Military parachuting injuries: a literature review

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.