Neck pain from diving

[tbone1004]

I get neck pain as well, very annoying and I'm still a kid compared to some of the guys out here. Lot's of stretches before and after help and I usually take some sort of NSAID if I'm going on a long dive -2+ hours
I am a bit of a trim nut since I am a cave diver and it is very important in that environment, but I usually counter it by rolling around to see what's around me instead of trying to look straight ahead. Get up higher off of the environment and it's easier to look ahead of you, and turning and rolling onto your side if you want to see something vertical is perfectly fine. In OW if you are scaling a wall or whatever, I have no issue with being vertical

 

[Lorenzoid]

My neck pain started shortly after--no, maybe during--GUE Fundies. Yeah, I think it's that obsession with diving in horizontal trim. My instructor is constantly reminding me to "look forward, head up." I tend to look down because looking up hurts my neck!

 

[Neilwood]

My neck pain started shortly after--no, maybe during--GUE Fundies. Yeah, I think it's that obsession with diving in horizontal trim. My instructor is constantly reminding me to "look forward, head up." I tend to look down because looking up hurts my neck!

That instructors attitude is the sort that gets people giving up on diving.

If they are told the only correct way to dive is in a way that hurts, they are likely to give it up. Better to be slightly out of trim and enjoying the dive IMHO than causing yourself pain (which might be causing long term damage).

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Yeah plus the whole idea of keeping your butt flexed so you knees are up... ain't gonna do much for low back pain either for a hour long dive. If you are casually drifting around, being out of trim has zero impact and if you are slightly out of trim with the head up position, you will immediately flatten out when you start kicking and moving.

 

[Lorenzoid]

That instructors attitude is the sort that gets people giving up on diving.

If they are told the only correct way to dive is in a way that hurts, they are likely to give it up. Better to be slightly out of trim and enjoying the dive IMHO than causing yourself pain (which might be causing long term damage).

It's definitely a bit masochistic, but I wouldn't blame the instructor. The class is about learning to do things in a very specific way. Out in the real world, we should employ our training in whatever way makes sense, works best for us, etc. In other words, it's good to be able to do things perfectly--as instructors attempt to teach us to do--but not necessary to do them exactly as we were taught in class all the time. I try to remind myself it's okay to get out of trim now and then.

 

[billt4sf]

it's interesting to see so many people have the problem...and so many different ideas for solutions.

Lorenzoid, some of the posts reminded me that the Fundies instruction was indeed to tighten the butt, thrust the pelvis, and (maybe) arch the back -- none of which I have been doing I'm going to try to do those more.

I get the point about not always being horizontal, but at the same time I think going more vertical is going to have the effect of air going higher in the BCD (wing) and therefore causing me to be more positive. This would be especially true if I were overweighted, but I am not. Not much, anyway.

I also liked the comment about looking sideways instead of just UP.

So we will see.

THANKS for the comments!

- Bill

 

[uncfnp]

Try varing your trim position throughout the dive. Staying too long in one position can be very stressful on the spine and supporting soft tissue. Just as it can be helpful to vary kicks to decrease leg pain and fatigue, changing trim position can help reduce back strain and tension.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Bill, you couldn't be in a better place to help all kinds of physical woes. Take up yoga! But remember doing yoga, you don't have to do anything in yoga that hurts you either. Take up beginner gentle yoga. Your posture should improve which will help you topside too. I'm not trying to say that improving your posture is why you should go to yoga. But gentle yoga is especially great for those of us of a certain age. (Says me as I've been skipping it for an extended period f time, doh!)

 

[Neilwood]

It's definitely a bit masochistic, but I wouldn't blame the instructor. The class is about learning to do things in a very specific way. Out in the real world, we should employ our training in whatever way makes sense, works best for us, etc. In other words, it's good to be able to do things perfectly--as instructors attempt to teach us to do--but not necessary to do them exactly as we were taught in class all the time. I try to remind myself it's okay to get out of trim now and then.

I can see why it is done but sometimes rules need broken for good reasons.

I actually find it is fun to be out of trim sometimes - quite fun to go head down (headstand) to look at your buddy (if behind you) to check on gas.

Perfect trim for me has its place but I personally don't feel the need to be in that place all the time.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I can see why it is done but sometimes rules need broken for good reasons.

I actually find it is fun to be out of trim sometimes - quite fun to go head down (headstand) to look at your buddy (if behind you) to check on gas.

Perfect trim for me has its place but I personally don't feel the need to be in that place all the time.

I LIKE the idea of going out of trim now and then--mixing it up so that it to helps "reduce back strain and tension," as uncfnp explained it--I really do. But exactly what positions to try just don't occur to me. I would never have thought of doing a headstand, though I suspect it might be fun AND perhaps good for my back. However, I do like tbone's suggestion of rolling when I want to look at something higher than my body, rather than craning my neck. And then there's the element of guilt I alluded to--I spent a lot of time working on achieving horizontal trim. When I see a diver vertical, say, in some form of that "buddha" hover position, I sort of cringe. Why would they do that? It goes against everything I spent a lot of time and money to learn.

Yet my back often hurts after a dive. What to do. What to do ....