In any good action movie, viewers expect to see thrilling fight scenes, nail-biting car chases, and spectacular stunts that seem almost impossible.
It’s a popular perception that the actors themselves take it on the chin for the love of the characters they play, but the reality is that stunt doubles are the ones who take on the physical challenges.
Being a stunt double requires extraordinary athleticism and physical skills. The physical dangers in action films require planning, safety protocols, and technologies to minimize injury risk. All it takes is one slight mistake — malfunctioning equipment, poorly coordinated scenes, or unexpected movement — for serious personal injuries to occur.
Though filmmakers work to enhance safety measures for action scenes, the physical risks that stunt performers still face while creating realistic action are immense.
Consider these five types of injuries that stunt professionals often experience on the job.
- Broken Bones and Fractures
Stunt doubles often sustain bone fractures. It’s an occupational hazard, so it comes with the territory. The nature of the job often entails jumping, falling, fighting, driving aggressively, and other activities that involve fast, furious body movements.
Even after thorough preparations, stunt performers may suffer injuries if the following unfortunate factors come into play:
- Wrong estimation of the landing
- Malfunction of the harness used for a stunt
- Lack of coordination among performers
- Unexpected changes in surfaces
- Poor weather conditions
Although there is a lot of protective equipment, including airbags and crash mats, falls remain extremely risky, as they can result in fractures due to incorrect posture.
Another risk factor is fight scenes, which, although done through choreography, can still be dangerous. Fight scenes that feature repetitive punches, kicks, and other acts of aggression can easily lead to injuries for one or more performers. All it takes is a single misstep.
Car crashes are also potentially dangerous for stunt performers. Although special cages protect them from fatal accidents, the impacts are strong enough to cause fractures and other injuries.
- Head Injuries and Concussions
Head trauma is among the most serious injuries that stunt performers may suffer on the job. It results in concussions and may lead to traumatic brain injuries.
Some signs of a head injury include dizziness, headaches, vision impairment, memory problems, nausea, sensitivity to light, and difficulty with concentration.
Concussions are a possible occupational hazard for stunt professionals who tend to engage in high-risk activity repeatedly. It’s what they signed up for — but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t take precautions to reduce, if not entirely eliminate, the risk of accidents.
- Spinal and Back Injuries
Back and spinal cord injuries are extremely severe and may result in chronic pain, limitations in motion, and even long-term or life-long disabilities.
Stunt professionals perform many actions in movie scenes that can lead to severe injuries. Sometimes, due to the lack of coordination, stunt doubles may get hurt when landing, which can lead to compression of the spine.
Wire-based stunts can also put excessive effort on the spines of stunt professionals. When performing flips and other tricks with a harness on, performers put considerable pressure on their spines. It’s worth noting that injecting realism into movies comes at a cost.
- Burns and Fire-Related Injuries
Fire scenes are perhaps the most dangerous kinds of stunts performed by stunt doubles. It takes a lot of preparation and safety measures to avoid injuries. Special equipment includes the following:
- Fireproof clothing
- Protective gel
- Breathing apparatus
Even with such precautions, there is still a chance of burns during fire stunts. For example, accidents can happen due to the following factors:
- Unpredictable spread of fire
- Delays in the extinguishing process
- Malfunction of protective equipment
- Prolonged exposure to high temperatures
Burns can cause permanent scars, nerve damage, and medical complications. It should be noted that, apart from the fire itself, explosive stunts are also dangerous because of the intense heat and pressure.
- Joint and Soft Tissue Injuries
Apart from the injuries that are sustained during accidents, many stunt performers often suffer from chronic joint pain. Repetitive falling, jumping, fighting, and running may lead to the following conditions:
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder dislocation
- Hip strain
- Elbow injuries
- Ligament damage
- Muscle strain
- Tendinitis
Though many injured performers recover successfully, years of physical exertion are the main cause of injuries suffered by stunt professionals. So, physical therapy and exercise routines have become an essential part of stunt training.
Without a doubt, stunt performers have been a major source of entertainment in the action movies and TV series people admire today. It’s just that some viewers don’t fully appreciate what it takes to create action scenes in movies that go on to achieve cult status.
Broken bones, concussions, back injuries, burns, and joint problems are among the injuries that stunt professionals often suffer. Although contemporary filming technology makes some parts of movies virtual, some stunts are better performed with human stunt experts.