The Real Dangers Of Belly-Flops And High Dives

By Nathan Young on July 23, 2013

Many people find the belly-flop and high dive amusing as they watch someone else do them. But did you know that doing a belly-flop or a high dive can cause severe damage to your body? I mean, yes, I do find people doing belly-flops as amusing. Who wouldn’t cringe seeing someone hit the water in a weird way.

A belly-flop is when a person lands on the water with the belly faced down. Sometimes, people do it on purpose, other times, it’s done unintentionally. Yes, some people make belly-flopping a profession. Professor Splash has made a living jumping from high places into a small pool of water. And he has even set some world records!

Here in East Alabama, there is Chimney Rock on Lake Martin. This rock becomes a boat hot spot every Summer as many boats will park right in front of the rock to watch people jumping off. Yes, I have even jumped off the rock. But several people have gotten injured or killed while jumping off of Chimney Rock. I would never do something like this!

Did you know, the higher you jump, the faster you go into the water? Speeds could reach up to 40 mph if you jump really high! If you hit the water at a high-speed, your skin can be bruised, and you can suffer from blunt abdominal trauma. That means your liver, kidney, pancreas, and other organs can be harmed. You could even get blood in your urine or bowels. Several people jumping off from Chimney Rock have been paralyzed because they suffered a spinal injury. Is you life worth jumping for fame?

So if you are jumping into some water from a high distance. Make sure the water you are jumping into is deep! Try to land in the water feet-first. And think safety, don’t become the next statistic just because you were trying to become famous on YouTube or impress some friends. Swimming is something many people enjoy, don’t ruin your life just because you did something stupid!