Runcation/Diving Trip

[Thyamine]

Being new to diving, I'm excited to get out whenever I can. We have friends going to Aruba for a half-marathon, and normally we would join them for the run as well as enjoying the island. I would like to get some diving in, but I know during my reading/classes it was discussed about avoiding exercise/hard exertion soon after diving.

I'm sure others here have had similar situations: we are only going for a few days, so I want to dive for a day or two, then do the half marathon the next day, then fly home a day or two later. I remember thinking that exercise would be a good way to help work the nitrogen out of my system, but during my class I asked and was told it was probably not a good idea.

So looking for additional insight from those who have done or tried a similar schedule before. What has worked, what is unsafe, etc.

 

[Thyamine]

For those interested, this is one of the articles I found that talks about DCS and exercise, and new studies saying that it has been shown to decrease DCS.

The Effects of Exercise on SCUBA Divers

 

[CuzzA]

For those interested, this is one of the articles I found that talks about DCS and exercise, and new studies saying that it has been shown to decrease DCS.

The Effects of Exercise on SCUBA Divers

I would not take the advise from an "exercise physiologist" coach who doesn't appear to have any education in dive medicine on active.com

I think running a marathon after diving a couple days is not a wise decision.

Alert Diver | Timing Exercise and Diving

Again, the ideal choice for this person would be to limit diving to conservative exposures. The next best choice would be to fit in the intense physical activity as far from diving as possible. It is safest to limit physical activity to that with very low joint forces — the closer to diving, the lower the forces. Modest swimming, for example, involves much lower joint forces than running. Cycling can also involve lower joint forces than running. These are not absolutes, though. It is not enough to choose an activity that might have low joint forces; it is necessary to practice it in a way that ensures low joint forces.

The practical approach is to separate physical activity from diving, with the lowest-intensity exercise closest to the diving. Swimming and walking typically produce less strain than intense cycling or running. High and repetitive joint forces should be minimized. The diver should be mindful of the activity level and honestly appraise the risk. By making small decisions that consistently favor the slightly safer option over the slightly more aggressive, an adequate safety buffer can be created.

This is not a simple answer, but reality is messy. Exercise, especially intense exercise, can increase the effective decompression stress.​