Parachuting injuries: a study of 110,000 sports jumps.

Abstract

A study was undertaken to examine the type, location, incidence and mechanism of injury sustained by amateur parachutists in Denmark during a five-year-period. A total of 110,000 parachute jumps resulted in six (0.005%) fatalities and 155 (0.14%) cases, requiring medical treatment. The latter group sustained 176 injuries of which 36.9% were significant soft tissue lesions and 63.1% fractures. Landing is the most dangerous part of the parachuting procedure, causing 83.8% of the accidents, while 9.3% were caused by faults during opening of the parachute. Based on the injury pattern, some modifications to the procedures and equipment are mentioned. A simplification of the parachute landing fall and the development of safer parachutes may reduce the incidence of casualties. An enforcement of the present regulations is necessary as many injuries are the result of noncompliance with regulations due to ignorance, inexperience or carelessness.