HELP! Open water cert--my neck is killing me!

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

Hello All,
I did my pool work last weekend and today (Saturday) I did 3 dives toward my open water certification. I am home now and my neck is killing me.:shakehead Am I doing something wrong or do I just have weak neck that I need to build up the musles. I noticed the same feeling last weekend, but not as bad as today. Well, I have taken a couple of Advil and am laying on the heating pad for now. I will be back at Jocassee in the morning to finish out my cert dives.

All is going well with my in water skills. I have really benefited from doing searches on this board and reading how others have overcome the learning curve.

Thanks in advance for the help!
Leah

 

[H2Andy]

you are probably straining your neck "looking up" or perhaps not used to the
weight of the gear on your shoulders (which translates to you into a sore neck)

i would be 99% confident (not being a doctor) that this is just muscular soreness
and nothing else. i'd say keep working through it.

and welcome to diving! you'll be sore for years to come hauling gear and whatnot



i pay for my dives for three and four days afterwards

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

thanks for the quick reply. I am laying here on the heating pad waiting for the advil to kick in so I can go to sleep and do it all again tomorrow!

 

[TheRedHead]

I found that I would get a sore neck with a poor-fitting, saggy BC. My saggy back-pack type gear bag makes my neck hurt worse than doubles with a BP. Leah, make sure you gear fits well.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

I do think my bc is a little big for me. Last weekend at the pool it rubbed my shoulders and arm pits almost raw. I have nice calluses this week. The wet suit made for a better but still not great fit. I will work on trying to fit the gear better tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion

Oh the heating pad is finally kicking in. What GLORY!

I do see the benefit of renting gear first. Knowing what I like and don't like or hate will help me make a better decision when I but gear.

 

[TheRedHead]

Leah, do you neck a favor and make the LDS give you a student BC that fits. Welcome to diving where you can only buy booties in men's sizes.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

I thought it fit in the shop, but since I am new, I know very little. Finding out with each dive that I know even less than there is to know!

They gave me a brand new bc to use. Everyone else in the group has one that has been around for a while. It is a jacket type. If they were open on Sunday, I would certainly pay them a visit and I know that they would do that for me. They really are a great shop and have spent a lot of time with me. The owner and I talked about me buying gear before my open water cert. He said as much as he would love to have my money that I need to get in the water and learn a little more before I was ready to make that decision. The LDS that I am taking lessons from supplies all gear including masks fins and snorkle. They are not big on selling stuff to newbies until they are sure that diving is for them. I do appreciate not having equipment pushed on me. I already had my M F and S so I am not using theirs but it was nice to have as an option.

 

[TheRedHead]

Sounds like your LDS is a good one. What brand of BC are your using? I assume it is a ladies size?

 

[ScubaTexan]

Congratulations on getting your open water certification! The longer you dive, though, the more you will find that -- like other sports -- diving will leave you sore, like Andy said. I finished my rescue course yesterday and my legs are extremely sore today... :frown:

 

[MoonWrasse]

Advil, heating pad, also try some Ben-Gay.
I'm surprised other muscles aren't hurting as well