chris maccubbin
Registered
Hey Doc, I have two compressed disks in my lower back, (S1 and S2 area) that affect my syatic nerve on my left side. Medication keeps the pain manageable. Could diving affect my back?:mean:
Back problem
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John Reinertson
Guest
As one who has had back troubles and still dives, the answer is yes, you can aggravate your back diving.
Diving is not particularly irritating to the back for most people once you're in the water.
You have to get in and out of the water with heavy gear on, possibly with waves or a pitching boat deck, and that's strenuous on an injured back.
You may be able to handle normal conditions, but you need to assess your ability to rescue yourself or your buddy in an emergency.
There are so many things that can go wrong with backs, you need to get an individual assessment of your condition with the doc helping you take care of your back, asking him specifically what he thinks about the amount of weight you'll be carrying getting in and out.
Try weighing your gear, belt and tank, add 10 lb or so for being wet, and consider the awkwardness of maneuvering on even a gently rolling boat or small waves on shore entry, and you have a strenuous situation.
It's true you can take your gear off in the water and hand it up to the boat.. just don't wait until you're in the water and having pain to plan for it.
Dive safe and painless,
John
I
Diving is not particularly irritating to the back for most people once you're in the water.
You have to get in and out of the water with heavy gear on, possibly with waves or a pitching boat deck, and that's strenuous on an injured back.
You may be able to handle normal conditions, but you need to assess your ability to rescue yourself or your buddy in an emergency.
There are so many things that can go wrong with backs, you need to get an individual assessment of your condition with the doc helping you take care of your back, asking him specifically what he thinks about the amount of weight you'll be carrying getting in and out.
Try weighing your gear, belt and tank, add 10 lb or so for being wet, and consider the awkwardness of maneuvering on even a gently rolling boat or small waves on shore entry, and you have a strenuous situation.
It's true you can take your gear off in the water and hand it up to the boat.. just don't wait until you're in the water and having pain to plan for it.
Dive safe and painless,
John
I
cougar
Contributor
I am missing one third of L-2. Riding my horse bothers my back, stacking hay bothers my back, walking too long bothers my back, sitting too long bothers my back...diving doesn't bother my back at all.
I use some sense in as that I don't hike ten miles up the beach wearing my equipment before I get in the water. I get as close to the water as possible...put it on and get in...or I go backwards off a boot or step of the pier.
Once in the water..my back feels better than it did when I was ten.
On a boat, I remove my BC and weights and hand them up..but I have found if I move slowly...I CAN get myself on a boat with my equipment...or walk out of teh water. As far as a rescue...adrenaline allows for a lot if you don;t mind paying the price in aches for the following week.
But in general...my body has NEVER felt so good as when I dive!
I use some sense in as that I don't hike ten miles up the beach wearing my equipment before I get in the water. I get as close to the water as possible...put it on and get in...or I go backwards off a boot or step of the pier.
Once in the water..my back feels better than it did when I was ten.
On a boat, I remove my BC and weights and hand them up..but I have found if I move slowly...I CAN get myself on a boat with my equipment...or walk out of teh water. As far as a rescue...adrenaline allows for a lot if you don;t mind paying the price in aches for the following week.
But in general...my body has NEVER felt so good as when I dive!
OP
chris maccubbin
Registered
Thanks for the great news!! I cant wait to get in the water!!
Ari
Moderator
I went through an extensive back surgery about 3 years ago.
Prior to it, I suffered a lot of pain and had to stop doing many things I used to do, especially considering that I do a lot of sports.
Since the operation, things have changed dramatically and I went back to doing many thins I had to stop doing due to pain.
In any case, we are not getting any younger. Back problems can cause a lot of difficulties. I would strongly advise againt doing anything that is getting the pain worse or limmiting you from going through your daily activities. Take care, it can get a lot worse, very quickly.
I do not know what your actual situation is, but I think you should talk to your doctor and try to consider some other way of treatment, rather than just going on using drugs to keep the pain away.
I was suffering for over 12 years, getting worse with time. The operation got me back on my feet and to living a normal life. I do take care, but able to do everything.
Hope you'll feel better.
Ari
Prior to it, I suffered a lot of pain and had to stop doing many things I used to do, especially considering that I do a lot of sports.
Since the operation, things have changed dramatically and I went back to doing many thins I had to stop doing due to pain.
In any case, we are not getting any younger. Back problems can cause a lot of difficulties. I would strongly advise againt doing anything that is getting the pain worse or limmiting you from going through your daily activities. Take care, it can get a lot worse, very quickly.
