OP
Sideways
Contributor
He dives "Resort style" I'd say it's not from lugging gear, but from the dive in general.
Are Backplates beneficial for your back?
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fnfalman
Contributor
Probably head-heavy trim and have to arch back too much. BPW may help with trim, or may not. Need to identify what the root causes are first.
Blue Sparkle
Contributor
I was going to ask the same question about "in water or out." If I hadn't asked, I would have assumed in-water, but that's probably because my back used to hurt quite a bit during dives. Ouch!
Mine has gotten better and I think it is from a combination of things.
1) When I was using an ill-fitting BC, the tank would tend to "flop" around and I had to compensate a lot with my muscles - or at least that is how it felt. It just so happened that, for me, a backplate was a good solution for a BC that fit, so for me a backplate did help, I believe. But that's because it fit probably more than the style.
2) Reducing weight that I carried, and changing its placement seemed to help too. I think the jacket BC's I was using were somewhat inherently buoyant, so I had to carry a bit more weight with them. But even after going with the backplate, reducing weight continued to help (as I got better at not being overweighted). But perhaps having a good bit of the weight flat on my back was part of it, with the SS plate --- I'm not sure about that.
3) Posture. I think a biggie for me is that I was arching my back. About halfway through a dive I would just want to curl up in a ball "forward" to relieve my aching back. To help that, I concentrated on keeping a straight line from my chest *past* my back, and then only "arching" below that (in other words not arching my back). That helped a lot I think.
It seems to have gotten better gradually, so I'm not sure how much of it was gear-related and how much was developing better posture/muscles (which is why I kept saying "seemed" and "I think." I do think that any BC that lets the tank shift around has to make it worse though, if that is happening.
Oh, I just read this. You know, I was quite head heavy at first, very consistently, so maybe changing that is a good part of what helped me. After I got my own BC that fit, I was then able to start playing with things in order to improve my trim. I can now make it so I'm not head heavy and maybe that is a big part of what helped me. And as you say, figuring out the specific cause/problem is key.
Blue Sparkle
Mine has gotten better and I think it is from a combination of things.
1) When I was using an ill-fitting BC, the tank would tend to "flop" around and I had to compensate a lot with my muscles - or at least that is how it felt. It just so happened that, for me, a backplate was a good solution for a BC that fit, so for me a backplate did help, I believe. But that's because it fit probably more than the style.
2) Reducing weight that I carried, and changing its placement seemed to help too. I think the jacket BC's I was using were somewhat inherently buoyant, so I had to carry a bit more weight with them. But even after going with the backplate, reducing weight continued to help (as I got better at not being overweighted). But perhaps having a good bit of the weight flat on my back was part of it, with the SS plate --- I'm not sure about that.
3) Posture. I think a biggie for me is that I was arching my back. About halfway through a dive I would just want to curl up in a ball "forward" to relieve my aching back. To help that, I concentrated on keeping a straight line from my chest *past* my back, and then only "arching" below that (in other words not arching my back). That helped a lot I think.
It seems to have gotten better gradually, so I'm not sure how much of it was gear-related and how much was developing better posture/muscles (which is why I kept saying "seemed" and "I think." I do think that any BC that lets the tank shift around has to make it worse though, if that is happening.
Oh, I just read this. You know, I was quite head heavy at first, very consistently, so maybe changing that is a good part of what helped me. After I got my own BC that fit, I was then able to start playing with things in order to improve my trim. I can now make it so I'm not head heavy and maybe that is a big part of what helped me. And as you say, figuring out the specific cause/problem is key.
Blue Sparkle
Last edited:
Crush
Contributor
I find it pathetic that saxplayer1004 and I have to state up front that we expect to get flamed for stating that a BP&W will not help in this situation. I hope that all the BP&W devotees read (and comprehend) this post.
Blue Sparkle
Contributor
When standing out of the water, my old SeaQuest Balance has a waist strap that lets the hips take some weight.
Kind of looks like "most" of the weight is on hips there; shoulder straps seem to be mostly pulling back, not down.
Kind of looks like "most" of the weight is on hips there; shoulder straps seem to be mostly pulling back, not down.
What may help more than anything is a sidemount system of some type. And yes you can do single tanks sidemount. Look at UTD's "Z" harness system. I think its too expensive for what it is but I'd bet you could modify a zeagle express tech to do the job. Then there'd be no weight. Just put the tank on and off in the water.
