Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
08:21
Non-invasive Assessments of Subjective and Objective Recovery Characteristics Following an Exhaustive Jump Protocol
Published on: June 8, 2017
After the fall: symptoms in bungee jumpers.
C C Young1, W G Raasch, M D Boynton
1Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
The Physician and Sportsmedicine
|January 21, 2010
Summary
Bungee jumping can cause minor medical issues, with dizziness being the most frequent symptom reported by participants. Most symptoms resolved quickly after the jump.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Traumatology
- Public Health
Background:
- Bungee jumping is a popular recreational activity with potential health risks.
- Understanding the types and frequency of injuries is crucial for safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the incidence and nature of medical complaints following bungee jumping.
- To identify the most common symptoms and their duration.
Main Methods:
- A survey was conducted on 100 professionally supervised bungee jumpers.
- Participants used an ankle harness for a single jump from a platform.
- Medical complaints and symptoms were recorded post-jump.
Main Results:
- 42 out of 100 jumpers reported 59 minor medical complaints.
- Dizziness was the most common symptom, followed by musculoskeletal pain.
- Neurologic complaints were more frequent than musculoskeletal symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Bungee jumping is associated with a significant rate of minor medical complaints.
- Neurologic symptoms, particularly dizziness, are prevalent.
- Most complaints are minor and resolve within a week.
Related Concept Videos
01:05Free-falling Bodies: Example
An object falling without any air resistance under the influence of gravitational force is said to be in free-fall. For free-falling bodies, the acceleration due to gravity is constant, irrespective of their mass. Free-fall is experienced not only by objects falling downward, but also by all objects whose motion is influenced by gravitational force alone. The dynamics of free-fall motion can be calculated using kinematic equations of motion, since free-fall acceleration is constant.
The...
The...
01:15REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...
RBD is significantly associated with...
01:01Weightlessness
When an object is dropped, it accelerates toward the center of the Earth. If the net external force on the object is its weight, it is said to be in free fall; that is, the only force acting on the object is gravity. Galileo was instrumental in showing that, in the absence of air resistance, all objects fall with the same acceleration g. However, when objects on the Earth fall downward, they are never truly in free fall, because there is always some upward resistance force from the air acting...
01:07Free-falling Bodies: Introduction
All objects, neglecting air resistance, fall with the same acceleration towards the Earth's center due to the force exerted by the Earth's gravity. This experimentally determined fact is unexpected because we are so accustomed to the effects of air resistance and friction that we expect light objects to fall slower than heavier ones. People believed that a heavier object had a greater acceleration when falling until Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) proved otherwise. We now know this is not the case.
01:29Pulmonary Embolism I: Introduction
Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a thrombus, fat or air embolus, amniotic fluid, or tumor tissue blocks one or more pulmonary arteries. These blockages originate in the venous system or the right side of the heart.EtiologyPE primarily arises from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other hypercoagulable states, such as inherited thrombophilias. Additional etiological factors include venous stasis, commonly seen in obesity, and endothelial injury from surgery and trauma. Less common causes include...
01:26Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations
Heart failure (HF) manifests primarily as dyspnea, fatigue, and fluid retention, resulting in peripheral and pulmonary edema. Symptoms may vary depending on which ventricle is more affected, left or right.Left-Sided Heart FailureAlso known as left ventricular failure, this condition results from the left ventricle's inability to fill or eject sufficient blood into the systemic circulation. It leads to pulmonary congestion, which occurs when the left ventricle fails to eject blood effectively...