Worried about getting bent...

[Artimas]

Hi all. I just found this site, and this is my 1st post. I am a fairly inexperienced diver. I believe I am just being paranoid, but I'll ask my question anyway:

Last year after a dive I noticed some mild arm pain that resolved in a day or 2. At the time, I thought it was a muscle pain and didn't think much about DCS. But, I have thought more about it over the past year and am now concerned (for no good reason!) it might have been DCS. I was well within the NDL, and was careful with my ascent and safety stop.

I am concerned because I have a dive scheduled in 2 weeks, and now I'm getting nervous. This dive will be in colder water, and probably more strenuous than the other one.

I'm wondering what the experienced divers here think about if this dive is safe for me to go on, and if so, how I should "manage" this upcoming dive, in terms of hydration, extra stops, etc.

Thank you very much.

 

[divengolf]

I'd email DAN and ask them.

 

[Damselfish]

one arm - by any chance the one you carried your tank with?

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Hi there Artimas - and welcome to the board!

What was your maximum depth on this dive?

Being fairly inexperienced and doing a cold water dive after a long break I'd focus more on reaquiring skills: go with a good buddy/DM and do an easy shallow check out dive first.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[phoenix09]

one arm - by any chance the one you carried your tank with?

I'm a pretty new diver too, and I get sore after dives as well...on my last trip I woke up the day after the dive and everything, arms, legs, even hands, were incredibly sore. Scuba diving isn't an extremely intense sport, but it does require a lot of lifting and moving of heavy objects that can be tiring even if you're in shape.

Obviously I don't want to say that it definitely isn't DCS, and if you're really concerned, ask someone from DAN or who has experience in diving medicine.

I know how you feel, though, I get paranoid about this stuff as well.

 

[DandyDon]

And the extra weights need to sink in a 7 mil suit in cold water just adds to it all. But a few questions...?
(1) Age?
(2) Is it common for you to be that sore after that activity?
(3) What brand of computer were you using, and did it ever approach or cross NDL?
(4) I take it you were diving common air..?

thanks

 

[lamont]

I am concerned because I have a dive scheduled in 2 weeks, and now I'm getting nervous. This dive will be in colder water, and probably more strenuous than the other one.

i'd advise 1 minute stops every 10 ft from 1/2 your max depth and then clear your computer out shallow (e.g. 1 @ 50, 1 @ 40, 1 @ 30, 3 @ 20->10 for a 100 ft dive), but i think that's just a good idea no matter what.

 

[lowwall]

Spend more time shallow. At minimum make a 3minute stop at 30' and if you go over 75' add a minute stop at half your max depth. Also, go as slowly as you can from your final 15' safety stop to the surface - at least 45 seconds. If you find this difficult stop for a bit at 10 and 5 feet.

Also if there is stuff to see/do in shallower water (<30'), then you might want to spend even more time there. One of the respected posters here has suggested spending a minute shallower than 33 for every minute spent deeper than 66. I've found that following this advice results in much less fatigue than the standard 3 minute safety stop and then up. Don't worry about spending more total time under. 50 minutes deep followed by 10 minutes shallow is actually safer than 50 minutes deep followed by 3 minutes shallow.

The last points up the disadvantage of diving the single depth tables.

edit: general cleanup

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello Artimas:

I would suspect that you had overuse myalgia. As other responders noted, diving uses muscles to which we are unaccustomed. This can result in pain. One should have some type of exercise program to promote physical fitness and reduce the possibility of muscle soreness.

Dr Deco :doctor:

The next class in Decompression Physiology for 2006 is September 16 &#8211; 17. :1book: http://wrigley.usc.edu/hyperbaric/advdeco.htm

 

[Artimas]

Thanks to all for responding. The dive in question was an air dive to only 65 feet. I didn't have a compter and used the tables, and was no where near NDL at 30 minutes.

I realize that DCS seems unlikely, but although I was careful ascending, I believe that I have a tendency to ascend too quickly, and that's what was worrying me. Also, I'm 51-not as young as I used to be!

My next dive is a 70' wreck dive. It will require a thicker wetsuit and more weight. The water will be colder.

I have been exercising more, I'll be diving with a divemaster, and am getting a computer to help, but will still back it all up with knowledge from the tables.

Thanks again to all. I'll keep in touch and report back after that dive in a couple of weeks.

-Artimas