Health benefits from diving

[OreCoastDiver]

After Sparky's bad news about his ankle (sorry to hear it man), I thought I'd post some therapeutic good news from yesterday's dive with my wife. Thursday morning my wife was exercising and twisted her ankle. It hurt more and more as the day went on and she was limping pretty bad. By Friday she was really hurting and was convinced that she wouldn't be able to dive Saturday. We had a dive booked with Don on PacAdventure and had been looking forward to it for about six weeks. After compression (Ace bandage), cold and elevation Friday night she decided she felt good enough to give it a try.

Long story short, after her first dive her ankle felt fine. After the second dive it felt even better. Today she's running around on it and exclaimed a couple of times to me how great it feels. "It's like a miracle," she said. What could I say but, "I told you you would love diving."

BTW, Both dives were great and we had viz of about 25 feet.

[lurch]

Were you diving Nitrox? I've read of treating bad flesh wounds with a chamber ride (increased PO2 helps speed healing).

Whatever the reason it's good to hear!

<---not a doctor.

[Sounder]

Yeah, hyperbaric treatment is used for many medical procedures - in fact, diver recompression is a very small fraction of what the chambers at hospitals like VM do. LLJames could probably give more information regarding the VM chamber.

I did read once that diving is good for cardiac health... I'll have to find that article again.

[OreCoastDiver]

Were you diving Nitrox? I've read of treating bad flesh wounds with a chamber ride (increased PO2 helps speed healing).

Nope, just good old compressed air. I think it was the compression that did the trick. My guess is that the pressure forces the fluid out of the swolen tisues and back into the bloodstream where it belongs.

[Sounder]

Were you diving Nitrox? I've read of treating bad flesh wounds with a chamber ride (increased PO2 helps speed healing).

Nope, just good old compressed air. I think it was the compression that did the trick. My guess is that the pressure forces the fluid out of the swolen tisues and back into the bloodstream where it belongs.

I'm guessing it was the cold and the compression combined with the movement... with a side of narcosis of course.

[Aquanautchuck]

Chambers are used a lot for burn victims, and diabetics. The 100% O2 speeds recovery because of the increased O2 that gets to the cells. I had a couple of long chats with the workers when I had to do 3 rides in the plastic tube. I never want to crawl in there again.

[OreCoastDiver]

I had to do 3 rides in the plastic tube. I never want to crawl in there again.

Ouch! That sounds like a story.

[TCWestby]

Ditto the therapy.

My ankles and bakc will be hurting before a dive and be much better after, especially when diving wet. I even notice my knees feeling better.

I wonder if I can get my doctor to write a prescription for regular diving, then maybe my insurance and flex plan will pay for it.

[Ken G]

I had back problems before I went to doubles with stages...etc...
Now I rarely have an issue with pain in the back.

I think it simply comes down to the fact I am much stronger now that I am diving with heavier gear regularly.
I sleep better too

[LCF]

Well, I've been on what I call the Mexican Cave Diving Weight Loss Program.

I went down to do Cave 1 and a week of diving afterwards. Now, admittedly, class was long and food was the ham sandwich I brought with me, but there was dinner and a margarita every night, and the second week, we went out a few times. I came home five pounds lighter.

I just did another week down there (no actual class this time) and came home another 2.5 lbs lighter.

It's amazing what finning a mile or two a day will do for your trim (diving and otherwise), not to mention what carting doubles up and down three flights of stairs does for your strength and fitness!

[BASSMAN]

Since having three surgeries on my low back, the last one being a discectomy(sp?).
My doctor / Orthopedic surgeon {who happens to be a diver}, has told me, with the right teqniques of getting in and out of the water, diving is the best thing I can be doing second to walking two miles per day. I think Sounder is right, It's a combination of cold therapy, pressure and also the effect of being weightless, lets all of the other muscles just relax.
I could still do damage if I'm not careful and I waited until he gave me the "okay" to dive again.

Bottom line, even my nerve pain in my feet feels better after a dive. I have been told by my doctor, it may take up to three years before the nerve pain goes away. " That's allot of diving for me!

"But honey the doctor said... "

No, I have not had to play that card yet.

[sparky]

A while back Loctinbrownsmead and my self had a day trip planed for Three Tree point North
I steeped off the front porch wrong the night be for and gave my left ankle a nasty wrenching.
and I also have a little arthritis in my right shoulder that bother-es me from time to time

in either case I have noticed that a little bit of time spent at any depth blow 40 feet will make the ace in the joint much better and in most cases it leaves me all to gather

I suspect it is the pressure on the joint perhaps forcing the fluid out of the joint or in to the joint but ether way it does make the pain stop for a time

I would be interested if your wife has any more pain in a day or two after her dies

Sparky

[Sounder]

A while back Loctinbrownsmead and my self had a day trip planed for Three Tree point North
I steeped off the front porch wrong the night be for and gave my left ankle a nasty wrenching.
and I also have a little arthritis in my right shoulder that bother-es me from time to time

in either case I have noticed that a little bit of time spent at any depth blow 40 feet will make the ace in the joint much better and in most cases it leaves me all to gather

I suspect it is the pressure on the joint perhaps forcing the fluid out of the joint or in to the joint but ether way it does make the pain stop for a time

I would be interested if your wife has any more pain in a day or two after her dies

Sparky

He he... he means "after her DIVES."

[sparky]

oh no I did not go there did I

My bad YES I ment after her dives

Trying to do the internet and deal with grand kids at the smae time dont work out to good some times

LOL
Sparky