(Spencer)– Shallow water levels on area lakes and rivers has a local physician very worried. Spine specialist and surgeon Dr. Dan McGuire of Iowa Spine Care at Spencer Hospital says they typically see an increase in patients with spine injuries during periods of low water. He says it’s a result of diving into water that’s too shallow.
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center says diving is the fifth leading cause of spinal cord injury. Some patients become paralyzed for life, while some even die.
Dr. McGuire says if you are going to dive, you should always enter the water feet first. And he says you should never dive into a body of water where the depth isn’t known. And he says it’s never a good idea to be drinking alcohol when you’re involved in such activities.
