Shoulder savers?

[Frank O]

Hi all, I have an old injury in the muscle along the top of one shoulder that makes it vulnerable to reinjury now and then. It flared up again in the past couple of days, probably due to overuse or strain (spent the day hiking with a very heavy backpack over the weekend, then dove early in the week with a moderately long time on the surface with gear on the back).

If there's anybody else out there with tricky shoulders, have you found any good ways to decrease strain from straps when topside? I dive with a backplate and wing, and don't want to change to an entirely differerent configuration. Obviously a first strategy would be to minimize exposure (shorter time topside with gear on back, or do more boat diving and less beach diving).

I was thinking of maybe slipping something under the shoulder of my wetsuit to shield it more or spread out the pressure from straps, but hadn't hit on the right thing to try yet.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[gj62]

Depending upon the dive, if the surf is not unreasonable, can you tow your rig out before donning? Obviously, in some conditions this is not appropriate...

 

[DA Aquamaster]

What type of harness do you use? The ergonomics of a hogartian type harness are less than perfect.

The traditional hogarthian harness made from one continuous piece of webbing can create some uneeded stress on the shoulders and a harness with pivot rings in the shoulder straps and a chest strap may prove more comfortable by routing the straps a little closer toward the centerline and further inboard from the arms. You add some sewn connections but the overall strenght of the harness is not compromised if the connections are properly sewn.

You could also go to something like an OMS comfort harness or Dive rite transplate harness which incorporate more surface area in the strap area, although these seem to involve quick release buckles.

Short of this, neoprene shoulder pads are available to install on a standard or "deluxe" harness and they would add padding as well as a small increase in surface area.

 

[Frank O]

Thanks for the ideas. It's a Halcyon Pioneer 36, and I'm not too keen on making significant mods to it or using a different BC ... and it's not feasible to haul out past the surf and don in the water. I was thinking more along the lines of plastic or something I could slip inside the wetsuit to pad the shoulders. Overall, though, I think this week I had a double-whammy due to a couple of shoulder-taxing outings, but thanks to ice, ibuprofen and DMSO it's much better. Hopefully it won't be kicking up too often.

 

[gj62]

If it's weight related, pads probably won't help, as they won't really diminish the load on the shoulders. If it is just a padding problem, you can make pads to your liking with 7mm neoprene. Simply cut to size to wrap around the webbing and join with neoprene cement - my buddy has this for his rig and works well. Again, this is more about comfort rather than weight redistribution.

 

[Nay]

I have lots of problems with my neck and shoulders in general and I find that a Therma Care patch after you are done will relax the muscle and warm you up nicely. If you're got swelling, you might need Tiger Balm instead but either way, don't wait until it hurts, treat it as soon as you're back in dry clothes.
Ciao!