Lake Regional Health System | Thrive | Summer 2018

A re you ready for summer fun on the Lake of the Ozarks? Lake Regional’s Trauma Nurse Coordinator, Mariah Swinker, wants to make sure the memories you make this summer are good ones. “We all need to be smart about water safety,” Swinker says. “Thinking ahead will help you prevent injuries and keep lake time fun.” Here are seven dangers to avoid. ! Compression fractures. When someone lands hard in a seated posi- tion, it can crush bones in their spine, causing a compression fracture. This injury commonly occurs when a boat hits a wake that bounces riders on their seats. Not speeding, especially in high-traffic areas, and not allowing riders in the bow will help prevent these injuries. ! Slips and falls. The most common cause of traumatic injuries, slips and falls happen on both boats and docks. Never stand while a boat is underway, and be conscious of trip hazards on docks. Always wear a life jacket when on a boat or a dock, in case you do take a tumble. ! Tubing injuries. Fractures, lacerations and rope entanglements are common tubing injuries. To avoid them, always use a spotter or a mirror when pulling a tube, avoid tubing in high-traffic areas, and use the skier-down flag when appropriate. Also assess the towline for wear and damage before beginning. Many tubing injuries, especially fractures, occur when the number of riders on the tube exceeds the manufac- turer’s recommendation. Always follow recommendations for number of riders, size, weight, age limits and maximum towing speed. ! P ersonal water craft injuries. Some of the worst personal water craft injuries tend to go unmentioned because of the body area affected. When someone falls off the back of an accelerating water craft, the water shooting from the water craft can cause severe injuries to the vagina, perineum and rectum. These injuries can be life-threatening or life-altering. The best defense is to wear a neoprene wetsuit or shorts when riding a personal water craft. The neoprene acts as armor and prevents the water Stay Safe on the Summertime Spike From May through September, our Emergency Department treats about 80 more trauma patients a month , compared to the boating offseason. 7 DANGERS TO 6 | Summer 2018