While it may mostly happen in your dreams, falling off a skyscraper does in fact occur in reality too, and you should be prepared in case it happens.
There’s no telling when and where you could fall, but it’s got to happen to someone, right?
If you find yourself teetering on the edge of a mega-high building, you may just thank us for these tips later.
Zackdfilms posted a YouTube Short, detailing everything you should do to survive a fall from a great height, and the tips are widely recommended.
The simulation saw a man (who looked like he was made of clay) falling from a building and following each of the three steps narrated by Zack.
Thanks to doing these things, he was able to live.
Relax (YouTube/@zackdfilms)
When you fall from a skyscraper, relax your body
“First, relax your body by moving your arms and legs to keep them loose.”
Just like the simulation explains, you should relax every part of your body to ensure that you can inflict as little damage to your body as possible.
According to Mayami Oyanagi, a physical therapist who navigated this topic for WikiHow, you need to make sure that you aren’t holding ‘yourself stiff’.
She explained: “Do your best to relax your body so that when you hit the ground your body is more easily able to take the impact. Stay aware of your body, moving your arms and legs to make sure they aren’t locked.”
Break your fall (YouTube/@zackdfilms)
When you fall from a skyscraper, try to break your fall
“Then, aim to land on something that can break your fall, like a tree, instead of the concrete.”
Oyanagi agreed, sharing: “If you’re falling next to a building, or off a cliff in the wilderness, do your best to break your fall into segments by hitting a ledge, a lower cliff, a tree, or another object.”
This will break up ‘the momentum of your fall and divides it into several shorter falls, which gives you a much better chance of surviving’.
Land feet first (YouTube/@zackdfilms)
When you fall from a skyscraper, land feet-first
“If possible, position yourself to land on your feet, to distribute the shock through your legs, but try to roll upon impact to reduce injury.”
It might sound uber painful, but it can save your life.
Make sure to always land feet-first.
The expert and the simulation shared that this was a major step in boosting your survival.
Oyanagi explained: “No matter what height you fall from, you should always try to land on your feet. Landing feet-first concentrates the impact force on a small area, allowing your feet and legs to absorb the worst of the blow.”
She said, that if you are in another position, you need to ‘right yourself before you hit the ground.’
But thankfully, Oyanagi claimed that it’s instinctive to be in this position when we fall.
To do this, you should ‘keep your feet and legs tightly together so that both your feet hit the ground at the same time.’
She added: “Land on the balls of your feet. Point your toes slightly down before impact so that you will land on the balls of your feet. This will allow your lower body to more effectively absorb the impact.”
While there’s no telling what could be below you if you fall, following these steps could just about save your life.