Going back after 4 years of not jumping due to injury

[palejo 0]

Broke my left Talus (compresion fracture) on January of 2008, Everglades Boggie, FL. Landed off DZ on a nasty rocky field. Sold my rig to pay medical bills. Now I am thinking of going back jumping again. renting for a while until I can afford a rig. My ankle is now good with some minor pain here and there but nothing big, and why not to say, I'm a bit scared of landing. I have 2 nice dropzones around and many friends that are still jumping and asking me when I will be back. Someone here that has been thru same dilemma and would like to share.

Alejandro
B27585

[5.samadhi 0]

i took 7 years off...I was a little scared when I came back but I just pushed through that fear and it was all good after a few jumps (current again).

I'm not gonna lie landing those parachutes is a REFINED skill and it was a WHOLE LOT faster of a process than I remember (I guess I tend to remember in snapshots rather than a canopy landing as it is a ncessarily temporal process).

Upsize a LOT from what you used to fly. I used to fly a 120 and I thought a 210 was fast as SHIT. Then a 190 was fast then a 168 was fast, then a 150 was really fast. Then it was not and landing was better again.

be conservative with gear especially if you still have pain in your ankle.

[skyjumpenfool 2]

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Broke my left Talus (compresion fracture) on January of 2008, Everglades Boggie, FL. Landed off DZ on a nasty rocky field. Sold my rig to pay medical bills. Now I am thinking of going back jumping again. renting for a while until I can afford a rig. My ankle is now good with some minor pain here and there but nothing big, and why not to say, I'm a bit scared of landing. I have 2 nice dropzones around and many friends that are still jumping and asking me when I will be back. Someone here that has been thru same dilemma and would like to share.

Skills will return very quickly. The physical part of the sport is easy. The best advice I have for you is, "Make sure your head is straight before you return".

...and, welcome back!

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[riggerrob 643]

Ensure that your leg is strong enough to run FAST down a rough slope before you return to skydiving.

[fencebuster 7]

I broke my back in May -- L1 fracture, L-2 burst fracture and L-5 fracture. I was out for 5.5 months. My first jump back I managed to have a hard landing. While it sucked, it gave me confidence that my injuries were healed, which I am sure they are now. Work on landing like a tandem when things are going too fast. If you can't outrun it, slide it; preferably into the wind.

Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208
AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I
MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger
Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

[DougH 270]

IMHO tandem slides are way more risky for people that dont have a firm grasp on landings. To easy to fracture tailbone or hurt back if they come in too hard.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[obelixtim 150]

Don`t make the mistake of favouring the leg you injured when you land. I´ve seen a few people do that on their return, and break the other leg. Its easy to favour the injured legsubconciously on your first few jumps back....

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[zoobrothertom 5]

What kind of refresher training did you have to go through?

____________________________________
I'm back in the USA!!

[palejo 0]

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What kind of refresher training did you have to go through?

I have to go through a complete EP refresher.

Alejandro
B27585

[palejo 0]

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Ensure that your leg is strong enough to run FAST down a rough slope before you return to skydiving.

I've been mountain biking for a few years now after I stopped jumping. Pretty rough MTB trails here in Florida (Alafia, Boyette, Markham). My ankle is strong now. I can run fast too. It hurts once in a while due to weather factors like humidity, etc.

Alejandro
B27585