weight belt=sore back?

[all4scuba05]

Half way through dive my back is sore. Is it floaty feet causing it? would the weight belt with 20 lbs be causing it? Those that used to have that problem, how did you correct it?
Drysuit dive with steel tank and 20 lbs on the belt.

 

[Cacia]

20 pounds would hurt my back.

Are you wearing the belt high enough and above your hip bones?

Try a backplate?

 

[fisherdvm]

I think they make weight harneses that balance the weight better on land, and keep them from rolling down under.

 

[all4scuba05]

I wear it where I normally wear a my pants belt. Right on the hip bones. Was wondering if the weights would cause the pain or if my feet could float enough to bend my lower back and cause the pain.

 

[skynscuba]

Yes, I had that back problem. AL tank and thick undies, so I had 32# of lead on the belt. If you think about it, your suit is providing flotation everywhere, and your belt is just pulling down on your back -- ouch.

Try a weight-integrated BCD, putting as much in the BCD pockets as your wing can float. i.e., you don't want your BCD with weights and a full tank to sink, if you have it off in the water on the surface. If you have weight left over (maybe none, maybe 6 pounds), put that on a belt.

 

[plot]

That story I read recently about the guy that got his head temporarily stuck in a sharks mouth... said that he was wearing a lead vest (which probably saved him) instead of a weight belt to avoid back problems from being under for hours at a time.

I have two tank straps and put weight pockets from XS Scuba on them and fill them up with weight. Helps with my trim and it takes quite a bit off of my belt. Combined with my backplate... it works great.

 

[Teamcasa]

20 lbs on a belt is not a big deal if you are 6'3 - 240, however, if you are 5'10", 150 it may be too much. As others have suggested, spread the weight around but leave enough releasable weight for your safety.

Dave

 

[drbill]

I wear 36# on a belt when I dive, which is over weighted because I like to stay steady when filming. I find it is much easier for me to carry the weight while underwater if the heaviest weights are along the side or under my belly.

Unlike many other divers, I greatly prefer a weight belt to integrated weights because they are easier for me to negotiate re-entering the dive boat with.

You might look at spreading your 20# between a belt and some weight ditchable on your BCD.

 

[95yj]

There's always the other alternative. Strengthen your stomach muscles. Most back pain has to due with our body's natural occurance of strong back muscles and weak stomach muscles. The majority of people who get back pain would be pain free if they would do crunches at every possibility for 2 - 3 weeks. Imagine that, not realizing that your back is there after a couple weeks of not so difficult exercising. Then crunches every so often to keep your stomach in shape.

That said, spreading the weight around may alleviate some of the agravation. Besides, it's cool to watch the boat help try to lift a BC on board when the guy with 20+ pounds of integrated weight takes it off in the water and hands it up to them.