Spinal injuries from swimming and diving treated in the spinal department of Royal Perth Rehabilitation Hospital: 1956-1978.

Over the past 23 years, 67 patients have been admitted with spinal cord injuries resulting from swimming and diving. These numbers comprise 10.5 per cent of all traumatic spinal cord injuries received, and 20.6 per cent of all cervical spine injuries received. Ninety-five per cent of these patients were male, and more than three-quarters were young males under the age of 30 years. Two-thirds of these patients had permanent residual disability with an early mrotality rate of 4.4 per cent.