Exercise after Diving may help bubbling

[Thalassamania]

I plucked this off MEDLINE:

Venous bubble count declines during strenuous exercise after an open sea dive to 30 m.
[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Z Dujic, A Obad, I Palada, V Ivancev, and Z Valic
Aviat Space Environ Med, June 1, 2006; 77(6): 592-6. [/SIZE][/FONT]

INTRODUCTION: The effect of post-dive exercise on bubble formation remains controversial, although the current practice of divers and aviators is to avoid strenuous exercise after diving. Previously, we have shown that exercising 24 h before a dive, or during a decompression stop, significantly reduces bubble formation in man. The objective of this study was to determine whether a short period of strenuous post-dive exercise promotes venous bubble formation. METHODS: Seven male military divers performed an open-sea field dive to a maximum depth of 30 m for 30 min. At maximum depth, subjects performed mild underwater fin swimming, followed by standard decompression. Diving was followed by a post-dive exercise session consisting of short, strenuous incremental upright cycle ergometry, up to 85% of maximal oxygen uptake, for about 10 min. Subjects were monitored for venous gas bubbles in the right heart with an echo-imaging system starting 20 min post-dive while in the supine position, during cycle ergometry in the seated upright position, and immediately after exercise in a supine position. RESULTS: The average number of bubbles was 1.5 +/- 1.4 bubbles x cm(-2) 20 min after diving. Changes in posture from supine to seated upright resulted in significant reduction of bubbles to 0.6 +/- 1.3 bubbles x cm(-2) (p = 0.043), with further reduction to 0.2 +/- 0.3 bubbles x cm(-2) at the end of exercise (p = 0.02). No cases of DCS or intra-pulmonary shunt were observed during or following post-dive exercise. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that post-dive strenuous exercise after a single field dive reduces post-dive gas bubble formation in well-trained military divers. Additional findings are needed for normal sports divers.

LINK

Any thoughts?

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello thalassamania:

Mild Exercise

Mild exercise following diving is useful to promote blood flow to the tissues and aid in the elimination of tissue nitrogen. I have long counseled that this activity is good and the worst situation would be found in those divers who lie down to sleep. This condition puts the perfusion [blood flow] through tissues at its very lowest.

Another aspect of sleeping during the interdive interval [this does not include the end of the dive day, by the way] is that, if neurological symptoms appear, the diver would be asleep and not notice them. Nerves would still be anoxic and damage would occur even during sleep. This is not a salubrious state for the diver.

Dr Deco :doctor:

The next class in Decompression Physiology for 2006 is September 16 – 17. :1book: http://wrigley.usc.edu/hyperbaric/advdeco.htm

 

[Thalassamania]

Staying awake and active I knew was a good idea, but 85% for a fit military diver is a real workout, no?