By Jim “Chiefy” Mathie | New Pelican Writer

When one of my Chiefy Crew dive buddies gets injured or has an illness, the first thing they ask the doctor is, “When can I return to diving?” None of us are getting any younger, so the question of dive fitness should be a concern to all of us. 

The freedom to explore the ocean while scuba diving is why most of us got certified as an “open water diver.” It’s primarily an unregulated sport controlled by certifying agencies who teach their educational standards. 

Dive shops or online commerce will sell you scuba gear. However, you’ll need a certification to fill your air tanks or dive on a commercial charter. And you’ll be expected to sign a liability waiver if you’re diving off a charter, stating you know the risks. Diving without a tank . . . no certification is needed. Anyone can purchase a mask, snorkel and fins and jump into the ocean. 

According to the 2018 Annual Diving Report by Divers Alert Network (DAN), “Risk is inherent to diving, whether the diver breathes compressed gas or holds their breath. The diving environment is unforgiving. Fortunately for divers, most incidents can be avoided entirely with safe practices, but incidents still occur.”

An article by the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society – “Scuba in Older Divers” states, “Generally speaking, fitness to dive should be based on physiological age and the ability to do sustained aerobic activities rather than chronological age. The older diver should assiduously adhere to diving safety and conservative practices. We feel that the diving activity should be paired with the level of physical fitness anticipated as necessary to safely do it.” 

After 13 months of not diving because of my lower back spinal stenosis and then getting both of my hips replaced because of osteoarthritis, it was time to get back in the water. A phone call to DAN pointed me in the right direction and I learned a new word . . . osseointegration . . . the use of titanium in artificial hips is because it’s strong, lightweight and porous; which allows bone and metal to fuse together. 

DAN recommended a visit and clearance from my doctor and orthopedic surgeon. More great advice came from physical therapist Dr. Monica Choi, who is a good dive buddy and constantly reminds me “motion is lotion.” Strengthening my body at LA Fitness started with a recombinant bicycle for aerobic exercise and leg strengthening along with some pool activities. 

Scuba diving is more than just leg kicking while swimming and the ability to use your entire body is paramount. My upper body had atrophied so getting strength back in my arms and hands and focusing on my core became top priority. Having a strong core helps with everything needed in scuba diving. When I was ready to take the plunge, selecting the dive conditions, boat and crew were essential. Having the Chiefy Crew on Steve Siegel’s boat “Relentless” was important, as they looked after me. My dive buddy, Ken Udell, made sure I wasn’t putting myself in any danger and was ready to assist me if needed. 

The article offered more great advice. “Mobility and strength in scuba diving relate to the ability to move from one place to another and to move joints through a functional range of motion sufficient to don and take off gear, enter and exit the water and be mobile while in the water. Strength with reference to scuba diving is a matter of being able to lift dive equipment, carry the equipment to the entry site, and make safe entries and exits from the water. For open water dives this may require shimmying onto a small craft. Mobility and strength are probably the most important for making age-related decisions to terminate diving. With experience, medications,and controlling the dive environment, fitness and comorbidities can be mitigated. Mobility and strength deficits can be somewhat mitigated in the older diver, with non-diving exercise that helps maintain joint flexibility and muscle strength in addition to aerobic exercises to maintain fitness.” 

It’s great to be back in my happy place under the water and thankful my recovery has been almost complete. My goal now is to be stronger and better than before my injuries. Thanks to the Chiefy Crew for their assistance throughout my recovery, and I am looking forward to more scuba diving adventures. So hang on, there’s lots more to come in the near future.