Wednesday, June 27, 2001

Tips for diving safely

As the summer heats up, so does the desire to cool off, but swimmers should make sure they know exactly what they are jumping into before taking the plunge.

Every year, more than 850 people suffer from spinal cord injuries as a result of recreational diving, according to the American Spinal Injury Association. Of those injuries, nearly 300 occur at home, in above- or below-ground pools. The majority of these pool-related spinal cord injuries result in quadraplegia, the paralysis of all four limbs.

However, most diving accidents can be prevented according to experts at Atlanta-based Shepherd Center, the country's largest hospital that specializes in treating spinal cord and brain injuries and other neuromuscular disorders.

"People often dive head-first when going into the water for the first time," said David Apple, M.D., medical director of Shepherd Center. "But if the water is too shallow, your head can hit the bottom of the pool or lake with such force that it breaks the neck and damages the spinal cord. Worse yet, if the swimmer is unable to move or call for help, he can drown."

Dr. Apple recommends swimmers jump in the water feet-first for the first time. This allows you to determine the depth of the water and decide whether it is too shallow to dive. He also offers the following safety tips to prevent diving injuries this summer:

Always test the water's depth before diving. Water should be at least nine feet deep for diving. More than 90 percent of pool-related spinal cord injuries occur in water that is less than eight feet deep.

Check the water for obstacles on the surface or underwater debris.

Never dive in unfamiliar areas. Remember, lake and river bottom depths can change from year to year. Three out of four diving accidents occur in such natural bodies of water.

Only dive from a diving board, never from the side of a pool.

Never dive into an above-ground pool.

Avoid the use of alcohol or drugs around water because diving requires precise coordination and judgment skills.

When diving, make your dives simple, keeping your head up and your arms extended over your head.

Never push or throw anyone into the water.

Don't swim alone. Use the buddy system.

Take a water safety and CPR course so you can take action if there ever is an emergency. In 94 percent of pool-related spinal cord injuries, no lifeguard was on duty.

If a diving or swimming acident occurs and the diver shows no sign of movement, Dr. Apple says gently take the victim out of the water face up, keeping in mind that you should not attempt a rescue beyond your swimming capabilities. Once the victim is on level ground, immediately call 911 and begin CPR if needed.

"Just by taking a few minutes to judge your actions around water, you can prevent a day at the pool from resulting in a life-altering spinal cord injury," said Dr. Apple.