Whip lash injury - how long before I can dive?

[freshwaterdiver]

Hi Buds. 3 weeks ago we were waiting in a queue of traffic waiting for the lights to change when a driver slammed into the back of us a 30 mph.
That ploughed us into the car in front, leaving our motor a write-off.

Still in pain on my right side of neck and central spine area goes into spasm if I try to do light work like washing dishes or wringing a cloth out.
The docs say no diving until my next check over on Sept 20th.

How long is a peice of string question perhaps, but how long might it be before safe to dive? Any thoughts on damaged tissue possibly causing some level of DCS etc?

Look forward to any advice.

[nickb]

I'm assuming you'll be looking into taking up a personal injury claim against the other driver. If so, I'd be reluctant to engage in any activity which his/her insurance company might use as evidence that your injuries are less serious than your medical referee assesses them to be.

When I was knocked from my bike 10 years ago, the PI claim took more than a year to settle; and this is no bad thing as it can take some time to assess the long-term effects of an injury like this.

Diving itself can be fairly stress-free on the body; it's the lugging around of the kit that would preclude someone with a serious whiplash injury from engaging in it. I wouldn't rush it.

If you do engage a solicitor, make sure he or she is a PI specialist and not one of these ambulance-chasing cowboys that advertise on day-time TV alongside the Ocean Finance ads.

[SilvaFish]

Sorry to hear about that; but personally, I wouldn't dive until the injury claim has been settled, for the reasons given by Nick, and also with doing that, your solicitor can argue that the injury has prevented you from doing something you enjoy.

[Loneshark]

Other than any insurance type issues.....

usual advice is don't dive "until it stops hurting". One could argue that the water would support your neck etc, but you wouldn't want to be underwater if your neck or back went into spasm. There is also the getting kit on and off etc to consider.

Finally there would also be possible issues with medication and depth, where some drugs have strange effects when you are under pressure (atmospheric rather than emotional!)

and, taking pain killers may also mask any diving related symptoms that might need urgent attention (DCI).

My advice would be consult a diving doctor for advice, but probably wait until you have full movement without pain/drugs.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by SilvaFish

Sorry to hear about that; but personally, I wouldn't dive until the injury claim has been settled, for the reasons given by Nick, and also with doing that, your solicitor can argue that the injury has prevented you from doing something you enjoy.

That's right, so whatever you do, don't hurt your back, or you'll be really miserable.

[freshwaterdiver]

Thanks for the good advice.
I just cant stand the thought of not diving for god knows how long.
I do realise I would be a potential danger to myself and anyone I was to dive with - so for now = .

Hope this never happens to any of you good buds. Having said this - guess what?
An old dive bud I've not seen for a few month came into the shop this evening (29th August) and explain he had been involved in a car crash - "I said snap" - a wagon had run a red light on him and left his Audi restyled into a "V" shape. The rescue services had to cut out the doors to get him out. He spent some time in hospital and now cant dive ever again.
Thought I was hard done by!! I guess there's always someone worse off.

Many thanks
Paul

[purple vonny]

I had a whiplash 3 years ago in October. Diving made it worse but I carried on anyway (the neck rubs afterwards were lovely). I developed a sea-horse stylee and turned full cirlce to see what/who was behind me. The good news is... although I thought the pain would last for ever, it has finally abated.

Keep it moving if you can and use painkillers. Sometimes they clear up quickly and sometimes they go on and on. Don't use a collar, they make it worse and make your neck muscles weak and more prone to spasm.

I hope it feels better soon.

[ajh]

Sorry to hear. Take medical and legal advice.

[captainnemo]

As per the above, sympathy with the injury, it can be more serious than non-sufferers appreciate, I got nailed at Xmas and it still causes me trouble.

With regard to diving exercise due caution: if you can cope with your gear out of the water it should be OK in the water where the loading is removed to a great extent. As to possible DCI/drug issues you could largely avoid those by staying shallow. In any case the pain management involved with whiplash is likely to be over the counter stuff rather than IV opiate drips.....

If you take things steady there should be no reason to give up diving if you continually monitor yourself (and let's face it, diving involves a semi-permanent state of self-monitoring!!)

Good luck with the compensation process (takes a while, unfortunately) and hope you make a full recovery.

[freshwaterdiver]

Originally Posted by purple vonny

I had a whiplash 3 years ago in October. Diving made it worse. I developed a sea-horse stylee and turned full cirlce to see what/who was behind me. The good news is... although I thought the pain would last for ever, it has finally abated.

Keep it moving if you can and use painkillers. Sometimes they clear up quickly and sometimes they go on and on. Don't use a collar, they make it worse and make your neck muscles weak and more prone to spasm.

I hope it feels better soon.

It's been over three weeks now - finding new ways to do jobs although I cant do anything like what I used to do without the spine going into spasm. So I'm learning slowly or quickly in some cases. The sea horse idea and turning full circle I'll try when I eventually feel fit enough to get back in.

The docs told me they don't use collar's anymore becasue of what you just mentioned - I was thinking they were just trying to save money at my painful expense!

Took 8 Ibuprof yesterday in two hours plus two more half an hour later.
Thanks for your support and to everyone else.
Right now - I was to be boat diving out from Eyemouth this weekend