Diving precautions and prevention of related injuries

Diving, especially if you do not follow the rules, can be traumatic – you constantly need to lift and carry heavy equipment, without which the dive is impossible, and it is fraught with back injuries. Spine must be protected – firstly, we have one, and there will not be another, and secondly, many injuries are insidious and appear only years later when it is difficult to do anything with them. Today you can take care of your back: follow a simple set of safety measures, and many problems will be avoided.

A healthy back – a reality for a diver

Say at once that it will not be easy, but with the proper diligence you can and dive to enjoy and maintain a healthy back. To reduce the risk of injury to a minimum:

Girth your gear – the weight of the gear may only be on one side, which creates an uneven load. Carry cylinders and equipment by holding them across your chest with both hands;
enlist the help of your peers: diving is a team sport and it is not only comfortable and safe to dive with each other but also to put the equipment on. Put the compensator on both hands at once, preferably while sitting, standing up so that the load is transferred to the legs;
torsional loads are especially dangerous for the back;
heavy equipment should not be held with outstretched arms;
keep yourself in good physical shape;
if you have to lift weights jerkily because they are too heavy, ask your partner to assist you;
climb out of the water onto the boat smoothly and hold on to the handrail.

And, of course, make a trial dive under the instructor’s keen guidance in order to understand how not to make mistakes.