ncidence and anatomic location of fractures resulting from static line parachuting in the Greek Army Forces: A retrospective study

Abstract

Military static line parachuting (SLP) is one of the main activities performed in Hellenic Armed Forces. A static line is a cord attached between the aircraft and the jumper’s Deployment Bag (D-Bag), which contains the canopy. As the parachutist falls from the aircraft the static line becomes tight and pulls the D-Bag out of the container on the jumper’s back. The static line and D-Bag stay with the aircraft as the jumper goes down, and is pulled back into the aircraft by the dispatcher. Without its D-Bag, the canopy should distend as the jumper continues to descend. Actually, the jumper drags the parachute placed on his back, so the canopy is forced to open and inflate by the wind. However, given the difficulty of the task, it may be accompanied by several injuries. Patients suffering injuries from parachuting are a significant burden for military hospitals. Indeed, many of them require surgical treatment, lengthy rehabilitation and may face future disability. To our knowledge, this is the first retrospective study of this kind , which has ever been conducted at a national level in the Greek Military. Our purpose was to study the incidence of fractures after SLP and also to assess their anatomical distribution, in comparison with other studies and to assist in improving the safety of parachuting, in accordance with the protective equipment proposed by international literature.