Skydiving is a truly exhilarating experience, something that provides you with an unparalleled sense of freedom as you soar through the skies at breakneck speeds. That said, this is an extreme sport, and it might not be suitable for everybody.
Although skydiving might be something you’re interested in, realize that not everybody will enjoy it, and there are certain people who may want to avoid it.
Therefore, understanding who should avoid skydiving is essential not only for your safety, but also for your enjoyment. Let’s take a closer look at 10 different types of people who might not want to jump out of a plane with a piece of nylon strapped to their back.
1. People with an Acrophobia – A Fear of Heights
Needless to say, if you have a fear of heights, otherwise known as acrophobia, you might not want to go skydiving.
After all, skydiving involves jumping out of an airplane at several thousand feet. If you suffer from acrophobia, you might end up feeling disoriented, panicking, and suffering from intense anxiety while plummeting towards the ground.
The worst-case scenario here is that you completely forget to follow the instructions you were given before you started your descent, which may increase your risk of accidents. People with a severe fear of heights should avoid skydiving at all costs.
2. People with Cardiovascular Health Issues
There is a certain risk posed to people who have cardiovascular health issues. If you’re already suffering from any kind of circulatory condition, heart condition, or high blood pressure, you might want to think twice about going skydiving.
The simple reality is that skydiving can cause stress and increase blood pressure, which can be very detrimental if you already have cardiovascular health problems. There’s no doubt about the fact that jumping out of an airplane can be extremely scary.
Although skydiving might be a lot of fun for some people, it may also be really stressful for others, and all of that stress can lead to severe health episodes, such as strokes or heart attacks, especially while in the middle of skydiving.
3. People Who Are Pregnant
If you happen to be pregnant, then skydiving is probably not something you’ll want to do. Although nobody assumes that you’ll crash into the ground along with your unborn child, the reality is that those high levels of stress, as well as changes in altitude and speed, can be harmful to both the child and the mother.
Going skydiving while pregnant can certainly lead to various complications during the pregnancy, particularly related to stress, and in severe cases, physical trauma. Mothers who are currently expecting a child should in no way risk themselves or their unborn child by skydiving. This is something that you can do after your child has been born.
4. People Who Are Overweight
For those who don’t know, there are weight limits for skydiving, which is due to safety reasons, not to be discriminatory. The fact of the matter is that parachute equipment can only handle so much weight safely, and it means that people who exceed weight limits should not go skydiving.
In fact, if you show up at a skydiving center and you are clearly overweight, the operators should not allow you to go on the adventure. Not only do you have to consider the limitations of the parachuting equipment, but your own physical fitness as well.
If you’re very heavy, you may have limited physical capabilities and mobility, which can lead to you being unable to control your body during the free fall and landing, which in severe cases can lead to injury or worse. Being fit and healthy is for your own safety as far as skydiving is concerned.
5. People with Back or Neck Injuries
We all know just how debilitating and painful existing back and neck injuries can be. They can put a real damper on our everyday lives, and skydiving is certainly included there. When you jump out of a plane, and when the parachute is deployed, these actions exert extreme forces on your body.
If you already have an injured or weakened back or neck, those jolts can wreak havoc on you. Any injuries may be worsened, and at the very least, you’re likely to experience severe pain. If you’re already injured, you’re better off treating the injury and healing it before engaging in something like skydiving.
6. People Who Recently Underwent Surgery
Next on the list of people who should probably not go skydiving are those who have had recent surgery. Once again, skydiving can be an extremely stressful activity, both mentally and physically.
If you underwent internal repairs or still had surgical wounds that are in the process of healing, the extreme forces exerted on your body during skydiving may hinder progress or even worsen your condition.
Physical exertion, pressure changes, and strong jolts created when the parachute opens may lead to internal bleeding, the reopening of wounds, and other complications. Therefore, if you’ve recently experienced surgery, it’s best to consult your physician before doing something as extreme as skydiving.
7. People Who Just Ate a Lot of Food
Okay, so as far as people who should avoid skydiving are concerned, people who just ate a lot of food are of course lower down on the list. It’s not nearly as bad to go skydiving with a full stomach as it is just after undergoing major surgery.
With that being said, due to the mental and physical stress of skydiving, the jolts experienced when the parachute opens, and the intense physical sensations of the jump itself, skydiving with a full stomach might not be your best bet.
Both the stress and the feeling of the freefall can certainly upset your stomach, which in many cases can lead to vomiting. Not only is this unpleasant, but may also be hazardous. You should never eat a large meal before skydiving.
8. People Who Are Under the Influence
You also certainly do not want to go skydiving if you are under the influence of any kind of drugs or alcohol. What it comes down to is that reaction times, coordination, judgment, and more are all greatly impaired by a number of drugs and alcohol.
Although skydiving is technically relatively safe, any kind of mental impairment can pose a big risk to you.
Drugs may also cause disorientation during the jump and in many cases exaggerate the body’s response to adrenaline. Skydiving is something that should only be done with a clear and sober mind.
9. Children
Although it’s not like most skydiving areas will allow children and toddlers to jump, the reality is that anyone who is not an adult should not go skydiving.
Children don’t understand all of the risks of skydiving, they likely won’t be able to follow all of the safety instructions, and will most likely be terrified as well.
At the very least, children probably won’t enjoy skydiving, and in the worst-case scenario, something may go terribly wrong. There’s a good reason why skydiving locations have strict age, size, and height requirements, because safety is always paramount.
10. People with a Fear of Flying
Although the main aspect of skydiving is jumping out of an airplane, you also need to feel comfortable riding inside of an airplane. After all, you need to fly in an airplane to get up to the required height to go skydiving.
If you already have anxiety, fear, or even panic attacks when flying in an airplane, then you can just imagine how he might feel jumping out of that same airplane.
Most people who are afraid of airplanes are afraid of the airplane plummeting towards the ground, which is essentially what you do during the first part of skydiving. If you have a fear of flying, this is something you’ll need to overcome before you go skydiving.
Can A Skydiving Company Deny Me from Going?
Skydiving companies are private entities, and this means that they are well within their rights to refuse to serve anyone that they deem unfit for the jump.
Although skydiving companies are not allowed to discriminate based on various factors such as gender, religion, or ethnicity, they can certainly make judgment calls if a person is too young, not large enough to safely use the equipment, impaired, under the influence, or not deemed to be healthy enough to make the jump.
These decisions must absolutely be respected, because skydiving companies only do so to ensure the safety of all people.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line here is that skydiving is one of the most exhilarating adventures that you could ever take, but it’s not without its risks. Furthermore, it is of course an adrenaline pumping experience, something that may cause a lot of stress for some people.
If you’re an extremely anxious person who is afraid of heights or airplanes, or you’re suffering from some kind of physical condition that may create safety issues, skydiving may not be right for you. However, if you feel confident that you will be safe and feel comfortable when skydiving, then it’s certainly something we recommend trying.
Read who shouldn’t do these extreme activities either:
- 10 People Who Should NOT Do Bungee Jumping
- 10 People Who Should NOT Go Ziplining
- 10 People Who Should NOT Go Skiing
Jamie is the founder of Action Sporter. He is the chief zipline writer and the lead editor. He has 5 years of zipline experience being a tour guide in Newfoundland. Most of the time you can find Jamie adventure traveling, hiking, skiing, skateboarding, or anything action related!