Knee Pains after diving

[Arkman]

I've been diving more in the last two months Since the middle of July I've gone maybe once a week. It seems that every time I dive a day or two later my knee hurts more that it did before. Now I haven't dove for almost two weeks and my knee has stopped hurting.

Now, I' dont know if I did anything to it while diving, or that diving has anything to do with it. It hurt a lot for a couple days after I dove last but I also spend 7 hours walking around the Minnesota state fair the day before diving as well.

I'm not sure if this is something i should be concerned about or what. What do you guys think?

I'm going diving again on Sunday and I'll see if it hurts after that.

 

[Dr Deco]

Hi Arkman:

Check it out for pain following the upcoming dives. Might be DCS - but mucho walking can also be a problem.

Without diving, I, too, have pain following walking. Ouch!

 

[Arkman]

So far I've never dove below 40' and the dives this summer have all been under 30'. All dive were about 30 min or so. I've been really careful this year to not come up too quickly.

 

[PatW]

So far I've never dove below 40' and the dives this summer have all been under 30'. All dive were about 30 min or so. I've been really careful this year to not come up too quickly.

Well, it should not be decompression with that amount of time and depth.

One thing to think of is the weight of scuba equipment. Scuba gear: wet suit, weights, tank and so on can really add. Also if you are on a pitching boat that can be a problem. And if you are a bit how to put this delicately gravity challenged that can be a problem too.

All the extra weight and stress on your knees can tweak them some.

What you might think of doing is to hand up your weights before climbing out of the water. Some boats will even take your tank and BC also. Look if it means you will come back as a customer because your parts last better, they are glad to do it. Just tip em later.

 

[TSandM]

Arkman, there isn't enough information here to make a really useful answer, except that, with the profiles you're describing, decompression issues are unlikely.

Your age, any history of knee injury or arthritic problems, the fins and kick you use, your entry and exit methods (boat, shore, sand, rock, surf), the weight of the gear you are using and how far you need to carry it . . . all can have implications for why your knee is hurting. You could have an occult injury that is being aggravated, or you could just have garden variety osteoarthritis like the rest of us

The bottom line is that, if symptoms are frequent, severe, or recurrent, consultation with a physician is the best strategy.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Arkman,

What TSandM said ; )

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[warmwaterturner]

I had a similar issue. To many years of jogging, soccer, weight lifting...etc. My fix came by changing fins. I was a blade user but switched to Atomic splits and have had no post dive pain or cramping as a result. It is a easy and quick check that you might consider.

 

[Arkman]

I realize its been a while since the original post but I thought I'd do a follow up.

I think that the pains have very little to do with diving. I think they are more of a result of dRiving. When I go diving I have to drive 45 min to 1 hour to go. My leg sitting in the same spot that entire time I think is what is causing it. I've had the same issue over the winter when not diving. I think that like you all said the diving just exacerbates it. I'm not even sure its one thing about diving that makes it worse, just all the little things like noted above that make it a little worse.

As soon as I stopped diving (driving to the spots a couple times a week) the knee pains stopped. This concerned me that it was linked to diving. Then I traveled home for the holidays. Thats when I really noticed that it was linked to driving. So I guess thats good news.

What do I do to avoid this? Cruise control. If I can't use it because of weather conditions, then I just get out of the car a little more. Then I can move my leg around a bit while driving. That has almost eliminated the pain all together.

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[TSandM]

Well, good to know that your knee is not going to keep you out of the water!