I'm sure there are other candidates for worst case scenario (e.g. being struck by lightning), but my general worst case scenario leads to me moving down rapidly. The cause could be equipment failure, tree failure, overloaded descent device or hitch, etc. If you are about to hit the ground, what can you do to minimize injury and maximize your chances of climbing another day?

Brad

PRAY

Try not to land on your head or spine, obviously. I've got a friend who fell about forty feet from a tree and got out of it with a permanently fucked up wrist because he landed on his arm/wrist and rolled with it. Landing squarely on your feet will probably shatter every bone up to your hips. I knew a guy who was building an Alpine Tower and was rappelling down when he ran out of rope. He fell 25 feet, landing squarely on his feet on a pile of lumber and shattered everything up to the waist. And pray. Definitely.
Joshua

I agree with trying not to land on your noggin. How do you want your body positioned?

Let's assume you're facing the trunk, and you are falling feet first. If there was a way that you could do it, I think you'd want to land on your feet to take a LITTLE of the impact, then roll backwards off to one side so that you do a backflip over one shoulder. You wouldn't want to go straight back (as if you could help it!) because you would greatly increase the chance of getting a subdural hematoma or breaking your neck. Even if you had practiced that move - falling backwards from a standing postion then rolling over your shoulder - before you go into a tree, I doubt that you could think about doing it AND actually perform it if you actually fell out of a tree.
Praying seems like your best option.

I've read rolling suggested in this situation before. Thanks Patrick.

Anyone know of martial arts techniques that might apply (e.g. holding breath to increase internal pressure in preparation for large energy expenditure)?

Brad