I do not know what your actual situation is, but I think you should talk to your doctor and try to consider some other way of treatment, rather than just going on using drugs to keep the pain away.
I was suffering for over 12 years, getting worse with time. The operation got me back on my feet and to living a normal life. I do take care, but able to do everything.
Hope you'll feel better.
Ari
FredT
Guest
I've had a bad back ever since a joint of 60" ID concrete pipe landed on it, under 20' of black water. Not a good day, but a lot better than it could have been. At least I had Everglades muck under me and could get out from under it after about 2 hours of wiggle and freeze. I would have been a lot happier if I had been on surface supplied air. Stretching a 72 for that long was a serious exercise in zen diving! It's a long story, and needs adult beverages.
That injury and a couple others bother me occasonally. I've also been diving buddies to several people who have serious bad backs. The first thing to remember is that if you are weighted and trimmed correctly, gravity stops at the waterline. For an abused back this is a VERY good thing! More than one buddy has told me that the only time his back does not hurt is in the water!The trick is to not have the resumption of gravity get to you.
One simple technique is to splice a large clip into a 20' section of 1/2" minimum nylon 3-strand or braid, and splice a large 10 or 12" eye in the other end. Remember that knots are bulky and can slip, but a sewn splice is permanent and not likely to hang on ryour gear or the boat. SCUBA gear is expensive so take the time to learn how to do the splice! ALWAYS have this line in your bag.
When you get on the boat find out how the entries are done and attach that line to an outboard heavy cleat or stanchion adjacent to the entry point or ladder with the long eye, and put your gear as close to that point a practical. When gearing up put on exposure suit, MF&S and belt, but take your tank to the line. Clip off the gear through a suitable firm attachment point you can get to easily with the gear on (locked shoulder D-ring, BC handle, or purpose mounted short leash) and have someone with a real back toss the rig overboard.
When you enter just swim over to the gear, turn on the air again, and swim into it. When the dive is over swim over to the clip that will be trailing the entry point by several feet, and be about 10' down. Clip your gear off and THEN swim out of it. You may even want to put a D on your weight belt to clip it off too. The snorkel to the ladder is easy now, and you'll have no trouble getting up the ladder even in moderate seas. Once on the boat and otherwise degeared, then worry about who you are coing to con into hauling the gear OUT of the water. :mean: Even if you have to do the lifting you'll be able to deal with it properly braced with firm footing.
Each diver should have their own clip line, not multiple clips on the same line. BTDT. Worked very poorly. There is a hernia involved somewhere in the process of pulling multipe rigs out of the water on a single line.;-0
BTW The larger diameter line is a _lot_ easier on cold hands during the gear recovery than a small line.
FT
That injury and a couple others bother me occasonally. I've also been diving buddies to several people who have serious bad backs. The first thing to remember is that if you are weighted and trimmed correctly, gravity stops at the waterline. For an abused back this is a VERY good thing! More than one buddy has told me that the only time his back does not hurt is in the water!The trick is to not have the resumption of gravity get to you.
One simple technique is to splice a large clip into a 20' section of 1/2" minimum nylon 3-strand or braid, and splice a large 10 or 12" eye in the other end. Remember that knots are bulky and can slip, but a sewn splice is permanent and not likely to hang on ryour gear or the boat. SCUBA gear is expensive so take the time to learn how to do the splice! ALWAYS have this line in your bag.
When you get on the boat find out how the entries are done and attach that line to an outboard heavy cleat or stanchion adjacent to the entry point or ladder with the long eye, and put your gear as close to that point a practical. When gearing up put on exposure suit, MF&S and belt, but take your tank to the line. Clip off the gear through a suitable firm attachment point you can get to easily with the gear on (locked shoulder D-ring, BC handle, or purpose mounted short leash) and have someone with a real back toss the rig overboard.
When you enter just swim over to the gear, turn on the air again, and swim into it. When the dive is over swim over to the clip that will be trailing the entry point by several feet, and be about 10' down. Clip your gear off and THEN swim out of it. You may even want to put a D on your weight belt to clip it off too. The snorkel to the ladder is easy now, and you'll have no trouble getting up the ladder even in moderate seas. Once on the boat and otherwise degeared, then worry about who you are coing to con into hauling the gear OUT of the water. :mean: Even if you have to do the lifting you'll be able to deal with it properly braced with firm footing.
Each diver should have their own clip line, not multiple clips on the same line. BTDT. Worked very poorly. There is a hernia involved somewhere in the process of pulling multipe rigs out of the water on a single line.;-0
BTW The larger diameter line is a _lot_ easier on cold hands during the gear recovery than a small line.
FT
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