A study of the influence of body weight and height on military parachute landing injuries

Mil Med. 1990 Aug;155(8):383-5.

Abstract

The weights and heights of 1,880 male military parachutists were recorded, and landing injury rates were calculated according to the weights and heights of the jumpers. Only the weight significantly influenced the injury rate. The set of data (weight, injury rate) are best fitted with a parabola of the form: y = 43.14 - 1.22x + 0.01x2. The concept of the maximal operating weight of a parachute is discussed with its implications for medical standards and for jumps with extra equipment.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aerospace Medicine*
  • Aviation*
  • Body Height*
  • Body Weight*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Military Personnel
  • Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology*