Rescue Diver Scenarios - Trouble with cramping

[njneer630]

Hey all,

I just got back from doing my Rescue scenarios. All went well until the last one - unresponsive diver underwater. After about 3 minutes of rescue breaths/getting victim out of their gear as we're heading to shore, my calves started cramping like crazy. I rested and tried again 3 times before my instructor sent me back to the hotel.
I had started hydrating 2 days prior to the dives. I brought bananas with me; ate one the night before, and two the morning of the dives. After going back to the hotel, I ate another one, drank about a 1/2 gallon of Gatorade and more than that of water. Needless to say, I was up during the night...
When I woke up the next morning, I stretched my calves for about 20 minutes. As soon as I stopped stretching they cramped up again. I didn't think I could hump my gear down the bluff to the dive site, let alone finish my scenarios. My calves, once I got the cramping stopped, continued to twitch...alot. And my legs overall just felt like jello. So I messaged my instructor saying I wouldn't be making it, and started my long drive home.
Does anyone have any tips for avoiding this problem for my next attempt? Specific exercises, stretches, etc....anything?

Thanks!

 

[BrianKon]

I think most all of us have had cramping issues when doing the Rescue Diver scenarios. It basically comes down to using muscle groups that are not normally used. No amount of stretching/hydration will overcome that. I would talk to a Physical Therapist to get some exercises that would target those muscles.

The one I use is toe raises. With your feet shoulder width apart roll up onto the balls of your feet and hold for a few seconds then lower yourself back down - repeat 10 times and rest. try three sets of 10 to start, you want to try to get to 3 sets of thirty. Do not go past the feeling of fatigue in your calf muscles. After you accomplish that, then do the same thing one leg at a time. be sure to stretch before and after this exercise to warm-up and cool-down the muscles. There are other exercises such as 1/3 knee bends that also help to work a different part of the knee and calf. Again talk with a profession therapist as I am not one.

The other thing is that if I recall , there is no real time limit on those exercises, just that you do them to an acceptable standard. I think you may have rushed the exercise and caused more strain on your legs muscles than was necessary.

One more thing is the technique, if you position yourself correctly you need not kick out of the water as much and thus put less strain on your muscles. This is the slight roll you give the victim as you are cradling the neck.

hope this helps

good diving to you!

 

[njneer630]

I'll try those. Also, I'm an ER RN, and was planning on talking to one of our PTs. And, I just bought my first back inflate BCD. I was wondering if it pushing me forward caused a little increase in workload. Thanks!

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Assuming that you don't have a medical condition which predisposes you to cramping, this is a conditioning issue.
The simple answer is to get your legs in better shape.
If diving is the most strenuous activity in your life, then you're doing something wrong. (In other words, make sure you're doing lots of physical exercise outside of scuba diving.)

By the way, eating bananas won't prevent cramps. Eat a balanced diet. Stay properly hydrated. Replace fluids and electrolytes during/after exercise.

 

[fisheater]

In addition to the above, I think your best exercise will be to swim laps with your fins.


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[BKP]

You might want to take a look at this site in general:

Fitness and Exercise Articles Just for SCUBA Divers

...and specifically this article:

http://www.divefitness.com/html/articles/article_pdfs/EAMC.pdf

...and this one:

http://www.divefitness.com/html/articles/article_pdfs/foot_calf.pdf

 

[j yaeger]

i used to get wicked leg cramps chasing students around while dm ing...
better fitting boots,different style fins,solved problem

just a thought
have fun learning
yaeg

 

[TMHeimer]

My usual advice--Potassium pills. I'm very prone to cramping due to heredity. Sometimes would get them in cold water, after strenuous activity/finning. Sometimes not. Sometimes in warm water. No reasoning. Potassium pills cut this down by probably 2/3rds. Maybe that's just me. Even years ago when i was considerably younger I would wake up in bed with cramps--no exersion involved there. I figure if the pills helped me, they would probably help others even better.

 

[tyesai]

Sounds like your legs were just shot. Get to a pool if possible and swim some laps with your fins. I notices that once I started swimming even as little as once a week in my fins I haven't had any leg / foot cramps.

 

[mmintz]

After trying the suggestions listed above, it might be a good idea if possible to get into a pool and work on these skills before you head back to open water to finish your course. I'm sure your instructor would be happy to go back to the pool so you can work on the skills and try different techniques. I know that when I did my course I had to successfully complete all of the skills in the pool, in addition to a few other additional skills my instructor made me do before I could even go to open water to do my rescue check out dives.