DCS: Diving and the boat ride back in choppy seas.

[Rooster59]

I've read about possible connections between exercise after diving and incidents of DCS.

I was driving on a crappy gravel road, grabbed a pepsi out of the the cooler, poped the top, took a drink, all was fine. I put the can in the cupholder, and the bumping around from the road started making the can fizz over. So the dim 5w bulb in my head sputtered a bit, and I wondered- Does the pounding you get traveling in the dive boat, say on a choppy day, have any effect as to raising your chances of DCS?

I'll volunteer for the study if the water's warm.

Thank you Dr. Deco, hang loose.

 

[CaliDenna]

That was a great connection! It will be interesting to see the answer.

 

[Solly]

haven't seen any case of DCS with whatever rough sea conditions unless the diver was not following the safe diving rules.

 

[Dr Deco]

---------- Post added February 23rd, 2013 at 03:26 PM ----------

Hello Rooster59:


While activity does influence the formation of gas bubbles in your tissues, I am actually talking about musculoskeletal activity that you do, e.g., climbing boat ladders, and lifting air tanks. Simply being jostled while in the boat will not do this. It might give you a stomach disturbance, but that is all.

Movement has a considerable effect on DCS astronauts performing spacewalks in null gravity. Theyare subject to very little activity in space and lose their tissue micronuclei. The incidence of DCS is much lower in 0-g than it is with the same decompression schedule performed on earth in a test chamber. On the ground, however, we are naturallysubject to considerable activity and thus for DCS incidence to be increased,the increased activity must be considerable. Lifting tanks will do it –unfortunately. A simple bumpy ride in a boat is passive “activity” and does not lead to elevated DCS risk.

 

[chillyinCanada]

What am i missing here? Have i missed a thread?

Based on what I've just read, find myself wondering why aren't more DMs bent regularly?

 

[Rooster59]

Dr. Deco,

Thanks for the answer!