Back pain during a dive

My girlfriend says she feels like a U Bend (head and feet up) all the time when diving and has to crunch up to stretch her back and keep it from hurting.

Could this be due to the 10mil of wetsuit she wears or weighting?
Someone mentioned that she may be weighted head heavy but she already has her tank low (too low I think) in the strap and all her weight is at her waist in the integrated BC. She looks horizontal in the water.

Any suggestions?

Wow, 10 ml. That's a really thick suit.

I'm going to make a few assumptions. You haven't indicated if you are shore diving or boat diving. The way your GF is curling up to relieve tesion in her back I'm guessing she is having muscle tightness in her lower back.

The position of the tank may be an issue, but I suspect more likely related to the weight of the gear and the weights themselves to dive with 10 ml neoprene. This may be causing or aggrevating muscle spasms.

If you are shore diving helping her with her weights until she is close to the shore and ready to enter the water may help alleviate the pressure on her back. That is easier on a boat when you can help her gear up closer to the entry point to eliminate distance she has to go to get in the water with all that weight.

She may want to take an Advil or similar 30-60 minutes before diving prophylactically if the stiffness is associated with pain or discomfort. She may wish to have physical therapy if she has prior history of back problems. You may also consider diving dry to reduce the weight requried to offset that much neoprene.

Good luck.

It's most likely either a weighting or just a BCD fit issue. Try a smaller tank, distribute the weights elsewhere other than in her BCD and/or try a BCD with better lumbar support. I do all of the above and it still gets a little sore, but if I think about it during a dive and do the occasional back flex, it feels fine.

To answer you question directly: yes. I suggest she reevaluate her exposure suit first, and see if something less restrictive will suffice. Also, make sure the suit is properly sized. This may be a part of the problem as well. Then she should be able to use less weight. However, if she is a large person with a lot of "natural buoyancy" her physical make up is also a contributing factor. Start with a less restrictive and properly sized wet suit, then reduce added weight as appropriate. Then, suggest she evaluate her head position. If she is constantly doing the equivalent of "looking up," she will have soreness, especially after a long dive or several dives. Further diagnostic information should include and evaluation or where it hurts, nature of the pain, and how long it takes to abate. If she feels better immediately after unloading her weight and tank, then weight is a big factor. If she gets relief when she has peeled off the wetsuit, then that item ( and proper fit) is likely a major factor. Comfort is everything in diving. Help find a solution, as there is sure to be one.
DivemasterDennis

I had this problem during many of my earlier dives. I believe it was mostly the result of me arching my back, although being somewhat overweighted on my earlier dives probably didn't help either.

I have mostly solved the problem. I think the biggest helpful thing was to concentrate on achieving proper trim not by arching my back, but by clenching my butt muscles (that sounds a bit crude but then its not a glamour sport ). I try to think of making a straight line between my neck and the top of my thighs, and then "bending" at the trunk/thigh joint to achieve correct posture (so it's my top thigh muscles stretching as opposed to arching my back). I'm not completely successful but I (usually) no longer have a sore back, with the resulting desire to go fetal during the dive to fix it (I could completely identify with that feeling). In other words it made a big difference.

At least in my case I don't see how having lumbar support in my BC would help because my rig is not really acting like a backpack or a chair in diving position (like it would on land).

I did somehow torque my back on one of my last dives (trying something dumb .... it was my fault) and was reminded how it used to feel on all my dives. Thank goodness it's the exception now (and may it stay that way!)

Interesting. I, too, get tired/sore in my lower back when diving. But, for me, as I recently discovered from an astute/experienced instructor, it is because of (lack of) flexibility issues in my neck. Because my neck does not bend upward as much as it should (or perhaps did!) when I am (trying to) dive in horizontal trim, in order to see in front of me better, I hyperextend my back (i.e., "U Bend (head and feet up)") to get my body to partially compensate for my limited neck flexibility. (I should note that I never realized that I had less neck flexibility than others---although having taken up biking recently, I have noticed problems seeing where I am going when riding "in the drops.") The "solution" is to be aware of what I am doing (so as not to do it!), have my buddy stay a bit below me so I can see him, and do some stretches to increase the range of motion of my neck (at least a little bit). This may not be your girlfriend's problem, but I think it's worth at least considering that it may be.

To prevent back pain that occurs during/after diving, divers should:

• Rule out the cause of back pain from some other source. For example, sometimes menstrual cramps can manifest as lower back pain. The initial stages of certain medical issues might also feature lower back pain. It's also worthwhile to be screened for scoliosis.
• Perform consistent (daily, if possible) stretching and flexibility exercises with muscles of the mid-section/abdomen, the lower back, upper back, and neck.
• Minimize moving heavy items (particularly tanks, especially lifting/loading them into the car) while topside.
• Use the legs properly while lifting heavy items.
• Make sure that the back is in a proper neutral position (not arched, twisted, or off-center) while diving.
• Ensure that the wetsuit fits well and is not overly tight.
• Ensure proper weighting. Being significantly over-weighted can add to the pressure being placed on the diver's back.
• Try a weight harness system like the DUI Weight & Trim. It's surprising how well the weight is distributed over the shoulders. In my opinion, this is a much better tool than a weightbelt for managing 10-20 lbs. at the level of the hips.
• Ensure that the BC is properly adjusted. Personally, I've found that the combination of the fixed webbing harness on my BP/W rig and the distribution of the weight of the rig (stainless steel backplate + some weight pockets on tank cambands + steel tank) makes it easier for me to carry the "load" topside. Once in the water (whether on my back on the surface or in a prone horizontal position underwater), I feel little if any pressure on my back. The tank is attached securely and balanced nicely in position.
• Minimize the time spent and distance traveled on land with the gear on one's back. This might entail having someone else carry the gear to the water for the diver and/or the diver gearing up in the water. Boat diving in calm seas might be a better option than shore diving.
• Consider prophylactic treatment with over-the-counter NSAIDs, e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.

At least those are the things that come to mind right now...

When I was a new diver, I got horrible back pain after I dove. I think it was a combination of having the tank too low, and having all my weights in the BC -- but I have to be honest and say that I'm not sure. It was so bad that it made me wonder if I would be able to continue diving, though.

Recently, I had a set of dives with back pain, which I concluded was due to having the material of my dry suit bunching up between me and the tank, and forcing me to overextend my low back. I was using my own gear, but a borrowed suit and a tank I don't normally dive. Strangely enough, after I came home, the same suit and undergarment, but with a different tank, didn't bother me. (I should add that both setups used exactly the same gear and the same weight in the same placement -- the only variation was the tank.)

First if she doesn't suffer from any back injuries or issues.

It can simply me getting used to the diving and tank lifting. As in diving the different muscles that are not active are suddenly active.

Ensure the tanks is properly situated. Weights are properly balanced. do a small warm up before the dive. Stretch after dives. Until your more comfortable and the muscles adjust to diving. Consider using a smaller(10ltr 63cf) tank meanwhile you adjust.

Have fun diving and enjoy!!!

Unless you all are diving in Antarctica lose the 10mm and get something like a 3mm. That should help. If her feet still tend to float get some ankle weights. On drift dives I prefer to be more vertical.