Skydiving after breaking your back?

August 22, 2017 3:53 PM

If you have broken your back in the past and then, years later, gone skydiving, I would love to know how your experience was. My doctor is saying neither yes nor no. I had a compression fracture of my T-12 21 years ago. I still experience some pain. I'm not asking whether or not I should do this or not--rather, I would love to hear from anyone who has had a similar injury and went on to do a tandem jump. How did it go for you?
posted by sugarbomb to Health & Fitness (1 answer total)

I have skydived tandem (once) with a fusion at L4-L5 and one at C6-C7-C8. Not sure if that is in any way equivalent to haven broken my back. The dive took place about 20 years after the Lumbar fusion and about 4 years after the neck one. Landing was jarring, but I felt no different than when I get checked into the boards hard while playing hockey. I was a little sore the next day, but not much. I am not sure I would jump again, but that has nothing to do with my back. I am very very happy I did it once.
posted by AugustWest at 4:47 PM on August 22, 2017