How to Survive a Long Fall

Can someone jump from the Empire State building and survive? Not likely, but if you somehow find yourself in a freefall, there are a few things that can help your chances of survival. Here are some suggestions to help you survive a long fall.

Instructions

• 1

  Do not panic. Try to relax your muscles, which will lessen the impact of your fall. Studies have shown that people who fall from a height while drunk or trying to commit suicide experience less severe internal injuries than people who are tense. One way to stay calm is to focus on the steps to assist in your survival.

• 2

  Bend your knees. The more limp you can be, the less impact the fall will have on your bones. Being rigid will only increase your chances of breaking bones.

• 3

  Try to land feet first. Breaking both your legs is better than cracking your skull. Try to keep both of your feet together, and land with both at the same time. Point your toes to the ground to help you land on the balls of your feet. This will help your lower body to absorb most of the fall.

• 4

  Protect your head. Lace your fingers behind your head with your elbows pointing forward. We do not wear helmets all of the time, but in a pinch this is the next best thing. Once you hit the ground, try to curl into a ball and roll.

• 5

  Try to control your bounce. Most people who survive an initial fall to the ground actually suffer worse injuries after the bounce. If you are able to control how you fall in the bounce, try to land on your back or side, which results in less severe complications than landing on your stomach or head.

• 6

  Get medical attention right away. You may seem like a stuntman for surviving that fall, but you could have internal injuries that need to be treated immediately, such as ruptured organs or internal bleeding.