Friction or something else?

Hi there,

I'm pretty new to this, with only 8 dives, so I'd appreciate the input. I've noticed a strange thing the last couple times I've gone out and. Starting the day after the dive, the toes on my left foot are incredibly sore for a day or two. Part of this definitely seems to be blistering from friction (possible incorrectly sized boot), but beyond that there seems to be pain through the whole toe, and walking on them hurts a lot more than just blisters. The feeling is as though there were rubber bands around the base of the toes and circulation was being severely restricted. Physically, they get a little swollen and red. It seems as though I'd notice something like this on the day of the dives if it was just from friction, and what's more, the boots and fins seem to fit just fine. Has anyone else experienced something like this? Am I getting some sort of squeeze in the toes of my fins? Obviously I'd like to get to the source of this so I can prevent it from happening in future! Is it possible there's something decompression and/or circulation related happening here? It seemed worse the couple days after a day with dives to 80+ feet than the previous week with shallower (~55-60ft) dives.

thanks,

First of all, you're a newer diver so watch your depth. It would be a good idea to plan a few dives in the 60 ft range until you gain a little more experience with buoyancy control, breathing off of a regulator, adjusting to the gear, etc. As you get closer to the 90 - 100 ft range, you should be aware of the effects of nitrogen narcosis. At that depth, as with all deeper dives, you should also be aware of the increased rate of gas consumption and the accelerated rate of nitrogen loading.

Based on your depth profile, it's very unlikely that DCS caused your toe pain. Your idea about friction causing the pain is probably a good guess. It's likely caused by an ill-fitting boot, too small of a foot pocket on your fins, or a combination of the two. It's possible, but not probable, that you're doing some kind of funky kick, too. Blisters are no fun. If the gear does appear to fit properly (ask a more experienced diver to help), you might want to consider wearing some socks to decrease friction. There are relatively inexpensive neoprene socks you can purchase at your local dive shop. I'm sure someone will chime in with a brand they can recommend.

Whenever I dive wet I get sores on the top of my toes after about 6 or 8 dives. I have learned to wear socks to prevent this.

Thanks, folks. It seemed very unlikely that it was anything beyond just bad blisters, but I wanted to make sure. I'll try socks. It was the feeling like circulation was being cut that made me ask if it could have been something more.

It also could be from walking around all geared up. Around here, that's a whole lot of extra weight.

But our speculation here is not anywhere near as important as a call to DAN - Divers Alert Network. They're the experts in dive medicine and their services are free. (Though all of us really should be members.)

www.diversalertnetwork.org

Yep, third the recommendation for socks. My bare feet used to get torn up and blistered in boots, which were a little big (but smallest size available). I started to use wool socks, and then switched to neoprene socks. Neoprene socks are very warm, dry fast (which is especially good for travelling), and reduce water transfer if your boots are slightly big.

I'm wondering though, if your boots might be a little snug across the areas that are getting sore, even if they feel ok while wearing them. It could also be incorrectly placed arch support for you or the lack thereof, which you may need. You could try wearing them around the house or on land for several hours and see if you get discomfort without the diving, to see if it is related to diving or depth itself. You can try any regular socks in your boots while diving and see if they help. You won't get the warmth, but you will get the protection from friction. If you still have pain and blistering after trying those two ideas, you may need to get better fitting boots to alleviate the problem. Hope that helps.