Biomechanical analysis of Bungee jumping

Abstract

Bungee jumping je naziv za skakanje sa mostova ili platformi kranova visine 50 – 120 metara, pri čemu su noge skakača osigurane elastičnim užetom. Bungee jumping je od svog početka u 1980-im godinama vrlo brzo postao vrlo popularan te se do danas preko milijun ljudi okušalo u tom ekstremnom sportu. Kroz sazrijevanje sporta razvili su se mnogi sigurnosni standardi i preporuke kako bi se smanjio broj ozljeda i nesreća. Danas su nesreće vrlo rijetke, ali lakše ozljede i poremećaji javljaju se u gotovo 50% skakača. Na vjerojatnost ozljeda skakača utječe mnogo faktora,a kao glavne mogu se definirati fizička sprema skakača te duljina slobodnog pada i krutost korištenog užeta, odnosno maksimalno ubrzanje koje djeluje na tijelo skakača. U ovom radu su uspoređeni rezultati produljenja užeta, brzine, ubrzanja te opterećenja koja djeluju na ispitanika kod užeta različitih krutosti za ispitanike različitih masa tijela. Također uspoređeni su dobiveni rezultati sa sigurnosnim naputcima za maksimalna ubrzanja i navedene su najčešće ozljede prilikom Bungee jumpinga.Bungee jumping is a name for jumping of bridges or cranes 50-120 meters heigh, with jumpers´ legs secured with an elastic rope. Bungee jumping has become very popular since its inception in the 1980s, and to date, over a milion people have tried this extreme sport. As the sport matured, many safety standards and recommendations were developed to reduce the number of injuries and accidents. Accidends are very rear these days, but minor injuries and disorders occur in nearly 50% of jumpers. The likelihood of a jumper injury is influenced by many factors, the main ones being defined as physical fitness of the jumper, the lenght of free fall and the stiffness of the rope used, with the last two factors determining the maximum acceleration experienced by the jumper. This paper compares the results of rope elongation, velocity, acceleration, and load experienced by the subject depending on rope stiffness and subjects body mass. The results are compared with safety recommendations for maximum acceleration and the most common injuries are discussed