Diving accidents
Among preventable accidents, those caused by people diving into water can be among the most tragic.
Diving into shallow water can result in the head hitting the bottom, which can damage the spine and spinal cord. This can cause immediate death, tetraplegia (also known as quadriplegia - loss of sensation and movement in the upper and lower body) or paraplegia (loss of sensation and movement from the waist down).
Almost 10% of all accidental spinal cord injuries in Australia are caused by diving or jumping into water and surfing. The spinal cord injuries caused by diving are generally very severe, with damage to the neck resulting in tetraplegia.
Sadly, these injuries are most common among young people (three-quarters of such accidents happen to people under the age of 35). Of those affected, 90 per cent are males. Alcohol is a factor in many of these accidents.
Following some simple, commonsense rules can prevent most of these accidents, which could mean that you avoid spending the rest of your life in a wheelchair.
- Always check the depth of the water and for any obstacles before diving.
- If in doubt about the water depth, enter slowly, feet first.
- Never dive into murky water.
- In inland waters remember there may be submerged obstacles that are invisible from above the surface, such as branches and rocks.
- Never run and dive into water - there may be sandbanks or submerged rocks.
- Remember that surfing, water-skiing and wind surfing in shallow water can break your neck.
- Don't drink and dive.
Water activities are a great source of pleasure to most of us. Don't let them ruin your life.
Last Reviewed: 30 June 2010
- 1. ParaQuad (Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of NSW). About spinal cord injury (2008). http://www.paraquad.org.au/AboutParaQuad/Aboutspinalcordinjury.aspx (accessed Feb 2011).
2. Spinal Cord Injuries Australia. Frequently asked questions: how many people in Australia have SCI? http://scia.org.au/health-sci-facts (accessed Feb 2010).
3. Surf Life Saving Australia. Spinal injury awareness. http://beachsafe.org.au/Spinal_Injury_awearness (accessed Feb 2011).
4. Royal Life Saving Society Australia. Fact sheet No. 9 – Inland waterways safety. http://www.royallifesaving.com.au//resources/documents/No._9_Inland_Waterways_Safety_-_2010.pdf (accessed Feb 2011).
5. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Henley G. Spinal cord injury, 1999-2005. Cat. no. INJCAT 124. Canberra: AIHW; 2009. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10716 (accessed Feb 2011).
6. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Norton L. Spinal cord injury, Australia 2007–08. Injury research and statistics series no. 52. Cat. no. INJCAT 128. Canberra: AIHW; 2010. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/inj/128/10812.pdf (accessed Feb 2011).
