jedeisurf 0 #1 September 4, 2004 Hi everyone I am thinking about getting my tandem rating. About 6 years ago I had back surgery they trimmed a disc in my lower back I don't have any problems with my back now but was wondering how hard tandems are on your back. The feed back I have recieved locally has been mixed. Thanks for your input. David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tspillers 0 #2 September 4, 2004 Check with your Doctor and with the Flight physician. You may be fine doing tandems, but they do take a toll on your body. If you have some problems already, that could make it much worse. Probably didn't help much, but there is my 2 cents. I am not totally useless, I can be used as a bad example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jedeisurf 0 #3 September 4, 2004 Hi, Todd My doctor told me that I could start jumping 6 months after my surgery, so of course I went out and jumped that weekend no problems but I took another 6 months off due to the fact I was jumping a jedei loaded at 1:6. I have been fine since most doctors don't understand anything about jumping they still think we pound in under rounds. Thanks David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #4 September 4, 2004 How does your back do with semi-heavy lifting? How about hard openings or hard landings? Tandems are hard on your body (as Todd said), I've found that I've had it easier then some since I'm an avid weight lifter and have a very strong back, etc. So you might want to work with a personal trainer on specific to build up your overall strength and back strength to help you out. That's my thoughts as a newbie TI with 400 tandems.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jedeisurf 0 #5 September 4, 2004 Hi Dave Thanks for your reply my back is fairly strong I work in construction heavy lifting is not a problem but I don't like to do it haha. I have a Crossfire 109 what is a hard opening or landing haha. Thanks David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #6 September 4, 2004 Right on...I understand, I have a XF2 149. 95% of my openings are butter on tandems, now that I have some experience the landings aren't too bad either, BUT sometimes they'll snap and get ya and sometimes the landings come down kinda stiff. I had one where I thought I cracked my tailbone, coming in to slide on my butt, caught the edge of a roter and slammed to my ass with the student in my lap. It knocked my back out of alignment too, had to go to the chiropracter. That's the sort of thing that I would worry about...but the same thing can happen to you on a sport canopy as well.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #7 September 5, 2004 I've had back trouble in the past, but tandems seem to be the last thing to cause it. In fact, my back hurts when I don't skydive. (Honest , honey, the doc says I need to make more jumps each weekend). I think Agggiedave's advice to work out and stay flexible is probably the best. Tandems are hard work, but not as much as a strain as heavy lifting, I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
douwanto 22 #8 September 5, 2004 I have had some problems for several years. Compression in lower back and in my neck. With a strong lower back and ab work out I have been able to do tandems and maintain a good quality of life. Actually I think the tandems help me keep fit in those areas. I do some things differant than other TI's to take care of my back. Ask your doc. Chris Uncle/GrandPapa Whit Unico Rodriguez # 245 Muff Brother # 2421 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #9 September 5, 2004 Back in 1987 I herniated a disc in my lower spine. I could blame it on hard openings (pre-drogue) or hard landings under PD 360 canopies, but the truth is that I probably damaged it lifting rocks at the wrong angle helping my brother build a rock wall. A vigorous program of sit-ups and stretching pulled my spine back into alignment and I have done 2,800 tandems since then. Nowadays I am very careful about which angle I lift at, but I can still do more tandems in a day than most of the young pups. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,406 #10 September 7, 2004 I "believe" most of the folks you're getting input from probably have a long history of being in tandems. The result has been considerable stress on the TI's shoulders, backs and knees. With the advent of newer gear and canopies, I have no issues in any of these areas. I've torn out a rotator cuff, blew a bursa sack and had a run in with my L5S1 from a night military jump. Tandems don't seem to have any effect on these three parts of my body. I jump an Eclipse tandem with the Icarus canopyu and have only been slammed once in my short 300ish tandem career. I love the toggle pressure of the canopy, whereby I can flare the canopy by myself with 200+ pounders on it. I say go for it. You can always "test' it for awhile to see if it causes you any problems.Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jedeisurf 0 #11 September 7, 2004 Thanks for the input Keith as you know I am pretty serious about getting this rating. Thanks David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #12 September 7, 2004 Nope, tandems don't hurt my back at all. As a matter of fact, like another person has already posted, it's when I am NOT jumping that my back hurts the worst. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flypunk 0 #13 September 7, 2004 dunno, if its straight back problems but they will add to a lot of wear and tear on your body. For me its mostrly shoulders that get beat up; that being said I am taking a couple of weeks off due to back problems (not directly skydiving related), even while working out 4 times a week. Be sure to keep up with your workout and know your body's limitations. ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #14 September 7, 2004 Tandems can beat you up a bit but I don't think they cause all that much back trouble unless you slam your tailbone on a sliding landing. I have lower back trouble and often times end up sore by the end of a weekend, but I mix up my jumps quite a bit and don't think it's really the tandems that get to that part of my body. Tandems leave me muscle sore after a long day, but that's about it. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverton 0 #15 September 8, 2004 No back problems doing tandems. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Using your droque to gain stability is a bad habit, Especially when you are jumping a sport rig Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #16 September 8, 2004 I have found over the years that my back gets sore when I am not working on my abdominal muscles. Strong stomach, strong back. I don't have back issued doing tandems, the rig spreads the load pretty evenly over the back. My knees and feet get sore, though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
