CLAIM:
High-intensity adventure sports can pose health risks like cardiac arrest.
FACT:
High-intensity adventure sports like bungee jumping, skydiving, and mountaineering carry health risks, especially for individuals with underlying conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or high myopia. Experts warn that sudden adrenaline surges can trigger cardiovascular problems, and lack of proper preparation increases the risk of injuries. Proper training, maintaining fitness, and undergoing medical evaluation are essential before attempting these activities.
High-intensity adventure sports like bungee jumping, skydiving, and rappelling attract thrillseekers worldwide. But beyond the adrenaline rush, many wonder about the health risks involved. This is probably why a video has been going viral online, which shows a woman bungee jumping, and then going limp while still attached to the cord.
The clip captures her preparing for the jump, but shortly after falling, she appears motionless as people around rushed to help. While it is still unclear what exactly happened, the text on the video says "it is not necessary to do everything in life!," adding, "Cardiac Arrest."
With no verified information on its authenticity, timing, or the actual cause of the incident, people in the comment section were quickly divided, with some saying that the woman had in fact suffered a cardiac arrest, while others alleging that it was probably scripted, some gimmick or an act.
While it remains unverified, the reel has definitely raised several questions in viewers’ minds: Can adventure sports like bungee jumping trigger cardiac arrest, and how safe are such high-intensity activities?
What are the health concerns of high-adventure sports?
A 2017 review conducted on extreme sports found that these activities are frequently pursued in remote locations with limited or no access to immediate medical care, posing unique challenges for athletes and medical personnel. The review highlighted that participation in extreme sports has surged over the past two decades, driven by dedicated media channels, high-profile competitions, and sponsorships, yet the risk and severity of injuries in some sports remain unexpectedly high. It emphasised that, unlike traditional sports, managing injuries in extreme sports requires understanding the athlete’s temperament, the epidemiology of injuries, and specialised approaches to treatment and rehabilitation. Safety gear was noted as essential because “margins for error in these sports are small.”
Skydiving has been extensively studied to understand injury patterns. Barrows et al., following 8,976 skydivers performing 117,000 jumps over two conventions, found out that the total injury rate was 170 per 100,000 jumps, with most injuries being minor, such as abrasions, contusions and lacerations.
Another study by Westman in Sweden reported 48 non-fatal events per 100,000 jumps, with 88 per cent occurring during landing and most involving the lower extremities. The study noted that women were overrepresented in injuries and had a higher proportion of landing injuries.
While modern equipment has reduced overall morbidity and mortality, faster landings have increased limb injuries. BASE jumping, considered “the most dangerous adventure sport in the world and a skydiving offshoot using specially adapted parachutes to jump from fixed objects,” has been associated with a five to eightfold greater risk of fatality or injury compared to regular skydiving.
Soreide et al. reported a fatality rate of 0.4 per 1,000 jumps, while Monasterio and Mei-Dan documented that “75 per cent of injuries were categorized as moderate or severe, as opposed to Soreide’s series where most injuries were considered minor.” Wingsuit-related fatalities in BASE jumping have shown a growing trend in recent years, mostly due to miscalculations in flight path.
Climbing, including bouldering, sport climbing, and mountaineering, has grown in popularity over the past three decades. Surveys found that overuse injuries are common, particularly in the upper extremities, with falls being the most common mechanism of acute injuries. Indoor climbing has much lower injury rates, whereas outdoor mountaineering involves additional environmental risks such as avalanches and altitude-related illnesses, with fatality rates ranging from 0 to 28 pc.
Surfing, in contrast, was found to be relatively safer, with 2.2 significant injuries per 1,000 surfing days. Common injuries included lacerations, contusions, sprains, and fractures, with head injuries notable because protective headgear is rarely used.
“Injury prevention in surfing is practiced by following basic safety recommendations such as maintaining adequate swimming skills (the ability to swim 1km in less than 20 minutes and being comfortable swimming alone in the ocean), familiarizing with the surfing environment and conditions (entry and points, currents, and underwater hazards), avoiding surfing to exhaustion, and safely practicing breath-holding training,” the review added.
Skiing and snowboarding present differing injury profiles, with Alpine skiing primarily affecting the lower limbs, particularly the knee, while snowboarders are more likely to sustain upper limb injuries due to the inability to step out a leg to regain balance.
“The commonest cause of a traumatic snow-sport-related death is a high-speed collision with a static object (tree, pylon, or another person). Many of these deaths involve head injuries. Non-traumatic causes of death on the slopes include ischemic heart disease, hypothermia, and medical events such as acute severe asthma attacks,” the review added.
Another 2018 study examined three extreme sports cases to explore the social and psychological factors driving high-risk behaviour. Case 1, Allan, a 48-year-old businessman, participated as a “weekend warrior” in hang-gliding and died after being thrown against a cliff. The study notes, “Grief management, counselling, and individual and family support cannot replace the ongoing role that Allan would have had as a father, husband, and community leader.”
Case 2, Dean Potter, an elite climber and wingsuit flyer, struggled with ADHD and social isolation and pursued risky feats for recognition, dying during a wingsuit flight in 2015. He had “a competitive drive to be famous, well recognised, and unique.”
Case 3, Dan Osman, was a bold climber and rope jumper whose impulsivity led to a fatal 900-foot jump; he remarked, “I’ll give my guardian angels some time off because they’ve been doing a heck of a job.” The study points out that while family and counselling are important, they can’t replace the roles these people had in life.
The study also emphasised that skill development, mindfulness, and risk awareness are critical in extreme sports. One participant said, “It puts me into a position where I can concentrate and be more mindful than any other thing I do.” Sports psychiatrists can help manage psychiatric disorders, enhance mindfulness, and support safer decision-making.
Can high-intensity adventure sports really trigger a cardiac arrest?
Dr Tarun Kumar, Associate Director and Head of Medanta Moolchand Heart Centre, explained that sudden, unaccustomed physical activity can increase the risk of heart complications. “Any exercise your body is not used to, whether heavy workouts in the gym or adventurous sports, can raise the chances of a heart attack if done suddenly, without proper preparation or evaluation,” he said. He noted that underlying risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol, or a family history of coronary artery disease or sudden cardiac death can further increase this risk.
He emphasised that adrenaline surges during high-intensity activities can also pose serious risks. “Uncontrolled blood pressure or pre-existing heart rate abnormalities can become dangerous during sudden adrenaline spikes,” he noted.
Dr Kumar also highlighted other health concerns beyond the heart: “High-intensity sports like bungee jumping or skydiving can cause retinal detachment in people with high myopia.”
Dr Kumar emphasised the importance of training and fitness when going for high-intensity adventure sports, “Skydiving or high-intensity trekking, especially on steep slopes, requires proper preparation, training, and medical evaluation beforehand,” he explained.
He further stressed the psychological and emotional readiness needed for such activities. “Any high-intensity adventure requires mental and emotional preparation. Similar to deep-sea diving, where participants learn breath control and pressure management, extreme sports demand training to safely handle the challenges,” he said.
Dr Kumar concluded by advising overall precautions, “Adventurous activities can result in musculoskeletal injuries, falls along cardiovascular issues. A proper medical check-up, maintaining fitness, and consulting a doctor if you have underlying conditions like high blood pressure, heart abnormalities, or diabetes are essential before attempting these activities.”
This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.