Muscle ache and DCS

[pma]

I am due to go diving in a couple of weeks, and I one thing that I know will happen at the beginning is that I will suffer from muscle ache. I have a desk job during the day, and although I exercise it is mainly soccer, which is fine for the lower body, but not so good for the upper body.

As soon as I start lifting tanks and carting gear around I know that I will have aches in my shoulders (for the first couple of days at least).

My question is how can I tell these normal muscle aches apart from the first signs of DCS?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Peter

 

[stefo2]

I am due to go diving in a couple of weeks, and I one thing that I know will happen at the beginning is that I will suffer from muscle ache. I have a desk job during the day, and although I exercise it is mainly soccer, which is fine for the lower body, but not so good for the upper body.

As soon as I start lifting tanks and carting gear around I know that I will have aches in my shoulders (for the first couple of days at least).

My question is how can I tell these normal muscle aches apart from the first signs of DCS?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Peter

Well, I've never been bent, so can't speak from personal experience in that respect, but I have had sore muscles from excercise quite often. I think one thing that charcterises those aches is that it doesn't actually hurt unless you move and use those muscles again, while I would imagine a DCS pain to be more constant.

 

[pipedope]

And get your buddy to learn it also.
Practice on each other before diving.
After diving and especially if there is 'any' reason to suspect DCI do the 5 minute neuro. If there are neuro problems then seek treatment.

Pain in the joints is more likely a problem than pain in the muscles. Numbness and tingling are also warning signs.

Link for the 5 minute neuro;
http://wrigley.usc.edu/hyperbaric/neuro/neuro.htm

 

[pasley]

I am due to go diving in a couple of weeks, and I one thing that I know will happen at the beginning is that I will suffer from muscle ache....My question is how can I tell these normal muscle aches apart from the first signs of DCS?...

First, the disclaimer. I am not a medical person, or other expert on the subject and according to my wife I mumble when I talk sitting down.

I have however been bent before. How will you tell the difference? Well, you probably won't.

The experts will give your a much better explanation. But it is hard to tell the difference, between simple sore usually unused muscles and DCS. Which is why DCS is so often reported after a delay.

DCS is often pain in the joints, but could be any place a bubble can form in the body. Mine was a very low background type of pain, and I thought I had just tweaked my ankle when I got slammed by a wave on a beach entry. WRONG. After the second day and the pain got worse and started migrating into my calf, I called DAN and took some chamber rides. I delayed 2 days because it was so minor a pain. I confirmed I was bent a few days after the chamber by going to 1,400 feet elevation, and it hurt, and then back to the chamber for more rides.

Best advice is as follows: 1. start eating some bananas now to help avoid muscles pain. 2. Start an exercise regimen now. No reason for you to get sore mussels diving. Work out a little at home. I too have a demanding sit down job. But at 0500 a.m. I get up, do my 100 push-up and sit-ups and then go for a 2.5 mile run, I then cool down by taking my 23 year old daughter for a 1.5 mile walk with her dog (she won't run [daughter, not dog, he wants to sprint the whole way]).

Take the stairs not the elevator. Push back from the computer a couple of times a day and lift yourself out of the chair several times using only your arms pushing on the chair arms and any of a dozen in office exercises you can do in a couple of minutes during a well deserved stretch break. Grab yourself some nice 38 pound weight (a scuba tank is great) and carry it around some every day. Best bet, get busy diving were you are at least once a week or more. Busy during the day, night dives are great.

But most of all, stay hydrated on the trip, dive safe and have a great vacation.

 

[crispos]

Agreed. Just get into the gym. Or find someone else to carry your tanks.

And don't get DCS, that's the easy solution. Dive safe and dive slow.

What's with the bananas, Pasley? I know they have lots of potassium but other than that?

 

[pasley]

...What's with the bananas, Pasley? I know they have lots of potassium but other than that?

Why bannanas? Because I like them.

Actually I am told the potassium is suppose to help prevent muscle cramps and might help with preventing sore muscles. Tanking aspirin before starting exercise you expect to cause muscle soreness might help as well. That and they are very filling and may take the place of other less desirable snacks.

 

[pma]

Thanks for the Advice everyone. I have started doing some more upper body exercises recently (my legs are fine after playing 3/4 a side soccer for 2 hours twice a week, and am now eating bananas!

We always try and keep well within the limits diving (I see know reason to go to the edge, as you never know what eventuality may occur that will make you slip over it)

It will be interesting to see what strange comments I get when I start the office exercises, being in the middle of an open office.

Thanks

Peter

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello Peter:

Lifting and Strain

It is difficult to tell sprains and strains from pain-only DCS. However, one think to bear in mind is that the same straining while lugging around the tanks will also result in the increase in the number of tissue micronuclei. Besides gas loads, tissue nuclei concentration can be modified by exercise. Mose exercise will result in the higher risk of DCS. This has been known since WW II – more than sixty years. :11:

“Edge of the Tables”

always remember that there really is not an “edge of the table. The risk of DCS does not rise precipitously when you pass the NDLs. It is a smoothly rising risk function. More on gassing equates to an increase in risk. Likewise, an increase in nuclei equals an increase in risk.

Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[pma]

Hello Peter:

Lifting and Strain

It is difficult to tell sprains and strains from pain-only DCS. However, one think to bear in mind is that the same straining while lugging around the tanks will also result in the increase in the number of tissue micronuclei. Besides gas loads, tissue nuclei concentration can be modified by exercise. Mose exercise will result in the higher risk of DCS. This has been known since WW II – more than sixty years. :11:

“Edge of the Tables”

always remember that there really is not an “edge of the table. The risk of DCS does not rise precipitously when you pass the NDLs. It is a smoothly rising risk function. More on gassing equates to an increase in risk. Likewise, an increase in nuclei equals an increase in risk.

Dr Deco :doctor:

Thank you for your reply. It is not normally a sprain or strain that I suffer, just the ache that you get from muscles that have not been used for a while that are suddenly being used again.

Peter

 

[scubadobadoo]

Hey pma,

I am much like you. I can run all day but my upper body strength is lacking horribly. I also have an old injury from sports that bugs my left shoulder. Whenever I dive for a few days in a row or dive cold water with heavy weights in my bc, my shoulders and muscles start to bug me. I agree with the others though on starting to move before your trips or dives. I have found that treating a dive like it's going to be a workout and stretching before really helps.

I started doing mild strength training at the gym 6 months ago and on my first cold water dives of this season last weekend, my body felt much better and so did my shoulder. Strengthening that upper body sure did help with the lugging of tank/weights and the pain that comes afterward. Not to mention, my wife seems happier too! Hee hee. Btw, I hope it didn't sound like I was implying that you are a "puny mon." --Hanz and Franz.

Good luck and welcome to this very informative board. I'm off to Grand Cayman in one day!!!