There is great shock after a 23-year-old died in the Bremen Stadionbad after jumping from the ten-meter diving board. “We assume that he fell unluckily,” said a spokeswoman for the Bremen swimming pools.
According to police, the young man hit the water with his chest. He sustained internal injuries that led to his death a short time later. He initially resurfaced after the jump, but made unsteady swimming movements. The lifeguards reacted immediately and pulled him out of the water, the spokeswoman said. They administered first aid – but to no avail.
Speeds of up to 50 km/h when jumping
The forces acting on the body during such a jump are explained by the general practitioner and medical journalist, Christoph Specht, in “ RTL “The impact on the water is like a car accident.” When jumping from a height of ten meters, the body can fall at a speed of up to 50 km/h. The impact on the water is therefore similar to a car driving into a concrete wall.
The impact would therefore result in maximum pressure being generated, which could injure internal organs. The force could even cause the lungs to rupture, RTL reports. However, the injuries could not be seen from the outside.
How you enter the water is crucial
According to Specht, the height is not the most important factor: “Whether it’s ten, five or one meter – how high is not the question,” he explains. What is much more important is where you land and what the water surface is like. A smooth surface is much more dangerous because the water has a higher surface tension. The surface is therefore “like concrete.” With light waves, on the other hand, diving in is much softer.
The most important factor, however, is how you land in the water. “It’s most dangerous when I have a lot of surface area.” Everyone knows from their childhood how painful a belly flop from a low height can be. Depending on the height of the jump, this can be very dangerous – because the resistance of the water can lead to injuries. That’s why it’s advisable to leave as little surface area as possible in the water when making such jumps. For example, if you jump with your feet first. A high level of body tension reduces the risk of injury. The tense muscles cushion the impact on the water.”
Candle is the safest form of jumping – but there is also a risk of injury
Inexperienced people should not just jump from the 10-meter board. Before someone jumps from such a height, they should proceed slowly and practice with the one to three-meter board first. This strategy is also used by competitive athletes until they have enough body tension for a straight dive, says Matti Büchner, department head at the Berlin TSC and national base trainer for the professionals, to ” Stern.de “.
The safest way to do this is with the candle: arms held close to the body, legs closed and feet stretched downwards. This is also confirmed by a study by American researchers who simulated various types of jumps using 3D models. Sensors and cameras were used to analyse the forces involved. But this type of jump is no guarantee that nothing will happen: According to the study, the risk of injury increased from a height of 15 metres.
The most important bathing rules according to DLRG
Sea DLRG 500 people drown in Germany every year. Here is an overview of the most important bathing rules:
- Only go swimming if someone can help.
- If you have problems in the water, shout for help and wave your arms. Help others if they have problems and never shout “help” if everything is fine.
- Be considerate: do not run, do not push, do not push anyone under water.
- Always let people know when you go into the water.
- Always cool down before entering the water.
- Water wings, swimming toys and air mattresses are not safe and do not protect against drowning.
- In the event of lightning, thunder or heavy rain, get out of the water immediately – swimming during a thunderstorm is life-threatening.
- Only swim in places where it is permitted and only jump into the water in places where the water is deep and clear.
- Do not go into the water when hungry or immediately after eating.
- Only go swimming when you feel well.
