I recently had a question about returning to diving after a hip fracture. I underwent surgery three weeks ago to insert a plate and screws. The question is whether it’s safe to dive eight weeks after the surgery and if there is a risk of decompression illness (DCI). While I’m not a medical professional, I can provide general guidelines based on advice from DAN Europe. The decision to return to diving is personal and should always be made in consultation with a local physician who is trained in dive medicine. The industry standard for returning to diving after a fracture is a two-step process. First, your doctor must release you for full, unrestricted activity, including contact sports. Second, you should add an additional convalescent period equal to half the time of the regular healing process for the fracture. This extra time helps you recover lost physical fitness and aerobic capacity that can be lost due to muscle atrophy during healing. For example, if your doctor clears you after six weeks, you should wait an additional three weeks, for a total of nine weeks. This is just an example, and you must consult your treating physician for a definitive answer. You need to be able to perform rigorous exercise and stress the joint through its full expected range of motion without risk of injury. These are important discussions to have with your surgeon. Another question I often get is about diving after a Nissen fundoplication for GERD. This is also a complex and personal decision. A hiatal hernia can pose a risk underwater because of potential air trapping and gastric rupture. Even after surgery, there’s a chance of gas bloat syndrome, which makes it hard to belch. It’s crucial to discuss your specific case with your surgeon, considering your medical history and the physics of diving. DAN advises caution even after a surgeon clears you, especially in the initial post-surgery phase.
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