disability and diving

[do it easy]

Check out my sig and follow the links! ALso, look into hand fins- they are essentially webbed gloves that allow you to "fin" with your hands. If you have pain in your ankles, why make it worse?

 

[Web Monkey]

You'll be fine. In fact, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you found that the water was the only place on this planet you're not in pain.

There are all sorts of resources and people who want to help.. Go for it!

Terry

I am disabled and interested in learning to dive as an additional hobby as I refuse to be a shut in on drugs. My wife and brother are very supportive and have said they will do it with me if I decide to jump in so to speak. I guess a brief description of my disability is in order for ya'll to properly answer my questions. I fell 70' during a training exercise. crushed my left ankle, broke both bones in my lower leg herniated 4 disk and broke my back in two places. I am not paralyzed but do suffer from severe pain 1-2 days a week for which I HAVE to take pain killers (pk's) and muscle relaxers (mr's), moderate pain 2-3 days a week for which I take pk's and mr's for when they start to reach severe because I hate taking the pk's and mr's and light pain 1-2 days which I just deal with. Its been 17 years now since "the fall" and I have learned how to get thru the day and manage to work as well. Obviously on a severe day I couldn't dive because of the medication. This in mind, my questions are:

1. are there any other disabled divers here to give me some guidance and advice on whether I should or shouldn't dive or maybe just restrict myself to snorkeling

2. obviously ankle stress from fins would be a problem, are there other style fins available.

3. Would scooters allow me the freedom to dive and compensate much like wheelchairs do for my paralyzed bretheren.

4. are there dive organizations and places for people like me to learn and participate in diving.

Thanks

 

[Web Monkey]

Being neutrally bouyant is the ONLY way to go. With boat dives you may have trouble reboarding the boat ladder so talk to the crew beforehand.

Depends on the boat.

If you get up to Alexdrania Bay on the St. Lawrence river (New York), Mo Hunt has a spiffy new boat with a cable hoist and a movable ramp (looks like a landing craft).

All you need to do is get your butt back to the boat and get hauled up.

Terry

 

[Rescuediver17063]

I too am disabled, but I am also a diving instructor. I have been teaching diving for over 25 years, and disabled divers for over 9yrs. I am fused from L3-S1 and C4-C6, have a Rt. total knee replacement, RSD in the legs (continuous pain), and was paralyzed from the waist down (due to an infection from surgery), but now have some use of my legs. I have taught for HSA in the past, but now teach for IAHD, http://www.iahd.org, both organizations are great, but IAHD is more disability sensitive. I think you will find diving a much-needed relief for your pain. I have even found out that diving with Nitrox 36% can relieve your pain without drugs for extended periods. If I can be of further assistance PM me anytime.:14:

 

[2dive.com]

Thank you for the reply and the information. I'll add those to my favorites right next to scubaboard. I never knew there was so much information out there about this.

Again thank you all.

James

Just wanted to add my .02

Over the years I have had two paraplegics as dive customers in our state side operation. To gain access to the underground lake requires walking down 68 steps plus a gravel ramp. This is roughly 10 stories underground. The first paraplegic was extremely fit. He was able to walk down the steps on his hands! What an athlete. He also used the webbed gloves and he was faster than some of the normal divers.
The second had a trip paid for by the vet’s administration. He wasn’t in shape like the other guy. He scooted down the steps on his but then drug himself down the gravel ramp to dive. He did this three times in one day, he didn’t have the webbed gloves but he got in the water and he dove. He didn’t do to bad but I think the gloves would have relived some of his stress and increase his air consumption. These two guys dove with only the use of their arms.
Don’t be afraid to try,
Ken

 

[preacher]

Hey guys,
Here is a quick update. I bought some shin fins and have now had a chance to use them in my pool. There was zero stress on my ankle and I had no cramps in my legs. I took about 30 minuets of steady slow laps around the pool (30' dia.) and the only negative I noticed was that they tended to slightly rotate on my calf to one side of my foot when walking but not while swimming. I don't know at this point whether I had them too loose or if it is the shape of my legs I will know more about this I'm sure the more I get to use them as I attempt to get into some sort of shape.
Thanks for the suggestions guys.

James

 

[do it easy]

That's awesome! I'm glad to hear that you are taking these steps.

 

[Minipinny]

I have mild cerebral palsy which affects my right side ever so mildly. I was smart enough or lucky enough to have done my homework in researching different dive shops as I discovered that not all dive shops are created equal.

For me I do not require meds or special adaptations of my suit or dive equipment. The only thing with my dry suit is that my exhaust valve is placed on the right lower arm rather than on the left upper arm for obvious reasons.

I have come into contact with the BC Scuba Challenge Club - a club that is dedicated to helping the disabled learn to scuba dive. The interesting thing about me is that I took my Open Water course with a normal dive shop and passed with flying colours. I graduated with 3 Specialty Courses - Nitrox, Boat diving, and Drysuit diving.

I only have 10 dives under my belt but already I have experienced some form of prejudice. If you read the thread "My Scary Experience" about my C02 experience you'll read about the dive shop I was going to rent my dive gear package from.

I am a determined diver and am not afraid of letting a scary moment put an end to my dive. If anything I learned to be a more vigilant diver who is careful about making sure nothing goes wrong for her next dive

 

[kaas]

James, I would encourage you to seek scuba training with an instructor you are comfortable with. I use a powerwheelchair on land and love scuba diving. Neutral buoyancy allows nearly effortless movement in the water.