Diving with sciatica

[-JD-]

I have considered moving to an integrated BCD, but my wife dives one and it has no room in the pockets for accessories like slate, cutting tools, sausage, etc.

My weight belt is one with pockets that allows me to place the weight up close to the buckle.

With the configuration I have now with trims on the tank strap, I can maintain a good posture in the water column comfortably.

Are you using a plate/wing combo or a bcd with a 2" waist belt (like a SP LiteHawk, AL Outlaw, etc.)?

If so there are a number of pockets that would give you both weight pockets and stowage pockets, either combined or separate.

 

[ibj40]

My weight belt is supported by my hips and does not place weight on my back (or so I believe). Weight on my back is only a problem when standing with all the gear on. If you take the BCD/tank off in the water so the crew can lift it out of the water, then having integrated weights make the gear heavier and more difficult for them to lift.

I agree with this completely.

Are you using a plate/wing combo or a bcd with a 2" waist belt (like a SP LiteHawk, AL Outlaw, etc.)?

If so there are a number of pockets that would give you both weight pockets and stowage pockets, either combined or separate.

I dive a Seaquest Pro BCD. I really like the way it feels.

I just turned 71, hoping to neither invest much more in gear nor learn a new rig.

I also have FinClips fitted to my fins, to help me overcome the lack of lower back flexibility from both my earlier injury and the sciatica.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

I got one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Tipke-2100-Marine-Fold-Utility/dp/B00006LPPJ
View attachment 648823
It will hold 5 AL80s or so, or a full SM set, or doubles, but the best part is the huge wheels for going over rocks, gravel, sand.
And it collapses just fine.

Nice cart! I'm considering this one.

 

[Jake 10]

Don't Give Up !

I did several months of chiropractic visits and stretch exercises. This alleviated the pain, although it is still there due to herniated disk. In order to keep diving I went back to a lumbar support jacket BCD with integrated weights. Knock on wood, I can continue to dive.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

acupuncture gets rid of mine in 2 or 3 sessions when it hits me. i highly recommend.

 

[Marie13]

Nice cart! I'm considering this one.

View attachment 648964

Do you have enough room in your vehicle for this cart? I prefer the canvas folding one as it fits behind the front seats of my Escape just fine and doesn’t take up any cargo room.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

Do you have enough room in your vehicle for this cart? I prefer the canvas folding one as it fits behind the front seats of my Escape just fine and doesn’t take up any cargo room.

I drive a full size truck so storage is no issue lol

 

[Jeff_O]

I drive a full size truck so storage is no issue lol

This is an old thread I know, but it comes as close as I could to what I am faced with. This is a compressed cervical disc making it still allowing me to scuba dive with caviot. I got a gorilla brand large wagon an pickup truck. Everything has to be taking longer than back in 1980 to 2017. Certified in 1980 and seeked help with disc problem in 2017. The wagon loading and unloading plus egress land to water is only done by getting wagon to assemble everything near waters edge. All works out OK as I have dove off small boats where you teather equipment floating by bc inflated and slip in while in the water. Mostly with a sense of where stuff is and then unclip an go down the ankor line. OK fine, just finding a buddy to dive with when either they passed on or only do warm water diving. I switched to drysuit diving in the 1990's. Also, I'm not going to ask a buddy to carry my gear, just the extra time it takes me to dive now that this is so. Looking for what has been for others on how to match up with a buddy in similar cercumstanses. I would dive with another person with a disability on par with mine, but more than that I would feel uncomfortable.

 

[PirateFoxy]

I get sciatic pain as a result of autoimmune arthritis causing inflammation in my lower spine, combined with muscle tightness due to the initial pain. Stretches that target the piriformis(sp?) muscles help a lot in getting stuff loosened up again so muscle tightness isn’t making things worse.

I’ve also found that gentle movement (like walking) can help a lot, but it can be hard getting started so I’ve found that a lidocaine patch (they used to be prescription only but now you can get them OTC in the US) stuck over the very base of my spine can help reduce the pain enough to get moving and once you’re moving the movement itself helps. The only thing is they don’t always stick very well so I usually use some medical tape around the edges to keep it stuck on since that’s an area of the body that can have a lot of movement that loosens the patch.

 

[Johnboy70_99]

I have sciatic pain due to a muscle imbalance and possible si joint instability, that I am working through with PT and a modified exercise program. I have found that diving completely alleviates my symptoms, both immediately after and the next day. Then they come back again in the days following.