 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- In the heat of the summer, everyone loves a dip in the pool, but parents beware: diving board injuries are a common occurrence among children.
Every year in the United States, about 6,500 children are rushed to the emergency room because of a diving related injury, a new study reveals. That equates to one injury every hour of every day most pools are open. Those who are most likely to get hurt are 10 to 14 year olds. Boys are also twice as likely to suffer a head or neck injury or fracture.
Text Continues Below
Surprisingly, higher diving boards were not to blame. More than 80 percent of the dive injuries were from a dive height of less than or equal to one meter, Lara McKenzie, Ph.D., principal investigator at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, was quoted as saying. So, that is not the highest dive, thats not a platform dive, this is the lowest dive height available at the pool.
Diving is one of the fastest growing sports in this country with more than 20,000 people younger than age 18 who dive competitively. This is the first study of its kind.
Experts say to prevent injuries divers should be educated about jumping into shallow water from the pool edge, depth indicators should be placed around pools, pools should be constructed with soft bottoms and obstacles should be removed from lakes, rivers and oceans.
SOURCE: Pediatrics, 2008;122:e388-e394
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Lindsay Braun at lbraun@ivanhoe.com.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
|
.gif)
