How do people dislocate their shoulders in freefall?

[HydroGuy 0]

I read constantly on here about people having dislocated shoulders in freefall with no apparent contact or collision?

Why?

Makes no sense to me...

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[glyrenden 0]

A friend of mine was jumping out of a cessna and slipped. but instead of just falling he tried to hold on to the plane. it dislocated his shoulder. he told me that on the way down he was only able to make left turns and had a hell of a time flairing...

-j

[HydroGuy 0]

See, that makes sense to me...but people hurt them in freefall with no collisions.

I'm wondering if the general populations shoulders are just that weak, and skydiving exploits/exposes this weakness.

Or is it poor body position..for example, maybe someone who flys headup with really wide legs and has to really stretch their arms behind their back to clear their burble.

Maybe both?

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[The111 1]

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I'm wondering if the general populations shoulders are just that weak, and skydiving exploits/exposes this weakness.

You're assuming strength (or lack thereof) has something to do with a dislocation. I am not an anatomist or a doctor so I don't know for sure; but I'd guess they are not necessarily correlated. I have known several very strong athletes who suffer frequent shoulder dislocations.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[HydroGuy 0]

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I'm wondering if the general populations shoulders are just that weak, and skydiving exploits/exposes this weakness.

You're assuming strength (or lack thereof) has something to do with a dislocation. I am not an anatomist or a doctor so I don't know for sure; but I'd guess they are not necessarily correlated. I have known several very strong athletes who suffer frequent shoulder dislocations.

Weak in design as well as physically weak...both is more of what I was referring to.

In general, a person who is in better shape will be:
1. less prone to injury
2. heal faster when injured

In reference to your very strong athletes who get frequent dislocations, this would show an old and recurring injury. And if they are "very strong", they probably hit heavier weights, which can damage tendons and ligaments much easier than say pushups, pullups, bar dips, swimming, surfing, yoga, a moderate weight lifting routine etc.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[freeflyfree 0]

I dislocated my shoulder when I was learning to sit...o at least hurt it...I had a suit that was very baggy in the arms...then also with the same suit in the wind tunnel as I went to reach for the door I felt a sharp pain....

The boxman position puts the arms at a position where they could be overextended....

Felipe

--
Blue Skies
NO FEARS, NO LIMITS, NO MONEY...
"A Subitánea et Improvísa Morte, Líbera nos, Domine."

[The111 1]

Also, keep in mind the "general" population doesn't skydive. Those who do are people who may have been likely to engage in other high-risk sports in the past and maybe already have shoulder problems. Most of my worst injuries in life happened before I started jumping.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[brianfry713 0]

flygirl1's shoulder popped out slightly on a slightly mistimed AFF cat A exit due to being streched between the two instructors.

She waited four months, got a few more jumps in, then it fully dislocated while she was going to pull. Had to pull silver instead.

Loose joints are probably the cause.

BASE 1224, Senior Parachute Rigger, CPL ASEL IA, AGI, IGI
USPA Coach & UPT Tandem Instructor, PRO, Altimaster Field Support Representative

[CBRnick 0]

A few weeks ago a few guys I was jumping with exited the plane in a four way. One of the four guys who just happened to be the heaviest of the four, funneled and flipped over the other three, taking one of the other guys arms over his back with him.

one instantly popped shoulder joint.

He landed ok, if a bit shaken up.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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Most of my worst injuries in life happened before I started jumping.

Hockey has been tough on my body. But it's a tough game.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[eeneR 3]

My guess is normally some sort of trauma that happend before they started jumping. Or they have loose joints.

Ligaments can start to stretch out, then get to the point where your shoulder is not sitting in the socket right.... (yes im speaking of experince too )

Like it was mentioned once before, boxman does put ALOT of stress on your shoulder, if you have week muscles in the shoulder it can start wearing on the shoulder.

But most of the time im sure it is was from prior trauma, ligaments dont just go back to the original shape after being stretched out.

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

[flygirl1 0]

Hi I dislocated my shoulder in free fall. At the time of my first injury I was very fit. I am active in many sports and I train horses for a living. My doctor said that the reason my shoulder came out so easily was that I was born with loose joints and the position of my arm plus the force of the air pushing on it put my arm in just the right position to pop out. I have had some problems with it when I am surfing as well and a fall off my surf board may have weakened it and played a roll in it's initial dislocation.

