Why Your Health is the Most Important Piece of Dive Gear

A scuba diving health checklist helps identify medical conditions that could make diving unsafe. Before you enter the water, an honest self-assessment of your physical and mental fitness is critical for safety.

Quick Answer: Essential Health Checks Before Diving

1. Complete the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire - A standardized form covering key health conditions.
2. Self-assess your fitness - Can you perform moderate exercise (e.g., walk 1.6 km in 12-14 minutes)?
3. Identify risk factors - Are you over 45, or do you have asthma, heart conditions, or take prescription medications?
4. See a physician if needed - A "yes" to key questions requires medical evaluation.
5. Get cleared to dive - Your doctor completes a Physician's Evaluation Form if consultation is necessary.

Diving places unique demands on your body, from pressure changes to physical exertion. Any condition affecting your ability to equalize, maintain consciousness, or handle stress can be dangerous underwater. The international Diver Medical Screen Committee (DMSC) created a comprehensive screening system to allow as many people as possible to dive safely while identifying those who need a physician's evaluation. Proper medical screening is crucial, as almost 30% of recreational diving fatalities involve a cardiac event.

A "yes" on the medical questionnaire doesn't disqualify you; it signals the need for a physician's consultation to assess if diving is safe for your specific situation. Completing the form honestly is your first responsibility as a diver.

Handy Scuba diving health checklist terms:

• Dive planning checklist
• Diving accident statistics
• Hyperbaric treatment for divers

The Unique Physical Demands of Diving

Diving places considerable demands on our bodies. As we descend, increasing ambient pressure affects our body's air spaces (ears, sinuses, lungs). Equalizing these spaces is vital to prevent barotrauma (pressure-related injuries).

The cardiovascular system also works harder. Immersion in water, physical exertion from carrying heavy gear, and swimming against currents demand good physical fitness. The heart must be robust enough to handle this workload. Additionally, thermal stress from cold water and the increased density of breathing gas at depth add to the physiological load. These factors underscore why being in good health is essential before diving. For a deeper dive into how pressure affects our bodies, explore Decompression Science.

The Official Scuba Diving Health Checklist & Medical Screening System

To ensure global safety and consistency, the international diving community, led by the Diver Medical Screen Committee (DMSC) with support from organizations like UHMS and DAN, launched the Recreational Diving Medical Screening System in 2020. This system is a three-part framework:

1. The Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire: Completed by the diver.
2. The Diver Medical Physician’s Evaluation Form: For physicians when an evaluation is needed.
3. The Diving Medical Guidance: A detailed reference for physicians.

The system's goals are to use current medical criteria, be user-friendly, identify risks, and help physicians make informed decisions about a person's fitness to dive.

Deconstructing the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire

Anyone enrolling in a recreational scuba or freediving course must complete the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire. Available in 26 languages, it's a global standard for self-evaluation. You can find the official Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire on the UHMS website.

If you answer "yes" to certain questions, it triggers the need for a physician's evaluation using the Diver Medical Physician's Evaluation Form. This form, along with the peer-referenced Diving Medical Guidance document, helps doctors (even those not specializing in diving medicine) make informed, evidence-based decisions.

Key Questions on the Scuba Diving Health Checklist

The scuba diving health checklist is comprehensive. Here are the key medical categories you'll encounter:

• Lungs & Breathing: History of asthma, wheezing, frequent colds, sinusitis, lung disease, or COVID-19. Also covers pneumothorax (collapsed lung) or chest surgery.
• Heart, Blood & Circulation: Heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family history of cardiac events.
• Age-related factors (over 45): Additional questions if you are over 45 and smoke, have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of heart attack/stroke.
• Exercise Capacity: Ability to perform moderate exercise, like walking 1.6 km (one mile) in 12-14 minutes.
• Eyes, Ears, Sinuses: History of ear or sinus surgery, hearing loss, balance problems, or recurrent ear/sinus issues.
• Surgical History: Any surgery within the last 12 months or ongoing problems from past surgery.
• Neurological Conditions: History of loss of consciousness, recurring migraines, seizures, stroke, or significant head injury.
• Psychological Health: Behavioral health issues, panic attacks, phobias, or treatment for addiction.
• Back Problems, Hernias, Ulcers, Diabetes: Recurring back problems, uncorrected hernias, active ulcers, or diabetes.
• Prescription Medications: Current use of prescription drugs (excluding birth control or most anti-malarials).

