Broken neck?

Stormhawk

Angry Bunny Girl
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
1,191
Reaction score
117
Location
In my head.
Website
www.requirecookie.com
I'm just wondering how far you have to fall to break your neck and die.

This is the scenario: Man A is standing with his hands stretched above his hands and Woman B is doing a hand stand on his palms (kind like circus trickery/Cirque du Soleil stuff). I'm just wondering if he takes a step back, or they're unbalanced for whatever reason, if she falls and lands on her head, if that would be enough to kill her.

(He's six feet, standing, plus whatever reach his hands would have above his head).
 

JadeVarden

Registered
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Messages
36
Reaction score
1
Location
Louisville, KY
Yes she could absolutely die if she falls the wrong way on her neck. Even a fall from a short distance can be fatal.
 

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
7,485
Reaction score
897
Location
Belfast
Yes she could absolutely die if she falls the wrong way on her neck. Even a fall from a short distance can be fatal.


This.

It's all about how you land, rather than how far you fall. And bear in mind that just because you break your neck it doesn't mean you will die. Some people can break their neck and not realise - this is actually more dangerous as you can do serious damage.
 

Stormhawk

Angry Bunny Girl
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
1,191
Reaction score
117
Location
In my head.
Website
www.requirecookie.com
Oh, I know they're not all fatal, I just needed to know if it *could* be fatal, so that I'm not operating entirely outside the realm of logic.

My back up plan was to have him accidentally stab her. >_>
 

French Maiden

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
1,368
Reaction score
122
Location
Western Australia
It's how you land, where the break is.
My brother was in a car accident (I know different scenario) broke his neck at C2 and is 100% mine can walk etc.

It all depends where the break is, how severe it is, angle at which they fall etc.
 

mirandashell

Banned
Joined
Feb 7, 2010
Messages
16,197
Reaction score
1,889
Location
England
If she falls on to the top of her head, neck compression could be fatal, couldn't it?

Or if she falls straight down but her chin goes down onto her chest, she would hit more towards the back of her head and that could well snap her spinal cord.
 

melindamusil

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 6, 2012
Messages
743
Reaction score
65
It is ALL in how you land, as the other posters have said. You could fall from a standing position and break your neck (or hip/leg/arm), but there's also stories of people falling from several stories up and walking away with just a few scratches.

Plus another thing to consider is the state of the falling body - i.e. Grandma who has osteoporosis is more likely to break a bone than her elite athletic grandson. There are a variety of other possibilities besides osteoporosis that can affect younger people - if your "woman b" is a gymnast, maybe she isn't eating enough and has vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Or maybe she just has a mild/undiagnosed genetic disease. Lotsa possibilities.
 

Bri Perkins

Sockpuppet
Banned
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Messages
91
Reaction score
2
Even from a short distance, you can break your neck if you land at the right - or should I say, wrong - angle.
 

Hankleton

Registered
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
35
Reaction score
2
Exactly. Think about diving into a shallow pool. Might only be 4 foot or so deep, but if you the wrong way it can be fatal.
 

blacbird

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
36,987
Reaction score
6,158
Location
The right earlobe of North America
An Arena Football League player died on the field from a broken neck a couple of years ago after colliding with another player in a pretty unviolent, innocuous event. A routine play, just hit his head (in a helmet) at exactly the wrong angle. Doesn't take much force, in such a circumstance.

caw