Experts point out that jumping into the pool and the sea can lead to very risky accidents and warn against neck injuries. Stating that turning one's head back and to the side suddenly and very quickly to avoid sinking to the bottom can lead to fracture of the cervical vertebrae, experts underline that this situation can cause temporary or permanent damage.
Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery, NPISTANBUL Hospital Neurosurgery Specialist Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa warned that jumping into the sea and pool can lead to very serious neck injuries and spinal cord and nerve damage.
Beware of neck injuries!
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa said, "One of the serious traumatic situations that we unfortunately see frequently in the summer months is neck injuries that occur as a result of jumping into the shallow sea or pool. Here, during the person's jumping into the sea or pool, the person has to suddenly and very quickly pull his/her head back (hyperextension movement) and sometimes also turn it to the side (rotation movement) in order not to sink to the bottom due to the shallow water, and sometimes these are not enough and the head and neck are crushed by hitting the bottom (compression movement) can also affect the neck."
Cervical vertebrae can be fractured
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa said, "All these sudden, high force-acceleration movements of the neck lead to fractures and disruption of the integrity of the cervical vertebrae." Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa said, "These fractures can damage the spinal cord and nerve tissue that are preserved in the spine. Despite the extremely flexible structure of the neck, wide movement capacity, strong muscle and other soft tissue hardware, -especially in people with pre-existing structural problems, narrow cervical spinal canal, cervical hernia, congenital anomalies- many pathological lesions such as fractures that develop acutely in the cervical spine with a sudden and strong load on the neck during jumping into shallow water, fractures that develop acutely in the cervical spine, dislocation of comminuted fractures from their normal place and compression of nerve tissue, cervical hernias, soft tissue and connective tissue injuries occur."
It invites very serious problems
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa stated that these sudden (acute) traumatic lesions that develop in a very short time cause two main problems in the spine and listed them as follows
1. Sudden compression and/or damage to the spinal cord and nerves in the cervical spinal canal (this damage may be temporary or permanent),
2. Disruption of the stability and normal structure and alignment of the spine.
Can lead to paralysis
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa said, "Unfortunately, these traumatic lesions, which can be caused by jumping into shallow water, lead to clinically extremely severe symptoms and signs, sometimes sudden death or serious disabilities." Prof. Dr. Bozbuğa noted that partial or complete, temporary or permanent paralysis of motor/movement, sensory and all other neural activities in the arms, legs and trunk are common conditions in this picture.
Even heart and breathing can stop
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa said, "In addition, sometimes trauma can affect the head and spine junction and even higher (brain stem, brain), causing respiratory and cardiac dysfunctions, sometimes sudden cardiorespiratory arrest (arrest) and death. In addition, these traumas may also cause severe traumatic lesions of other systems and structures in the body."
Wrong intervention may aggravate the situation
Noting that the treatment process is important in such accidents, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa pointed out the importance of the first intervention and said, "One of the most important elements in treatment is that the organization in the health system is very well organized, these patients are delivered to a center as soon as possible (where the patient can be treated surgically, medically, rehabilitation), and the patient is approached correctly from the moment of trauma until reaching the hospital. Wrong interventions at the scene immediately after the trauma can make the situation much more severe."
Treatment process is important
Stating that the treatment at the hospital is multifaceted, that is, multidisciplinary, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa said:
"Treatment is initiated in emergency conditions without wasting time; diagnosis and treatment begin and progress immediately upon the patient entering the hospital; First of all, treatments for vital functions, measures for possible lesions, imaging and examinations of the whole body and systems in terms of traumatic lesions, various interventions and manipulations, drug treatments for traumatic damage to the nerve tissue, spinal cord and nerve tissue compression - release (decompression) and restoring the strength and normal structure of the spine (stabilization and reconstructive) surgeries may be necessary. In order for the patient to regain his/her neurological functions as soon as possible and at the best level, early rehabilitation activities are initiated starting from the very first day."
Avoid such risky movements!
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bozbuğa warned, "After explaining all this heavy and dramatic process, people should stay away from such serious and dangerous attempts with serious consequences; although the spine has a flexible and strong structure, it should never be forgotten that sudden, uncontrolled, overly forceful such risky movements can sometimes darken the life of a person and the lives of those around him."
