skymick 0 #1 August 29, 2003 Just wondering if who here has jumped with metal inside them from a previous injury (back, leg etc)? What was there Docs advice, any problems encountered, any regrets etc? Cheers Mick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #2 August 29, 2003 I had a plate and 14 screws holding a femur together while it repaired itself. It could have stayed, but had I busted that femur again - with the shattered plate, bits of bone, screws etc - I'd be really fucked. I don't like excuses not to push, so I had it taken out, and took 2 months off to allow the newer bone to become load bearing, screw holes to close, etc. If you can get it out - have it out. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spike 0 #3 August 29, 2003 I have a plate and 7 screws on the fibula just above the ankle. Go to see the consultant on Tuesday to see if the cast can come off, so everything is crossed. My consultant said that once I can run a mile with little or no discomfort then I'm fit to jump. He said I should expect to leave the plate in for a year or two before thinking about taking it out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flygator 0 #4 August 29, 2003 I have a steel plate in my pelvic area...well a broken steel plate from a motorcross racing accident and I have no problems. Not now anyway... The secret to life is not arriving at the grave in a well preserved body but sliding in sideways completely worn out yelling "holy crap" what a ride!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #5 August 29, 2003 I have 2 nine inch rods and 6 screws in my lower back... The lower 5 verts are fused... The "rough country" suspension has been there for 10 years now, and I haven't had any problems yet... (knock on wood) I too made a decision not to 'push it' as I'm sure another serious injury in that area would be REALLY ugly! ...I quit doing Tandems and BASE jumps...jump a 1:1 loaded canopy...and take care not to put myself in situations that may possibly take me out of my 'comfort envelope'. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crutch 0 #6 August 29, 2003 Have a plate and seven screws in my ankle (from being stupid). Jumped with the cast on after four weeks of twiddling my thumbs and packing for everyone else on the drop zone. Did a tight demo, six weeks after the "accident" with my cast on, great front page picture in the paper (luckily my doctor doesn't read the paper). The only problem with jumping with metal in you is, if you break it again, it will be worse than if you don't have it. Go for it and be careful!blue skies, art Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goose491 0 #7 August 29, 2003 I have a steel rod inside my right femur from a seado accident in 98... I've been jumping with it since i left the hospital... The docs said that they wouldn't take it out but I'm thinking more and more about 'femuring' with a big hunk of metal in the middle... not a pretty sight in my mind... Perhaps I'll go back and ask again. My Karma ran over my Dogma!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #8 August 29, 2003 I've been jumping with 12 screws and two plates, one on my fibula and one on the tibia for 16 years. Well, actually 11 and a half screws. Somehow I broke one and they had to remove the head portion since it was removing itself. I have yet to hear of a doctor that said go jump. Hmmm, I think we have enough bionic people on our small DZ to do at least an all metalic 8 way, may 12 way. Skydiving is one of the least stressful things I do on my bad leg. TerryI'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymick 0 #9 August 30, 2003 Sorry should of been a bit more specific. I had L1 fused, coupla of rods and screws in there. Im told it will be out eventually, my surgeon at the time told me 9 -12 months bhut at my latest vist the doc said it would be at least that, and didnt sound too optimistic. So I know the smart thing to do would be wait till I get it out...but after hearing from different people who have jumped with metal in them im getting very tempted to come back in 3 or so months (assuming the doc says normal forces in a jump like opening shock wont dmanage my back further). Obviously I wont go back to normal jumpign habits till Im free of metal, but if i get a larger canopy,be very selective when and who I jump with then I can minimise the risk. What does everyone think? could it be a goer or am I just a idiot for even thiking of it? PS I go back to hospital in a week so ill be asking my doc this (even though im sure I wont like his answer) so at the moment this is just all hypothetical musings right now,... Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymick 0 #10 August 30, 2003 Hey Spike, thanks for the reply. Did your doc have any problems with you jumping while you still get metal? Usually they are ultra conservative and wouldnt recommend it until you get it out... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #11 August 31, 2003 Go for it. So many normal, healthy, fit people smash themselves to bits. It's not like a healthy skeleton is any real defense against death. I'm quite serious. be careful and go and jump. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymick 0 #12 August 31, 2003 Its not the death bit that worries me...its the paralysis if I biff in again and shatter the metal inside me that worries me... