Why does catching someone or something falling in most cases negate or reduce the injury/damage applied to it? Shouldn’t it be almost just as damaging, just a few feet further up?

Question

Why does catching someone or something falling in most cases negate or reduce the injury/damage applied to it? Shouldn’t it be almost just as damaging, just a few feet further up?

In: 2

Answer 1

Simple test. Jump in the air and land normally with your legs and hips bending to absorb the impact. Now jump and keep a completely rigid leg and hip stature and you will feel a huge difference in impact. The person catching you is doing the same thing your legs do when you land from a jump.