Fly like a girl

[calledisrael 0]

same story for me. loose joints, he was surprised it took me 12 jumps to dislocate in freefall.

not any more, though. a little arthroscopic surgery tightened my shoulder right up... no more dislocations, no sirree. it was the only way for me to go, ligaments don't get better they only get worse.

life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.
(helen keller)

[ScottMcC 0]

How to dislocate a shoulder (don't try this at home):

1. Abduct the arm 90º (raise the arm out to the side, to shoulder height).
2. Externally rotate the arm maximally (assume the boxman position).
3. Apply a posteriorly directed force to the elbow (push the elbow towards the sky, assuming you're belly to earth).
4. Go see an orthopod.

Muscle strength has very little to do with shoulder stability. Bony support has even less to do with stability. The main structures providing stability are the glenohumeral ligaments (the joint capsule) along with the cartilaginous labrum. So those people with lax ligaments or labral tears are prone to dislocations, no matter how strong they are. Even without the above, if you put your shoulder in a vulnerable position, you're at risk for dislocations, and in the process you're likely to create both labral tears and lax ligaments.

So sayeth the dude who dislocated his shoulder twice in freefall without colliding with anyone, but who is now blessed with a reconstructed shoulder that works great.

PS: my fiancee also hurt her shoulder skydiving, although hers was not a full on dislocation, more of a subluxation, also without any contact at the time.

[happythoughts 0]

I know of two ways.

1- Launch a really f-ed up 4-way exit. Try to hang on while it twists all over the place.

2- High-speed tailgate exit. This is a little more subtle and unexpected. Do a floater exit and step off backwards facing the wind. Extend your arms and you will feel a yank. The wind hitting your hands will really torque your shoulders. I know a few people who hurt themselves this way.

[Lindsey 0]

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I know of two ways.

1- Launch a really f-ed up 4-way exit. Try to hang on while it twists all over the place.

2- High-speed tailgate exit. This is a little more subtle and unexpected. Do a floater exit and step off backwards facing the wind. Extend your arms and you will feel a yank. The wind hitting your hands will really torque your shoulders. I know a few people who hurt themselves this way.

DadGUM! That sounds more like what you'd do to a chicken trying to remove the wing than like a nice clean shoulder dislocation. Ewwww.

linz

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

[happythoughts 0]

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DadGUM! That sounds more like what you'd do to a chicken trying to remove the wing than like a nice clean shoulder dislocation. Ewwww.

The twisting action kinda works the same way. One of my old instructors got out of skydiving because of a shoulder injury. It was healing ok until a fast tailgate exit re-injured it..

I haven't done a high speed Casa exit since my last one shredded the arm on my previous suit ala Freddy Krueger.

I've also done a linked exit out of a 727 at 155mph. It turns out that you can't hang on.

[mcashatt01 0]

I dislocated my shoulder on level 10 of IAF during a backflip, actually flatening out of the backflip. The doctor said that it was probably due to torn ligaments from a prior football injury. The doctor said I would never be able to throw again and if it happens again (which it probably will) that i will have to have reconstructive surgery. Oh well, a small price I'll just have to pay

[tbrown 26]

1- Launch a really f-ed up 4-way exit. Try to hang on while it twists all over the place.
I know a few people who hurt themselves this way.

[carbonezone 0]

I dislocated mine last diver out of the casa. Not sure why just popped out OUWI!
I believe myself to be in pretty good shape. It was just one of those things
I now pull with my left hand as a result.
<>
Tami

[riggerrob 643]

I have seen a couple of tandem students "throw" their shoulders out of joint when they arched immediately after exit.
I even saw one poor static-line student throw his shoulder out by practicing arching too vigorously in ground school - long before he got near an airplane.
Some people just have weak shoulders and don't know it until they try arching/boxman.

[bob.dino 1]

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I now pull with my left hand as a result.

I assume you just turned around the BOC pouch? Is your reserve handle still on the left side of your MLW? (I'm figuring that even if it is, you could deploy it using your right hand).

Just curious as to what needs to be done for left-handed throw-out.

[brits17 0]

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I assume you just turned around the BOC pouch?

You just answered your own question in question form, but its the correct answer

_______________________
aerialkinetics.com

[carbonezone 0]

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I assume you just turned around the BOC pouch? Is your reserve handle still on the left side of your MLW? (I'm figuring that even if it is, you could deploy it using your right hand).

Just curious as to what needs to be done for left-handed throw-out.

Yes my Reserve Handle is still on my left side and no I would use my left hand to deploy my reserve just as usual. Were you meaning my cut-away Pad?
Normal use both arms good - right hand cut-away, left hand reserve.
Right arm dislocated - left hand cut-away, left hand reserve "yes you can reach it".
Yes, the BOC pouch was modified for lefty throw out
<>
Tami

[bob.dino 1]

Sorry, I was just thinking about what would happen if your left arm was disabled - both your parachute activation devices are on your left side.

(I haven't had my morning coffee. I don't think I'm making total sense yet )