scottbre 0 #1 January 14, 2002 Ok, now is when I look to the more experienced skydivers for advice.First off, I finally got a few jumps in this weekend, which is good because it had been awhile. Anyway, up to this weekend I had done 17 jumps. So they still gave me a radio for 18, but said that they were only going to use it if I needed it. Jump, and set up went fine, but apparently I still need some fine tuning on when to flare, because I didn't. I had gotten my toggles down to half brakes by the time I crash landed. And since I wasn't expecting a hard landing until it was far to late, I didn't PLF. So my right leg absorbed most of the impact. After a few minutes I was able to get up and walk to the truck, and I did 2 more jumps afterwards.So here is my injury, my knee is sore and the top of my foot is really sore. I can walk on it, but it is more of a lurching hobble that a walk. I don't think I broke my foot, because my understanding is that you can't hardly move a broken foot with out having a lot of pain. What I am wondering is does this type of injury sound familiar to anyone (happen to you or someone you know), and if so what is you unprofessional medical diagnosis. I don't really want to go to a doctor about it, if it is probably just some hyperextended muscles, but I don't want to still be hobbling around 2 weeks from now, because I fractured some bone in my foot.On the positive side, I had all kinds of firsts this weekend:First injuryFirst off-target landingFirst canopy flight with no radioFirst time to reach terminal (stupid S/L program)"Can't keep my mind from the circling sky. Tongue-tied & twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RemiAndKaren 0 #2 January 14, 2002 When your nuts hurt, you should hop on your feet... so in this case, start hoping on your... lolhope you get better!RemiMuff 914 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfields 0 #3 January 14, 2002 Scott,Sorry about your bum landing. My advice would be to suck up and see a doctor. I hate going also, but after long enough, I get fed up and want things taken care of correctly. I am actually going to an orthopedist this afternoon for a dislocated thumb. Sounds dumb, but it hurt like hell, no matter how many times I did my "play-doctor" resetting. I just can't get the bones lined up correctly, and it leaves me with a painful, very weak thumb. I wouldn't want to have to do a cutaway or something like that with a sketchy hand.And by the way, flaring really helps. Justin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #4 January 14, 2002 It would be better in this case to run by a doctor and have him/her to check you out. It may be nothing, but it would be better to be told professionally that is nothing then to have an actual problem and find out about it later, after actually damaging it permenatly since you were walking/jumping on it.That and you might get some cool drugs to take, you never know. Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.-General George Patton- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #5 January 14, 2002 Masturbation accident?Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.-General George Patton- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfields 0 #6 January 14, 2002 QuoteMasturbation accident?No. Wrong hand. Actually, I think I pulled it out of joint doing home repair projects about 3 weeks ago. I can't recall any specific instance where I did something wrong, but it started hurting like hell about then. Of course, I waited like a week to call the doctor, then was told it would be 2 more weeks until I could get an appointment. Oh well.Justin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emmie 0 #7 January 14, 2002 I did the same thing on my last jump. If you put all of the impact on your foot, you probably ended up compressing it together, kind of folding it in two. The doctor in the ER said the impact ended up fracturing it, but then an orthopedic doctor said it was just a really severe sprain. He put me in an aircast and told me to walk on crutches for a month. If your foot's sprained, you should probably not put any more pressurre on it than you have to, or it will take longer to heal. So my advice is see an orhtoped, make him take some xrays to make sure nothings fractured, or brocken, and see how bad's the sprain. If it isn't that severe, you'll be able to jump in less than a month : ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
canopycudler 0 #8 January 14, 2002 I can only give a little medical advise.. Go to the doctor.. its not all that bad, the ER here knows me by name. Freak volleyball accidents!! I might, however, be able to help a little bit on the flare.. I KNOW WHAT YOUR GOIN THROUGH!! I could make a great skydive, no real freefall problems, set up for landing fine.. but DAMMIT I needed help the last 10feet. All i wanted to hear was Flare, Flare, Flare on the radio. It took me a long time, and i can still make a beautiful face plant from time to time, but for the most part Its MUCH better. Everyone told me to look at the horizan.. Didn't work quite right for me. I flared to early, too late, what did help however was pick a landmark about 10-12 feet off the ground. I used the roof of the hanger. When i saw that my feet were approaching the roof, i would start the flare. Also. don't come in in half brakes. At least 50ft above the gound, make sure you are in full flight. Toggles all the way up.. but you did make a good decision not to lift up when you knew that you were in half brakes. Just keep holdin it..If you just didn't finish your flare, make sure you get it all the way down.. For a while i thought i was, but I really wasn't. Crank it down hard to finish.. your get the last bit out it.. Good luck and don't feel bad. I was on the radio through jump number 25..Just my $.02. Oh yah, and think of the bright side.. if you didn't already have it for your A lic. one of the things on your card is to make a landing from half brakes..One more signed off!!Blue Skies & Good Flares!Tina Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottbre 0 #9 January 14, 2002 QuoteAlso. don't come in in half brakesI didn't come in in half brakes, I didn't pull on the toggles at all until the very last second, so I was attempting to punch the toggles all the way down when I "landed", it's just that I had started my flare so late that the furthest(is this a word) the flare got was halfway.What really sucks is that I have to walk about 4 blocks to a job interview this afternoon. So it will be lots of fun hobbling around following someone as I meet all these different people. But maybe that will be good, I probably won't come off as overly confident. "Can't keep my mind from the circling sky. Tongue-tied & twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