OP
Sideways
Contributor
Thanks for the great thoughts and info all. He does have occasional back pain out of the water, usually due to lifting. He's not a young guy, mid-fifties, but he's in relatively great shape. He jogs, bikes and is not overweight. Of course in the grand scheme of things the bottom line is, if you have back issues, you have back issues.
Some of the great things I've got so far from you all are...
1. Back plate might or might not help, too hard to say, and there are other factors, i.e. trim, BC type.
2. Check to make sure he is trimmed properly in the water.
3. Check to make sure his BC will allow him to trim properly, I know he uses integrated, so I would assume he should be able too. Also that the tank and BC aren't flopping around. I can assume that the constant shifting can't be good for those muscles constantly trying to compensate.
4. Ensure he isn't over weighted
5. Side mount system, I'll have to research it, I'm not sure what that system looks like or what it entails.
6. Donning and doffing in the water. This makes sense to me as far as donning. Like I said, being a resort diver, he pretty much straps on and rolls in. All though, there is the occasional step off. As long as the DM/Capt, or anyone, was pulling the rig up when taken off in the water, I'm sure it would be beneficial. That being said, I know he's like me, and can be stubborn when asking for assistance.
7. Checking his posture in the water. I know that as a Photog guy, I used too find myself arching a lot. I've learned to try to be conscience of my posture in the water, getting trimmed properly helped immensely with this.
Thanks again all. It's good info that I can pass on to him. He's been diving for decades, and is still passionate about it. I think I need to research the plates themselves a bit. Like my first post said, it may be a stupid question. Mostlt because I've never used or considered using one. My assumption, and we know what they say about assuming, was that they were to make you more comfortable and help with your posture in the water.
Some of the great things I've got so far from you all are...
1. Back plate might or might not help, too hard to say, and there are other factors, i.e. trim, BC type.
2. Check to make sure he is trimmed properly in the water.
3. Check to make sure his BC will allow him to trim properly, I know he uses integrated, so I would assume he should be able too. Also that the tank and BC aren't flopping around. I can assume that the constant shifting can't be good for those muscles constantly trying to compensate.
4. Ensure he isn't over weighted
5. Side mount system, I'll have to research it, I'm not sure what that system looks like or what it entails.
6. Donning and doffing in the water. This makes sense to me as far as donning. Like I said, being a resort diver, he pretty much straps on and rolls in. All though, there is the occasional step off. As long as the DM/Capt, or anyone, was pulling the rig up when taken off in the water, I'm sure it would be beneficial. That being said, I know he's like me, and can be stubborn when asking for assistance.
7. Checking his posture in the water. I know that as a Photog guy, I used too find myself arching a lot. I've learned to try to be conscience of my posture in the water, getting trimmed properly helped immensely with this.
Thanks again all. It's good info that I can pass on to him. He's been diving for decades, and is still passionate about it. I think I need to research the plates themselves a bit. Like my first post said, it may be a stupid question. Mostlt because I've never used or considered using one. My assumption, and we know what they say about assuming, was that they were to make you more comfortable and help with your posture in the water.
What a backplate can do is help with weight distribution. For people who dive cold water and have to carry a lot of weight, a steel backplate moves weight up onto the shoulders, which is often advantageous for a horizontal diving position.
If we are talking about someone who only dives warm water, we're probably not talking about enough weight to matter. In that case, it may simply be an issue of posture underwater, and unconditioned muscles fatiguing and becoming sore.
Even those of us who use and love backplates don't believe they are panaceas!
If we are talking about someone who only dives warm water, we're probably not talking about enough weight to matter. In that case, it may simply be an issue of posture underwater, and unconditioned muscles fatiguing and becoming sore.
Even those of us who use and love backplates don't believe they are panaceas!
+1 for Crush and Halemano's contentions...
Some BCD's are designed to distribute the weight to the hips. Aqualung/Seaquest made a conscious effort in this regard with what they call their "Wrapture" harness system.
Before giving up, why not have your friend try one on with a tank at your local LDS. It becomes less relevant in the water, however, many of us do quite a bit of toting on those long beach shore dives...
Some BCD's are designed to distribute the weight to the hips. Aqualung/Seaquest made a conscious effort in this regard with what they call their "Wrapture" harness system.
Before giving up, why not have your friend try one on with a tank at your local LDS. It becomes less relevant in the water, however, many of us do quite a bit of toting on those long beach shore dives...
