physiology Q4> exercise after diving ?

[Salt]

I have heard several times now that one should not exercise after diving but should instead relax and take it easy. Is there any science to this?

The reason, i am asking is I experience some fatigue after diving and I thought some light exercise might be beneficial to get some oxygen in to my blood. combats acidosis. I find this trick works great for me in my nondiving life.

 

[TMHeimer]

We know it's based on messing up nitrogen offgassing. I too am curious about whether there has been any testing on human subjects.

 

[Scott]

There are a number of articles out there about the subject.

Here is one and I quoted only a portion of it: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/Juggling_Physical_Exercise_and_Diving

Finally, the post-dive periodis a good time to take it easy. Both decompression safety and mental health can be helped by an extended period of relaxation between the end of the dive and the start of equipment shifting and/or racing on to the next activity.
In summary, physical fitness — including both strength and aerobic capacity — is important for divers both for physical safety and decompression safety. Regular exercise training is best scheduled to separate intense exercise and diving. Intense physical training should be avoided 24 hours on either side of diving activity. Any exercise within 24 hours of diving should involve the lowest possible joint forces.

 

[Subcooled]

Juggling Physical Exercise and Diving ? DAN | Divers Alert Network ? Medical Dive Article

I once attended a diving safety related conference targeted at the general diving population. The speakers were hyperbaric experts and they touched these issues. One thing that I remember is that they said heavy exercise (like gym) may cause shunting of blood and let bubbles into the arterial blood, which is not good, and because of this heavy lifting should especially be avoided. So, don't carry the tanks immediately after a dive.

 

[TSandM]

There are excellent studies using Doppler detection of intravascular bubbles, which suggest that post-dive exercise produces much higher bubble grades. The caveat is that it depends on the degree of exertion, and also on the individual. Some people bubble easily, and others never bubble at all.

If you are interested in the literature, go to the Rubicon Repository site (linked in my sig line) and search on post-dive exercise. You'll pull up a lot of information.

 

[Pedro Burrito]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Moved from Basic to Diving Medicine

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[Duke Dive Medicine]

It's normal to have some bubbles trapped on the venous side of the pulmonary circulation after decompression (dependent of course on dive and deco profile). During exercise, these bubbles can be shunted through the pulmonary vasculature and into the arterial circulation, where they can be carried to vulnerable organs like the brain and spinal cord.

Best regards,
DDM