koune 0 #10 January 14, 2002 Go see the doctor.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #11 January 14, 2002 Elevate the injured leg above your heart.Ice the swollen bits.Visit a doctor, ideally a sports medicine specialist. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottbre 0 #12 January 14, 2002 QuoteIce the swollen bits.Interestingly, I think it only swelled a little tiny bit, if at all. It was harder to take my shoe off and harder to put one on, but that could be just from the fact that it hurts to bend it very much. I think I am probably going to end up seeing an orthopedic doctor. *sigh*"Can't keep my mind from the circling sky. Tongue-tied & twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RemiAndKaren 0 #13 January 14, 2002 BORRRRRINGQuotego see a doctorYou guys are no fun whatsoever!check out this http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,5760,00.html for a more progressive approach to your problem.RemiMuff 914 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottbre 0 #14 January 14, 2002 QuoteBORRRRRINGHey, if it's boring, no one says you have to read or respond to the post. Besides, my foot hurts so it's not so boring to me. "Can't keep my mind from the circling sky. Tongue-tied & twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #15 January 14, 2002 Hey just cause you can walk on it doesn't mean its NOT broken...most likely you have compressed and sprained part of the foot...ICE and Xray at your nearest convenience......adiosmarc"...a mind stretched with new idea's will never regain its shape" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,107 #16 January 14, 2002 1. Go to a doctor2. I've done both of those things. Once, the pain on the top of my foot was just ripped ligaments - I managed to fold my toes underneath my foot during a downwind landing in Tevas. The other time my foot was actually broken, due to a hard landing. I did manage to walk on it, which did more damage than the actual break, I think. The broken foot took about 10 weeks before I could walk on it, the torn ligaments took about 4 months before the pain went away.The knee injury was a damaged ACL and torn meniscus from a hard (straight-legged) landing. It "locked" my leg in one position for about three weeks. Recovery time was about six months, and I was in a wheelchair for 2 weeks (I foolishly broke the foot on the _other_ leg.)One thing to keep in mind is that if you did damage a ligament in your knee, and you have another hard landing, you could lose it completely. That means problems for the rest of your life and/or some very expensive surgery.-bill von Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyhi 24 #17 January 14, 2002 QuoteI think I pulled it out of joint doing home repair projects about 3 weeks ago. Okay, boys and girls, what did we learn here? J's injuries from jumping? 0J's injuries from home repair projects? 1You do the math. Wait a minute, I just did the math. Never mind. Is it hot in here, or am I crazy? - Charles Mansonflyhi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfields 0 #18 January 14, 2002 QuoteJ's injuries from jumping? 0J's injuries from home repair projects? 1You do the math. Wait a minute, I just did the math. Never mind. Sledgehammers and beer can be a bad comibination. JustinPS I tried scanning the preliminary x-ray showing how my thumb is totally screwed up, but x-ray's don't scan for crap without a special scanner. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QuickDraw 0 #19 January 14, 2002 "First injuryFirst off-target landingFirst canopy flight with no radioFirst time to reach terminal (stupid S/L program)"Sounds like 4 b33rs to me :P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottbre 0 #20 January 15, 2002 Well, I went and got my foot x-rayed last night. Turns out, all I did was give the tendons a real good stretching. Didn't even tear anything. Nothing broken. So I basically paid $178 for 3 x-rays and the doc telling me nothing is wrong. At least now I know. Anyway, he gave me a couple sample packs of anti-inflamation pills, and 2 pills later it feels way better. It will be totally better by the weekend, so that I can risk injuring it again if I so choose. Woohoo!!"Can't keep my mind from the circling sky. Tongue-tied & twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RemiAndKaren 0 #21 January 15, 2002 See, you would have been better off with do-it-yourselft-surgery! RemiMuff 914 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfields 0 #22 January 15, 2002 Scott,I went to the doctor yesterday. I had to wait about 75 minutes for them to tell me my thumb was healing naturally and would be fine. Great. At least it only cost me the insurance co-pay though...Even at the $178 you had to pay, the peace of mind of knowing you'll heal okay is worth it. The cool pills you got are a bonus. I didn't get any drugs at all. Justin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottbre 0 #23 January 15, 2002 Yea, well I have crappy temporary insurance, because I don't yet have a regular job, that gives me good health insurance, but if all went well yesterday (interview) that will be changing. As my insurance stands right now, I have a 250 deductible, so I am almost to where it gets cheaper. "Can't keep my mind from the circling sky. Tongue-tied & twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #24 January 15, 2002 "I have a 250 deductible, so I am almost to where it gets cheaper."Geez....What's wrong with you? Next time give yourself a compound fracture or something so you get a better deal!!!! "I got some beers....Let's Drink em!!!"Clay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfields 0 #25 January 15, 2002 No. You should have gotten more expensive drugs. Justin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
