Elbow injury but still want to dive

[WillHartNZ]

After landing heavily on my elbow I was encouraged to have it checked out by a doctor. I was told it isn't broken but will have to be in a sling for the rest of the week. When I asked about diving she said if I could tolerate the pain it would be ok. I'm meant to be diving every day this week and don't really want to get too far behind the rest of my group (I'm doing a diploma in Scuba instruction).

Can anyone think of a reason why I shouldn't dive?

 

[PeterNBiddle]

After landing heavily on my elbow I was encouraged to have it checked out by a doctor. I was told it isn't broken but will have to be in a sling for the rest of the week. When I asked about diving she said if I could tolerate the pain it would be ok. I'm meant to be diving every day this week and don't really want to get too far behind the rest of my group (I'm doing a diploma in Scuba instruction).

Can anyone think of a reason why I shouldn't dive?

Can you buddy someone in an OOA or entanglement with your injury? If yes then dive on.

I had severe bursitis and dove with a roller hockey elbow pad to keep from getting banged up on the ladder. Worked a treat, highly recommend it.

 

[WillHartNZ]

I think I should be able to still perform all the tasks to dive safely and be able to take care of myself and my buddy in an emergency.
I wasn't sure how injuries can affect susceptibility to DCI. I would assume that since we generally dive well within our NDL's I already have a decent buffer if there was any increased risk.

 

[PeterNBiddle]

Without knowing the actual injury it's hard to say precisely, Is it riskier to dive injured or sick? Of course it is. But my guess is (and I'm not a Dr) that something like a mild sprain is within a reasonable margin of risk.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Will,

As others have suggested, you will want to achieve full range of motion & strength in the affected joint before resuming training, and to protect it from further trauma.

If you are experiencing pain patterns that could be confused with a decompression event, it would be prudent to be able to distinguish the difference.

If you are taking any meds for pain that may adversely affect mentation & behavior, such as a narcotic preparation, don't resume if you are impaired by the drug.

Finally, and this is largely speculative, it is at least theoretically possible that blood flow in the injured area could be impaired by edema/swelling. Dive conservatively.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.