Injuries and factors determining their occurrence in paratroopers of airborne forces

The purpose of this study was to determine the type and incidence of injuries among airborne forces paratroopers, and also to analyze the factors that determine the probability of suffering injuries while parachuting. 165 soldiers in active service, from the 6th Airborne Brigade in Cracow, participated in the study. The survey was carried out via the author’s questionnaire. 32.72% of the examined soldiers were injured during the parachute jump. Crude injury incidence was calculated as 27.86/10,000 jumps. In terms of types of injuries, the frequency of their occurrence was as follows: sprains (34%), fractures (17%), muscle strains (13%), complete muscle ruptures (8%), partial muscle ruptures (8%), dislocations (6%), and others. The most common locations of the injuries were: the ankle joint (31%), the knee joint (24%) and the spine (18%). The most injuries (83%) happened during the landing phase of the parachute jump. The factors that increase the risk of injury during parachute jumps were as follows: higher body weight, older age, longer time of parachuting and serving in the Airborne Forces, greater number of parachute jumps. The most common reason for injury during parachuting was parachutist error.