AFF stundent jumping with dislocated shoulder - is it OK to jump?

[dropzone_moron 0]

Hi everyone,

Newbie here! I have a pre-existing dislocated left shoulder that can sublux if place in extreme position.

I have had 4 AFF jumps without a problem. I've been told to hit the wind tunnel to work on my 90 degree turns before proceeding to my next jump.

While at the wind tunnel, I saw a warning sign saying those with dislocated shoulders should not enter the wind tunnel.

Any advice or suggestion?

Dropzone_Moron

[councilman24 37]

If you haven't told your instructors you need to right away. It's very likely that your shoulder will dislocate in freefall. Aside from not feeling very good this obviously may cause problems deploying, steering, landing and dealing with malfunctions. I've known several experienced skydivers who would deal with it fairly routinely. But as a student this is not a good situation. You need to be honest with your instructors and with your doctor to figure out if you should be jumping.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[meltdown 0]

You should search the subject here on the forums. I dislocated my shoulder about a year ago and found that it's a fairly common condition in the skydiving community. Mine has healed up fine (I dislocated it for the first time at age 41), but if yours is a chronic condition it could put you and others in a potentially hazardous situation (believe me, no flare landings are not fun!).

[JohnMitchell 16]

Had a passenger with a bad shoulder dislocate on her first tandem jump. I was able to set us down in the peas softly, but she would have been hard pressed to handle anything on her own. Her right arm was useless. you need to get that resolved before you continue skydiving. You could end up injured badly or worse.

[calledisrael 0]

i am one of the ones who has dislocated three times in freefall - and had 12 other jumps with no problems at all. hard to tell why it does or doesn't come out sometimes. my counsel, for what it's worth, is that i would get your shoulder fixed, and then wear a good brace. you might be fine, and i can land my reserve perfectly well now with one hand. but shoulders just get worse when more crap happens to them, not better- and i think it isn't worth it. and needing your arm at terminal velocity and not having it is NOT a good feeling.

as for the tunnel, i had the same problem. they seemed to say that the big risk was how likely it was that you would smash into the wall at some point. that for me is a different risk issue than actual jumping. re-dislocating is one thing, doing it when i need to be pulling is another. but mine is my right shoulder.

good luck and be careful. it can sure be done. eight more weeks till i can jump again...

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