This article is a literature review of the aspects of military parachuting
related to occupational medicine and focuses on 'conventional' military sta
tic line parachuting using a round parachute. The analysis of injuries resu
lting from military parachuting provide an excellent example of military oc
cupational medicine practice. The techniques of military parachuting are de
scribed in order to illustrate the potential mechanisms of injury, and a nu
mber of 'classical' parachuting injuries are described. Finally some recomm
endations are made for the recording of parachute injuries which would assi
st in the international comparison of injury rates and anatomical distribut
ion.