A woman has explained why you should always cross your arms when going down a waterslide - and though summer is over for most of us, it's good knowledge to have.
Waterslides are a great way to cool off in the heat, because what's better than hurtling down a slide at speed before ending in a pool of water?
Well, for some people that sounds like a nightmare, but for others it's a great time.
It turns out that there's a science behind why the attendants will tell you to cross your arms when using a waterslide, and it actually makes a lot of sense.
Elyse Meyers, a waterslide enthusiast, recently took to TikTok to explain the reasoning behind the crossed-arms rule, one that she had to learn the hard way.
During her youth, Elyse revealed she was peer pressured to take on a waterslide by her older brothers, but became a bit concerned when the lifeguard at the top was so specific about what people going down the slide should do. Namely: "Sit down, cross your legs, hold any contraband items in your hand, cross your arms over your chest, and do not uncross your limbs at any point in the ride until you're completely done sliding."
While she followed the instructions to a tee most of the way down, when she got close to reaching the end of the slide Elyse caught sight of her camp counselor cheering her on, and immediately forgot she was meant to keep her arms close to her chest.
She ended up lifting her arms in a celebratory cheer at having survived the ride so far - but that's where things went wrong. While she didn't lose a limb or anything, what happened next still doesn't sound like a fun experience.
After uncrossing her arms to give a little wave, Elyse hit the water, and she explained: "The force with which you are meeting a still body of water, it's explosive, and when your body is not properly tucked, that water only has a few places it can go. So follow the directions all the way."
Long story short, you want to enter the water streamlined like a diver to avoid injury, not someone flailing around like a headless chicken.
Beyond preventing unexpected injuries, crossing your arms also enhances your ride by increasing speed and ensuring a graceful landing in the splash pool, as opposed to hitting the water with force.
People flocked to the comments to offer their experiences, as one person wrote: "Okay, but I have been on many scary waterslides and have never been told to cross my legs. This is news to me!"
A second said: "As a lifeguard at the top of those slides giving those directions, I can confirm I have seen many children looking very unsure."
While a third person said: "This happened to me when I was younger omg it was so painful I could barely swim & didn't understand why."
So there we have it, best to follow the rules on waterslides to avoid a nasty injury!
