Diving Injuries

While diving may appear as a relatively safe sport – divers do not engage in contact sports or put their bodies through physically demanding movements – this is not so. Divers are still prone to injuries when diving off the board, said injuries of which range from minor (e.g., smacking into the water) to major (e.g., breaking a bone upon contact with the board). Regardless of the gravity of the diving injury, divers are advised to seek prompt and proper medical attention.

Board-related injuries

The most obvious injuries in diving are hitting the board and smacking the water. You will occasionally hit the platform in your diving career although the hits are usually minor in nature. You will likely just get a few bruises or scrapes on your hands and feet.

But when your hand or foot hits the board in a hard manner, you can suffer from a fracture although this is very rare. Your head may also hit the platform but this is also rare and, when it does happen, the injury usually just requires a few stitches. You may still have a concussion, among other major injuries, though so be careful when diving without experience on your side.

Smacking the water typically involves a back flop or a belly flop wherein your body lands parallel to the water. You will likely experience pain, welts and bruising but these accidents rarely result in serious physical damage.

Stress injuries

Divers are also prone to stress injuries caused by repetitive motions. The most common sites for injury are the back, shoulders and wrists. These injuries are more serious in most instances than smacking the water and hitting the board.

Why? Stress injuries build up over time with the continuous wear and tear caused by the repetitive movements. Such build-up of physical stresses will often be dismissed or discounted as nothing but minor aches, even go unnoticed, for a prolonged period until the painful symptoms manifest themselves.

Just make sure that you report your symptoms to your sports coach and doctor before the symptoms become too severe to be addressed with the RICE protocol. The earlier the diagnosis, the better for your chance of recovery.

Healthpointe’s doctors and surgeons are available for consultations on all diving and sports-related injuries; for more information please call (888) 824-5580 or visit www.Healthpointe.net

About Healthpointe

Healthpointe is a leading multidisciplinary healthcare organization offering a full range of medical services in practice locations throughout Southern California (Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County). Healthpointe has locations situated in over 10 cities in Southern California including Long Beach, which is conveniently located near Signal Hill, Carson, Seal Beach, Lakewood, Bellflower, Compton, Hawaiian Gardens, and Los Alamitos. As a highly regarded musculoskeletal group, we have a personal investment in the highest level of service, and we are proud of our record of excellence over the last four decades with private patients, injured workers, urgent care, personal injuries, and professional and non-professional athletes. Leading our organization is a dynamic team of healthcare professionals who continually strive to be at the forefront of medical innovation and healthcare service delivery. For more information, a complete list of services, and Healthpointe locations, visit www.Healthpointe.net