Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Foot-Launched Flying Injuries

Hang Gliding, Paragliding, Powered Paragliding, and Powered Hang Gliding

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Extreme Sports Medicine

  • 2872 Accesses

Abstract

The term foot-launched flying covers a number of sports, including hang gliding, paragliding, powered paragliding, and powered hang-gliding. The medical literature on injuries in these sports is scarce and fragmented, and these activities are often generically grouped together despite their differences in types of flight, equipment, and conditions of practice. Instead, these sports should probably be considered as sharply distinct due to their different injury dynamics and patterns. Most of the injury events in powered paragliding occur during takeoff, while in paragliding and hang-gliding they mainly occur during landing. In motorized sports, weather conditions seem to be implicated less often as a cause of incidents. Rather the engine and its thrust may be their primary cause, or may aggravate the outcome. In hang-gliding, the pilot stays in a prone position, while in paragliding the harness offers support in both standing and sitting positions. As a result, injuries to the head, the upper limbs, and cervical spine are more common in hang-gliding, while injuries to the ankle and thoracolumbar spine are more common in paragliding. Serious hand lesions caused by contact with the engine prop are specific to powered paragliding, while the head and face seem frequently affected by injuries in powered hang-gliding. These differences lead experts to believe that foot-launched flying sports should be considered separately in future studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Feletti F, Aliverti A, Henjum M, Tarabini M, Brymer E. Incidents and injuries in foot launched flying extreme sports: a snap shot from the UK. [Under consideration for publication].

    Google Scholar 

  2. British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. http://www.bhpa.co.uk/sport/hang_glider. Accessed Mar 2015.

  3. Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. http://www.fai.org/record-hang-gliding-and-paragliding. Accessed Mar 2015.

  4. Yuill GM. Icarus’s syndrome: new hazards of flight. BMJ. 1977;1:823–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Reymond MA, De Gottrau P, Fournier PE, Arnold T, Jacomet H, Rigo M. Traumatology in hang-gliding accidents. Studies based on 100 cases. Chirurg. 1988;59(11):777–81.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Rekand T. The epidemiology of injury in hang-gliding and paragliding. Med Sport Sci. 2012;58:44–56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Johns T. Hang gliding accident summary. 2003. http://www.ushpa.aero/safety.asp. Accessed Mar 2015.

  8. Gregor J, Vant-Hull B. Summary of Non-fatal hang gliding accidents. 2004. http://www.ushpa.aero/safety/HG2004AccidentSummary.pdf. Accessed Mar 2015.

  9. Gregor J. Hang gliding accident summaries. 2005. http://www.ushpa.aero/safety/HG2005AccidentSummary.pdf. Accessed Mar 2015.

  10. Gregor J, Dickert B. Accident summaries. 2007. http://www.ushpa.aero/safety/HG2007AccidentSummary.pdf Accessed Mar 2015.

  11. The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. Hang gliding and paragliding fatalities January 2013 through July 2013. http://www.ushpa.aero/safety/fatality_report_2013.pdf. Accessed Mar 2015.

