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Just wanted to get some feedback from other jumpers who have broken their backs. I broke L2 last monday at our local E, losing about 20% of it. Was in ICU for 4 days and was released after 5. No surgery as of yet, just having to wear a super sexy turtle shell looking brace. I used a walker the first two days out, and now im able to walk on my own short distances(few hundred feet or so). Recovery time they say is 10 weeks to 6 months. So im curious to hear from others what your recovery time was, and if you still jump or not. I dont want to quit as of yet, but the doctors did say another hard landing might paralize me, so I might have to hang it up. Any input would be greatly appreciated! Jake

I suffered compression fracture of t-12 about 8 years ago, jumped a 45' cliff into 5' of water - I was in hospital a few days, then in similar terminator-style back brace for 3 months. I was college athlete at the time, so was in really good shape (doctors said muscle mass in my back was only thing that kept my spinal column from snapping in half). By the end of the 3 months, i was working construction, siding houses, and used to strap my toolbelt to the backbrace so i could work. I got back to working out within 8 months, and was good as new. I have no real problems now, but i have to stay in shape, otherwise i feel it in my back.

I compression fractured C2 and C4 last fall. If I get lazy and don't stretch my back, I can really feel it. It hasn't stopped me from jumping, but it's made me a more conservative jumper.

Still ache most days...
in physio from next week....
not stopped from skydives, altho9ugh i do pack slightly differetly,

SUCK IT IN!!!

Do listen to the docs though, i had the same warning, and gave up everything stupid for 4 months, i'm about 45% now

keep safe

Burst fracture t7; looks like a pancake wedge(lost about 1/2" of height) Took a year off. Jumped on the anniversary date of going in; line stretch. I still jump; More conservative now and don't risk doing any low pulls anymore. I would say that I feel it when my back gets tired, so stretching ever day and some type of strength training is very important to keep yourself from feeling that achy type of constant pain.

Once you heal up enough to do it... YOGA!!!

I had major residual pains in my back a year after my accident (2 compressed vertebrae). Then I started going to Bikram's (hot) Yoga regularly and within 2 weeks. No Pain! really.

Doctor's are dumb. They'd have you living in a padded room eating pills for the rest of your life if they could.

+1

while I haven't broken my back yet, it has complained and acted up. regular yoga does wonders.

Compression fractured L1. Did my first jump after the accident 13 weeks later (12 weeks with a brace as well). The hiking and the openings are no problem at all. what really sucks is packing. 1 packjob and my back hurts for at least 3 days...
I'm much more relaxed on my approach towards jumping now. While I tried to do as much jumps as possible before the accident I now focus on quality rather than quantity.

Jake44,

I had compression and burst fractures of L1, L2, and L3 - with all pedicles broken off as well. My back injury was somewhat complicated by a crushed heel and 3 broken ribs, so I was in bad shape.

Like you, I did not have surgery, but instead wore some aluminum scaffolding. I was in the scaffolding for 4 months, the last month of which I was able to walk without crutches, and where therapy began.

Less than 6 months after the accident, I was back in the air. And since the accident, I've done long-course triathlons, marathons, mountain bike races, backcountry skiing, and all that stuff my Mom hates.

I think there were two key elements to my good recovery (insofar as the variables I controlled were concerned): First, no matter what, push hard in therapy. Don't overdo it, but realize that the pain and suffering are an investment in your future quality of life. Second, simply accept the fact that core strength and stretching are parts of your daily life. Do yoga or pilates and stretch EVERY DAY. Keeping your core strong and pliable helps remove the somewhat-fragile skeletal components from the equation.

Good luck, sir! I wish you a speedy recovery.

~ topher

Not much to add to the above except that when I got out of the hospital, my doctor told me that the people he sees back again and again are the ones who decided to lie around for months after an injury. Don't be stupid, but if you can walk a hundred feet, do that several times a day. Once you can walk a mile, do that lots. Build back the muscles in your back, and keep them strong. See a sports physio if that helps. Eat well, at least until you're done recovering.

And as for the jumping, lay off that for a bit -- hard openings can't possibly help recovery. Anyway, the objects will still be there when you're fully recovered, and until then I think it's a little silly to worry to much about what you will decide.

I had a 15% compression of my T9 a few years ago. All is good now. Still doing the same things I always did. Funny thing is, the more I sit around and do nothing the more sore and tight my back gets but the more I ski and mountain bike, the better it feels. I still need to stretch it often to keep it feeling good, but other than that I've got no issues. Yoga has done wonders for me too.
I was fairly immobile for about two weeks after my accident, then I got up and did a bunch of walking around town, then after six weeks I was back on the bike and after about six months I was pretty much good as new. Don't let it slow you down or set you back!

Haters: feel free to ridicule

First and foremost, hope you heal completely!!

I have not broke my back but I have broken
3 bones at once including a femur PLUS I did
live with and provide physical assistance for
someone who broke their back permanently.

Definitely give jumping a break till you are
mended. Being paralyzed is serious shit!

Everything else people said about keeping your
body weight down, stretching, etc. I agree with!

Only thing to add --- it is well document that a
person can speed and improve their recovery IF
they do mental exercises or visualization along
with their rehab.

I was in the hospital for 3 weeks and one of my
training buddies brought me the book below which
has a great story about a guy who smashed his
hand into pieces and was able to accelerate its
mending through nightly visualization.

Zen in the Martial Arts

So in your case before bed & whenever bored
or idle visualize warm, white light going up
and down your spine like the light inside of a
photo copier with each pass you think energy
is being absorbed. This is a really simple
image that can be expanded to more & more
complex scenarios. Feel free to PM me.

A Related Link I Found

Please Note: I am NOT advocating anyone pay
money for this, instead I am simply offering a
humble suggestion based on what I read and
what has worked for me.

Good advice. While you're at it, give this lady a call.. she did wonders for me!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Cleo

P.S. Anyone else notice that in the past few days BLiNC has seemingly had more traffic and posts than BJ.com? And they tend to be relevant, too.... hmmmm....

edit: Not to imply that your post wasn't relevant, Tom. It's just that once I got to the part about visualizing white light, it irreversibly crossed into the open field for ball busting. Even if it was proven in a double-blind study by Hellen Keller herself.

Ghetto, you are right, there have been
more posts lately on BLiNC than on BJ.

And yes, you are free to bust balls
But for the hell of it think of this:

Last time you were in an elevator (not on an A)
did it bother you? Yeah, me neither, but people
who are really catastrophic freak out. They are
not faking it.

Ever had a wet dream, yes, of course, all guys
have them during puberty. Was your dick faking?

Miss Cleo is a fucking fake, our minds affect on
our bodies, totally real and always in full affect
even if we are un-aware of it.

Lastly, you going to BD?

The REAL BASE Jumpers are hangin' at Blinc again.

word on the street.