Citation

Kragh JF, Taylor DC. Mil. Med. 1995; 160(6): 277-279.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, GA 30905, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7659222

Abstract

Fast-roping is a modified rappelling technique used by civilian and military special operations forces that frequently produces injuries. Highly classified until recently, fast-roping is poorly understood from a medical perspective. This paper presents a brief description of fast-roping and a retrospective survey of the types of fast-roping injuries sustained in a U.S. Army Ranger battalion. Injuries are similar to parachute landing fall injuries, but show a greater propensity for ankle injuries (30% of all injuries). The mechanisms of injury include landing injuries after a controlled descent and falls from a great height when an individual loses control of the rope.

Language: en