  12. Bell M. Hang- gliding injuries. Injury. 1978;8:148–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Davidson CS. Hang- gliding injuries. N C Med J. 1983;44:439–40.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Mang WR, Karpt PM. Injuries from hang- gliding (Article in German). Fortschr Med. 1977;95(1575):1578–9.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Krissoff WB, Eisenman B. Injuries associated with hang- gliding. JAMA. 1975;233:158–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Krissoff WB. Follow- up on hang- gliding injuries in Colorado. Am J Sports Med. 1976;4:222–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Tongue JR. Hang- gliding injuries in California. J Trauma. 1977;17:898–902.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Van Doorn RR, De Voogt AJ. Glider incidents: an analysis of 143 cases: 2001–2005. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2007;78(1):26–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Ast FW, Kernbach-Wighton G, Kampmann H, Koops E, Püschel K, Tröger HD, et al. Fatal aviation accidents in Lower Saxony from 1979 to 1996. Forensic Sci Int. 2001;119(1):68–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Schulze W, Richter J, Schulze B, Esenwein SA, Büttner-Janz K. Injury prophylaxis in paragliding. Br J Sports Med. 2002;36:365–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Zeller T, Billing A, Lob G. Injuries in paragliding. Int Orthop. 1992;16:255–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Schmitt H, Gerner HJ. Paralysis from sport and diving accidents. Clin J Sport Med. 2001;11(1):17–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Christey GR. Serious parasport injuries in Auckland. New Zealand Emerg Med Australas. 2005;17(2):163–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Krüger-Franke M, Siebert CH, Pförringer W. Paragliding injuries. Br J Sports Med. 1991;25:98–101.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Hasler R, Hüttner HE, Keel MJB, Durrer B, Zimmermann H, Exadaktylos AS, et al. Spinal and pelvis injuries in airborne sports: a retrospective analysis from a major Swiss Trauma Centre. Injury. 2012;43:440–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Gauler R, Moulin P, Koch H, Wick L, Sauter B, Michel D, et al. Paragliding accidents with spinal cord injury: 10 years’ experience at a single institution. Spine. 1996;31:1125–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Magerl F, Aebi M, Gertzbein SD, Harms J, Nazarian S. A comprehensive classification of thoracic and lumbar injuries. Eur Spine J. 1994;3(4):184–201.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Rekand T, Schaanning EE, Varga V, Schattel U, Gronning M. Spinal cord injuries among paragliders in Norway. Spinal Cord. 2008;46(6):412–6. doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3102158. Epub 2008 Jan 8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Roy-Camille R, Saillant G, Gagna G, Mazel C. Transverse fracture of the upper sacrum Suicidal jumper’s fracture. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1985;10(9):838–45.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Fasching G, Schippinger G, Pretscher R. Paragliding accidents in remote areas. Wilderness Environ Med. 1997;8:129–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Bohnsack M, Schröter E. Injury patterns and typical stress situations in paragliding. [Article in German]. Orthopade. 2005;34(5):411–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Feletti F, Goin J. Accidents and injuries related to powered paragliding: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2014;4:e005508. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005508.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Laver L, Mei Dan O. Paragliding injuries. In: Mei Dan O, Carmont MR, editor. Adventure and extreme sports injuries. London: Springer – Verlag; 2013. Schneider S, Abein V, Askew CD, et al. Changes in cerebral oxygenation during parabolic flight. Eur J Appl Physiol 2013;113:1617–23.

    Google Scholar 

  34. USPPA – United States Powered Paragliding Association. http://www.usppamembers.org. Accessed Mar 2015.

  35. Feletti F. Multiple injuries in paramotoring: a case report to assess this sport’s risks. Am J Sports Sci. 2013;1(1):7–11. doi:10.11648/j.ajss.20130101.12.

  36. Kumar S, Herbst B, Strickland D. Experimental biomechanical study of head injuries in lateral falls with skateboard helmet. Biomed Sci Instrum. 2012;48:239–45.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. McIntosh AS, Andersen TE, Bahr R, Greenwald G, Kleiven S, Turner M, et al. Sports helmets now and in the future. Br J Sports Med. 2011;45:1258–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Local Health Trust of Romagna, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, S. Maria delle Croci Hospital, Ravenna, Italy

    Francesco Feletti

  2. Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy

    Francesco Feletti

  3. B.S. Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, USA

    Jeff Goin

  4. U.S. Powered Paragliding Association, Dover, DE, USA

    Jeff Goin

  5. Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

    Tina Rekand

Authors
  1. Francesco Feletti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jeff Goin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tina Rekand
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francesco Feletti .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Local Health Trust of Romagna Department of Diagnostic Imaging, S. Maria delle Croci Hospital, Ravenna, Italy

    Francesco Feletti

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Feletti, F., Goin, J., Rekand, T. (2017). Foot-Launched Flying Injuries. In: Feletti, F. (eds) Extreme Sports Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28265-7_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28265-7_17

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28263-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28265-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation