Health & Fitness

Diving is a physically demanding sport. There are two main areas to consider;

1. Your physical fitness - you'll need to carry heavy items such as your weights and air tank, sometimes for some distance to get from your car to the boat - and back again! Before you enter the water, you will have all your kit on, this may put strain on your back and legs. In addition, the fitter you are the less air you will use underwater and the longer your dive!

2. Your body - whilst diving, your body is subject to pressures (water plus air pressures) it would never normally encounter. In particular, your ears, sinuses and lungs are put under stress.

For your own sake, and for those of your diving colleagues who may be put at risk in the event of an underwater medical problem, every member needs to complete a medical before carrying out any diving activities.

Strabane Sub Aqua Club uses the CFT (Irish Underwater Council) training program - for this a medical form signed by your doctor is required.

Up to age 55, a new form is required every 3 years

Over age 55, a new form is required annually

In the intervening years, you will be required to sign a declaration that there has been no changes to your health.

See here for recently updated (January 2008) CFT procedures

You should not dive if you are pregnant.

On the day of a dive, if you feel unwell, you should NOT dive - you could be putting both yourself and colleagues at risk.

For UK advice on diving health, see this NHS Direct website - however note that the CFT rules apply

I couldn't find similar advice on IrishHealth,com - but it may be added if you do a search