Dear Doctor,?
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I am 24 years old and I am involved in a number of active and extreme sports. I have not had any problems with my back up until now but I have been adviced not to do certain sports and I wanted to know the reason for this.?
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My friend has informed me that bungee jumping is very bad for the back and I wanted to know first and foremost why? As the same person was informed by her doctor that skydiving there was not as much risk. Is this true? ?
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So the main question is this. Are skydiving and bungee Jumping bad for my back and is one worse than the other and why??
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Thank you for reading my question and also for answering it.?

Dr.Sinuhe Answers:

Owing to the nature of the sport, bungee jumping - just as any other high-impact sport - does involve considerable forces on your spine. These forces include, for example, acceleration maxima and vertical forces, which have somewhat different effects on different parts of your spine. Furthermore, these forces vary considerably according to the distance dropped and the tensile strength of the cord/rope. However, if your spine is otherwise healthy, these forces are usually no problem. The reported injuries and deaths are fortunately rare and most often occur when the jumper gets entangled with the bungee cord. On the other hand, your existing spine problem (if you have one) may be worsened by a bungee jump, if you get unlucky.

Skydiving, properly done, does not in itself harm a healthy back. However, snap openings (rapid development of the chute) and hard landings do happen from time to time, and serious back injuries have occurred, including vertebral fractures. Skydiving is not recommended if you have a previous history of back problems. None of these sports are without risk, but whether the risks are acceptable, is up to the individual to decide.

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