Upper Limb Traumatic Accidents among French Paratroopers . A Review of 266 Accidents which Occurred at the Paratrooper School between 2000 and 2007

Military parachuting has been used to drop troops into remote and hazardous areas since World War II. Military static line parachuting is a method by which large numbers of troops can be effectively dropped into otherwise inaccessible battlef ields. Unlike civilian skydivers who jump for fun, military free fall jumpers use their equipment simply as a means to reach the objective of their missions (recon or extraction). The technical diff iculties are greater and previous parachuting experience is required. Military parachuting is more dangerous than any other military activity (1) thus it can be used as a marker to identify significant additional risks L. BERTRAND, captain Health Service French Army. J. FACIONE captain, Health Service French Army. J.-J. CHAPUS, colonel, Health Service French Army. D. LAGAUCHE, colonel Health Service French Army. Correspondance : Captain L. Bertrand, The medical centre of the 113th Air Force Base, Base aérienne 113 – 52113 Saint Dizier Air, France. E-mail : madamebertrand@hotmail.com Upper Limb Traumatic Accidents among French Paratroopers. A Review of 266 Accidents which Occurred at the Paratrooper School between 2000 and 2007