Dangerous surf means prime conditions for spinal injuries

With Gold Coast beaches set to have their highest tides in nine years this weekend, the Spinal Injuries Association warns that drowning is not the only possible outcome for people who flout water safety warnings.

Hazardous conditions such as rips, strong currents, the risk of being swept out to sea and shifting rock and debris can all be cause for a permanent spinal cord injury.

Spinal Injuries Association Acting CEO Frances Porter said it was imperative Gold Coast beach-goers always swam between the flags in water that was being closely monitored by surf lifesavers, particularly this weekend with waves set to reach up to two metres.

“Being dumped by a wave, swimming into a sandbank or being caught in a rip and thrown against a submerged rock are just some examples of how easy it is to sustain a spinal cord injury in the surf,” Ms Porter said.

“And these are dangers in normal conditions, so with this weekend’s king tides those dangers are amplified even more.”

Ms Porter said the ocean was constantly changing and an area that may have been safe to swim at one day, could now be extremely dangerous.

“It’s just not worth the risk – swimming even slightly outside of the flags could mean the difference between permanent paralysis or an injury-free life,” she said.

“At present there is no cure for a spinal cord injury; simple preventative measures are the only means of staying safe and injury free.”

Currently, water-related accidents are the third most common cause of all spinal cord injuries in this state, with around one Queenslander a month sustaining this type of injury in the water.

For more information on the Spinal Injuries Association, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2010, please visit www.spinal.com.au.

Issued 29 January.