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akarunway 1 #13 August 31, 2003 titanium rod from knee to hip ball. doc released me to jump after 4 mths. asked what would happen if i pounded in again(bent it)? don't worry we'll take it out and put in another. waited 3 more mths to jump. no problem since. also 6 inch stainless rod on lower leg. saved another break when the steel took the brunt of a hitI hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #14 August 31, 2003 I hear you - but you'd be at risk of paralysis without injury too. Find a doctor who understands consequence, as opposed to right and wrong. There are a few out there. Spend some time discussing the dynamics of injury, as opposed to "impact" and then learn to avoid those dynamics. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymick 0 #15 September 1, 2003 Hmm unfortunately the doc I see is in the outpatients clinic at the local hospital so I get what im given, got no choice in the matter. Oh well I know a doc who used to jump (not orthopedic though) so Ill see what she says... Main thing that worries me is the fact that an injury that I could get that would allow me to walk away from if I wasnt injured might be enough to send me back to hospital due to the previous injury. Ah well Ill find out in 161 hours... (but who's counting eh! ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymick 0 #16 September 4, 2003 QuoteAh well Ill find out in 161 hours... (but who's counting eh! ) Hmm make that 576 hours... Damn doc has decided to go on holidays...gotta wait to the 29th now...damn I was really hoping to get rid of the brace on Monday Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #17 September 4, 2003 QuoteMain thing that worries me is the fact that an injury that I could get that would allow me to walk away from if I wasnt injured might be enough to send me back to hospital due to the previous injury. Continue to worry. I had exactly that happen to me. I was in the hospital for around three weeks, and in a body cast (shoulders to hips) for two months, from an injury that the doctor told me "if you hadn't been hurt before, you probably would have walked away from this one." Bottom line: Once you've been hurt, be extra, extra, extra careful not to get hurt again.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spike 0 #18 September 4, 2003 Hi Mick, Nope consultant didn't think the metal work would make any difference. I asked him about what if I bust the leg up again. He just said not to break it again I had the cast taken off yesterday, after 6 weeks.Shocked at the muscle wastage and how feeble the leg is. I can't even walk without at least 1 crutch, but the nurses said the strength would soon come back, sure hope so. But its made me revise my ideas about when I'll be back jumping. Bugger. Consultant said that once I could run a fast mile with no pain (ha) then I was ready for anything. I just think that its going to be longer before I can walk let alone run, than I had anticipated. Like others I really don't want to bust this up again so I'm going to be working hard on building up the muscles/strengh/flexibility down in my ankles. But its got me thinking about support and body armour. I ride a bike and wouldn't dream of riding without leathers and body armour. Does anyone out there wear any protection other than helmets? Is there anything that would help for typical skydiving injuries? I bust my fibula near the ankle and I wonder if I'd been wearing some sort of ankle support would it have prevented the bust or just transfered the energy somewhere else like below the knee or a femur? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #19 September 4, 2003 I skydive with an ankle brace on my previously broken ankle. My thinking is that even if it just transfers the load up and breaks my leg higher, at least it'll be a part that hasn't been broken before. When I BASE jump, I use every bit of padding and armor I can scrounge--I look a bit like a football player.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymick 0 #20 September 5, 2003 What was your injury and how long did you take to come back? ( i think from seeing an old post of yours you have have your back fused is that right?) Did the docs you speak to try and persuade you to wait longer or did you take their advice and waited? Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 0 #21 September 10, 2003 I've two (2) plates and fourteen (14) screws in my right leg that held my Tib/Fib together while it healed. I spent four (4) months recovering and postwhoring before jumping again, I talked with my orthopedic surgeon everytime I saw him about my leg, its new hardware and the effects/consequences of my returning to skydiving could have upon it. Bottom line from the Doc was let it heal, do your rehab, return to skydiving. He did say that if the hardware for some reason really bothered me he would take it out in a year. Its been just over a year and it ain't a bother so why take the risk of more surgery if it ain't absolutely nessecary? ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414 Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakyflygirl 0 #22 September 10, 2003 I had 2 plates and 12 screws in my tib/fib and my ortho said there was no worries about jumping. However, I did end up getting all of the metal out due to other issues and I'm glad I did. Feels so much better now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymick 0 #23 September 13, 2003 Sorry to bump this up, but I thought of another possible problem...terminal reserve openings. If my back is good enough to survice standard opening shock will it be ok for a terminal resever deployment. I dont want to jump again, have a high speed mal then to be chicken to dump out my reserve cause im too scared of hurting my back Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
