Scuba diving is a physical activity with a lot of potential dangers. You have to meet a certain level of physical fitness to do it and to do it safely. Any reputable dive shop is going to require an updated health form before they’ll allow you to take a class or go on a trip. Mine requires that it be no more than a year old. The form has a list of questions and basically if you answer yes on even one of them, they require you to get a doctor’s approval to dive. You can see the form at the SSI Site here.
So, I headed to the doctor (I checked a lot more than just one box). Fortunately, none of my health issues were enough for him to even pause before he said, “Sure, I’ll sign off on that.” I actually breathed a sigh of relief, but I also spent some serious time reading on the risks so I would understand what types of conditions could make me rethink this and if any of mine advance, what is the point at which I’d say it’s time to stop diving.
I’m not a risk taker at all, by nature. But I’m also in a condition that I need physical activity but issues I have with severe joint pain due to arthritis really limit how much I can do. I love hiking, but the rest of my family leaves me in the dust and if the temperature is too high, I overheat and have to stop so I don’t end up with heat stroke. I love bike riding but until I get my weight down a LOT, it’s no longer comfortable to do it. I love swimming but a problem with the rotator cuff on my right shoulder makes that painful at times.
Scuba diving doesn’t hit any of those issues. In the water, there’s no weight on my joints. With fins on, I don’t need my arms to move. In the water, even warm water, I’m not going to overheat. I will note that if someone says this dive needs a 5mm wetsuit, I’ll wear a 3mm one. That seems to cover the overheating bit just fine. I’m already doing some dives without a wetsuit when others around me are wearing one. All of this means, I do not hurt and am not uncomfortable when I’m diving.
You need to educate yourself. The Diver’s Alert Network has a ton of great information on health and scuba diving. Read up on it, especially for conditions you have or are likely to have.
There are some extensive physical and mental health benefits.
These include:
- Controlled breathing underwater is a calming and meditative activity that helps with stress reduction.
- Swimming underwater with fins on, for me, seems to help gently stretch out my back and hip muscles and I always feel really good when I get out of the water, whether it’s the pool or a lake.
- You’ll work your core muscles quite a bit and it’s a lot more fun that sit-ups or planks.
- That stretching and core work will improve posture and flexibility.
- Scuba diving is being used as part of therapy and treatment for PTSD. There are entire charities devoted to helping veterans with PTSD or disabilities get into diving and for the PTSD patients, data shows that diving is a tremendous help.
There’s more, but a quick search online for the health benefits of scuba diving can provide you with a comprehensive list from people more knowledgeable than me.
