Who doesn’t love a refreshing dip in a pool during those hot summer months?  It’s a great way to have fun and stay comfortable.

Unfortunately, a day at the pool can also be dangerous.  Here are the most common pool-related injuries and how to avoid them:

They Say No Running For A Reason!

Most pools have a list of rules posted, and at or near the top is the one about “no running.”  It’s not that the pool owners are being nags or “nervous Nellies,” the simple fact is that water, being wet, tends to make surfaces slippery, which makes them treacherous to walk on.  Running makes matters worse. No matter what kind of shape you’re in, if you fall onto unforgiving concrete, you’re going to come out on the losing end of that exchange.

If you’re lucky, you’ll only come away with skinned arms or knees.  If you’re not so lucky, you could wind up with a concussion, or a serious back or neck injury, and that’s before you consider what might happen if you fall into the water itself!

Diving Accidents

Even if you’re not trying to showboat on the diving board, one misstep could lead to disaster.  It pays to keep several things in mind with diving:

  • Be sure you know the depth of the water you’re diving into, and that there’s enough depth in the pool that you won’t encounter the bottom of it with your head.
  • Be sure the area you’re diving into is clear of other swimmers. One moment of carelessness could hurt you and someone else you’re sharing the pool with.
  • As tempting as it might be to showboat on the diving board, try to resist the urge. While the resulting dive might be spectacular, the more you try to show off, the higher your chances of hurting yourself!

Too Clean Can Be As Bad As Not Clean Enough

Pool owners tend to be fastidious when it comes to keeping the water in their pool clean, but sometimes, it can be a case of too much of a good thing.  Excess chemicals in the water of your pool can cause burns and irritations of the skin, to say nothing of the damage it can cause to your eyes if you swim underwater with them open.

The key here is to check your pool’s PH levels on a regular basis to make sure you’re not endangering the swimmers you’re inviting over!

Keeping these things firmly in mind will help you avoid the most common poolside injuries this year.  By all means, go out and have fun, but be careful!