth as possible.

--Consider jumping a big SLOW canopy (both main and reserve) to make landings low kinetic energy affairs.

--Be vigilant about proper closing loop tension. Measure it to ensure that it meets the manufacturer's recommendations.

--Pick your freefall playmates carefully. Avoid jumping with folks or in situations which have a high risk of someone crashing into you. (The same jumper who might be a good risk on a 2-way might be high risk on a 20 way.)

If you choose to jump... you want to take really good care of your neck!

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[half-a-greek 0]

Try to track down a skydiver who is a doctor... they would know both sides of the story.

[angrypeppers 1]

I am recovering from surgery to address these same problems. Primarily, I had a bone spur on C5 that was deforming my spinal cord, but I also had stenosis, disc problems, etc. I was told that I was one whiplash away from potentially being paralyzed. The docs removed C5 and most of C6. They then implanted a PEAK cage at C6, a titanium plate in front, and two titanium rods in back. Recovery has been faster and better than expected. However, I don't know yet if I'll be able to jump again. Surgery was on 09 Oct, and I probably won't know about jumping again for a year or so.

My plan is to start seeing more sports minded specialists next summer to get their opinion. My neurosurgeon is awesome, but doesn't like the idea of me jumping again. My neurosurgeon and chiro both believe that the problems were not caused by skydiving, as they probably started forming 15-20 years ago. But, both believe that skydiving certainly didn't help either!

I got two opinions, and both were to get the surgery, sooner rather than later. Whatever you're told, do your research. There were no alternative treatments for me, other than to not have surgery and basically stop enjoying the things I like to do, which wasn't a valid option.

Burn the land and boil the sea,
You can't take the sky from me.

[skymama 37]

I have herniated disks in the same area. John LeBlanc talked with me one day about things to try to make the openings softer on my Sabre 2. (He didn't feel I needed to switch canopies.) The 4 main points he made were:

1. Use double stows.
2. Roll your shoulders a little to slow down your rate of descent before you go to pitch your pilot chute.
3. After pitching, drop your knees a little.
4. Go with the flow as the canopy searches for air, don't tense up.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[skybytch 273]

Don't know which of mine are screwed up, but I live with pain and tingling down the left shoulder and arm all the time. I don't jump much because it tends to make the next few days painful.

When I do jump, it's under a Spectre with Dacron lines. I've accepted that any canopy can open hard, but I think this combo gives me the best chance of soft openings. But shit happens, so I've also accepted that my next jump could be not only my last jump but also the last time I feel my toes.

Scary shit, huh?

[VideoFly 0]

I wish I had read GLIDEANGLE’s post years ago. Due to a skydiving injury (posted in the incident forum, Injury of Camera Flyer During Deployment) I am currently healing from a C5-7 fusion with a hip graft and a titanium plate in place. GLIDEANGLE’s post is right on. By the sound of your problems, you are probably more prone to a problem than are most others. Be careful, the surgical alternatives are a bummer!

[wmw999 2,534]

Just to add something -- if you jump a canopy that opens particularly slowly, then make sure the others on your jump know where you're going to be pulling, so that you're open at a safe altitude.

They'll be fine with it, but if you open 1000' higher than lots of others, then they need to know.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[warpedskydiver 0]

My problem started at 23 yrs old

I first got my helmet caught and got dangled off my feet about an inch from the ground.

It was a twisted drop.

Then I had my nasty accident.

[warpedskydiver 0]

Don't own a cervix, I just visit.