When Diving Becomes Dangerous

June 11, 2019

5 Things to Remember About Diving Injuries

When you go to a pool, you’re likely to notice the “No Diving” signs posted around the perimeter of the shallow end. Yet every year, both children and adults choose to ignore these warnings and sustain life-changing injuries.

June is the start of pool season, meaning that the amount of diving and pool-related injuries increase. Diving in any depth of water can be dangerous, but shallow water injuries are the most common at public pools. However, diving injuries don’t just happen at pools! Lakes, rivers, ponds, and creeks are common places for diving injuries as well.

Before taking the plunge, keep in mind these 5 things to remember about diving injuries.

1. Diving is the fourth leading cause of injuries leading to spinal paralysis.
   Making a poor decision by diving into shallow water can impact your physical health for the rest of your life. When you hit your head or neck on the bottom of a pool, the vertebrae that encircle the spinal cord can collapse, causing potentially permanent damage.

2. 9 feet is the minimum depth for “safely” diving head-first.
   The American Red Cross advises that you should be diving in at least 9 feet of water. Any less, and you’re putting yourself at risk for injury.

3. Water can be deceptive.
   The safest thing to do in any body of water (pool, lake, pond, etc.) is to test the depth of the water before diving in. Even if you can see the bottom or have been to that area before, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

4. Your experience level doesn’t make you immune to injuries.
   Whether you’re a professional diver or just playing around, diving injuries can happen to anyone. One mistake can have consequences for the rest of your life.

5. Diving accidents are 100% preventable.
   Only you can make the choice to prevent diving injuries. Before diving in, take a moment to remember the above safety tips and stay safe.