Muscle & DCS

[DocVikingo]

Dear Dr. Deco,

What is the relationship, if any , between muscularity and both speed of off gassing & risk of DCS?

Is being heavily muscularized a greater DCS risk factor than obesity?

I appreciate your time.

DocVikingo

 

[Mario S Caner]

Great question Doc V, I've been wondering that myself. In fact someone asked me that question at the gym a couple of weeks ago. I'll be waiting anxiously for the answer to this one!

 

[Dr Deco]

Dear DocViking:

There is considerable speculation concerning the various proportions of the body’s tissues and decompression sickness. In general, muscle tissue is not really associated with decompression sickness. It is the growth of the free gas phase in the tendons and ligaments of these tissues that appear to be the real culprits. When people have examined various factors contributing to DCS, muscle tissue does not stick up very high. In fact, the amount of adipose (fat) tissue that you have is not really a big factor when one considers recreational diving tables. This is most likely because the tables are quite conservative, and the DCS incidence is low.

Muscles do signal a degree of physical fitness, and good physical fitness does appear to be a factor in decreasing DCS risk. While this has often been discussed, until now, I have not seen any data on the subject from a controlled laboratory study.

[/b] It is actually oxygen consumption that is measured as the degree of fitness, but the correlation is strong. The more physically fit an individual, as measured by maximal oxygen consumption, the lower was the precordial Doppler ultrasound Spencer Grade following a standard dive. {Carturan D; Boussuges A; Burnet H; Fondarai J; Vanuxem P; Gardette B (1999). Circulating venous bubbles in recreational diving: relationships with age, weight, maximal oxygen uptake and body fat percentage. Int J Sports Med; 20 (6): 410-414.}

So my conclusion would be “Up Muscle, Down Fat!”[sp][sp]:mean:

[sp] Dr. Deco
[sp]For those with a special interest, here is the next scheduled Decompression Physiology course.http://wrigley.usc.edu/hyperbaric/advdeco.htm

 

[DocVikingo]

I thank you for your time. BTW, superb launch the other day.

DocVikingo