Diving is Fourth Leading Cause of Paralyzing Spinal Cord Injury Among Shepherd Center Patients

Hospital urges people not to risk injury by diving this Memorial Day weekend and throughout the year.

A decade's worth of Shepherd Center statistics show diving is the fourth leading cause of paralyzing spinal cord injury among patients treated at the hospital. These injuries are also among the most preventable.

"Diving is simply not worth the risk," says Shepherd Center physician Herndon Murray, M.D. "The only safe dive is the one you don't take."

This Memorial Day weekend and throughout the year, Shepherd Center urges people: "Don't dive. Go in feet first."

Download our infographic here for more information on diving injuries.

Read more here about Shepherd Center's injury prevention efforts.

Diving Injury Prevention

Herndon Murray, M.D., medical director of Shepherd Center's Spinal Cord Injury Program, poses for a photo with all of the young men who sustained spinal cord injuries as a result of diving accidents in summer 2012. Photo by Louie Favorite

Cole Sydnor

Cole Sydnor, 17, of Mechanicsville, Va., sustained a complete C-5 to -6 spinal cord injury when he dove into the James River in Richmond in 2011. Photo by Tom Stiles

Cole Sydnor

Cole Sydnor of Richmond, Va., sustained a paralyzing spinal cord injury in a diving accident. He now urges other people not to dive. Photo by Tom Stiles

Ali Monckeberg

Ali Monckeberg, 24, of Cumming, Ga., sustained a C-1 spinal cord contusion in May 2009 after sliding down a homemade water slide into shallow water at Myrtle Beach, S.C. Photo by Louie Favorite

In the media

CNN: Diving Injury Prevention

May

2015

cnn.it

About Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.