These questions guide you to reflect on your health and seek professional advice when necessary.

When to See a Doctor: Navigating "Yes" Answers

A "yes" answer on the questionnaire is not a disqualification; it's a signal that a physician's evaluation is required. This is a critical step in the scuba diving health checklist.

Bring all pages of the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire and the Physician's Evaluation Form to your doctor. If your physician is unfamiliar with diving medicine, Divers Alert Network (DAN) offers a Physician Referral Network to find a specialist. The doctor will use the forms and may consult the Diving Medical Guidance to assess your fitness to dive.

Let's look at some common conditions:

• Asthma: Once an absolute contraindication, some individuals with well-controlled asthma may be cleared to dive. You must be asymptomatic with normal lung function tests.
• Heart Disease: This is taken very seriously. Untreated coronary artery disease or heart failure is generally disqualifying. However, after successful treatment (e.g., stent) and demonstrating excellent exercise capacity, a diving medicine physician may clear you.
• Diabetes: Diving with diabetes, especially if insulin-dependent, carries risks of hypoglycemia. It is generally contraindicated unless managed within a specialized program with strict protocols.
• Pre-existing Medical Conditions: For any condition, an honest discussion with a physician knowledgeable in diving medicine is key. They will weigh the benefits against the risks. For more on how conditions are evaluated, see resources like Evaluation and Management of Pain-Related Medical Problems of Diving.

Beyond the Checklist: Special Conditions and Next Steps

Completing your scuba diving health checklist is a great first step, but safety is an ongoing commitment. Think of your health as dive gear that needs regular maintenance. As your body changes, so must your approach to dive readiness.

Your Complete Scuba Diving Health Checklist & Resources

Your journey to safe diving starts with the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire. Here's how to stay dive-ready long-term:

• Get a Proper Evaluation: If you need a physician's clearance, bring the questionnaire and the Physician's Evaluation Form to your doctor. If they aren't a dive specialist, use the Divers Alert Network (DAN) Physician Referral Network.

• Schedule Regular Check-ups: Any significant illness, injury, surgery, or change in health requires a new evaluation before diving. If you're over 45 with cardiovascular risk factors, a medical assessment every five years is wise.

• Know the Absolute Contraindications: Certain conditions present too great a risk for diving. These generally include:

  • Untreated symptomatic coronary artery disease, heart failure, or dangerous heart arrhythmias.
  • Active psychosis, uncontrolled bipolar disorder, or severe panic disorder.
  • Epilepsy or uncontrolled seizures.
  • Pregnancy (at any stage).
  • Uncontrolled diabetes, especially with insulin therapy.
  • Severe respiratory conditions like uncontrolled asthma or COPD.
  • History of spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lung).

• Consider Age and Fitness: Cardiovascular risk increases with age. A physician's evaluation is essential for divers over 45 with risk factors and strongly recommended for all divers over 65. Being significantly overweight or out of shape increases your risk of cardiac events, decompression sickness, and reduces your ability to handle emergencies. If you can't walk 1.6 km in 12-14 minutes, improve your fitness before diving.

• Address COVID-19: The virus can affect your lungs, heart, and nervous system. A thorough medical evaluation after having COVID-19 is essential before you return to diving.

• Listen to Your Body: Never dive with a cold, congestion, or any acute illness. Alcohol and drugs impair judgment and have no place in diving.

• Use Available Resources: For questions, contact the Divers Alert Network (DAN) "Ask A Medic" service or consult the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) for guidelines.

Scuba diving is a privilege that comes with responsibility. By being honest about your health, maintaining fitness, and getting medical evaluations when needed, you protect yourself, your buddies, and the underwater world. Your scuba diving health checklist is your commitment to a lifetime of safe diving adventures.

To dive deeper into the science behind diving safety, get your copy of Diving Science Revisited today.

DISCLAIMER: Articles are for "EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY", not to be considered advice or recommendations.