| A muscular cramp is an irritating condition that you | | | | physical condition. Be sure to pay attention to your |
| should take into consideration before and during | | | | body's condition throughout your whole dive. It is |
| scuba diving. Aside from the distraction and physical | | | | really important that you are in good shape before |
| discomfort cramps can cause, they can also cause | | | | starting to scuba dive. |
| underwater anxiety which in turn leads to further | | | | There are inherent risks and dangers to scuba diving, |
| underwater problems. However, if you do experience | | | | and these may cause serious injuries - even death - |
| cramping while scuba diving, there are several things | | | | if you do not train properly for it. Always make sure |
| you can do. | | | | that your gear is well-maintained and don't start |
| What to Do in Case of Cramp? | | | | diving until you have completed training at a certified |
| First and foremost, as soon as you get a cramp, you | | | | dive centre. Remember, you are going SCUBA diving |
| need to alert your dive buddy about the situation. | | | | to have fun, not to put your welfare or the welfare |
| That way he or she can help you with your problem. | | | | of others in jeopardy. |
| Next, establish neutral buoyancy by breathing | | | | More Safety Tips to Avoid Cramps |
| correctly. You will need to have practiced buoyancy | | | | Of course, the best cure is prevention. So here are |
| beforehand in order to do this correctly. Third, | | | | some more tips to avoid muscle cramps. |
| stretch and massage the muscle that cramped to | | | | 1. Fitness. Get physically fit. Basic fitness reduces the |
| ease the pain. Continue to massage the cramped | | | | risk of muscle cramps |
| area until the pain disappears. If you're experiencing | | | | 2. Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol 12 hours before |
| cramps in your calf muscle, then it is best to grab the | | | | scuba diving. |
| tip of your fin and pull it towards you and then start | | | | 3. Water. One of the greatest causes of cramps is |
| massaging the calf, or have your dive buddy | | | | dehydration. When scuba diving, you need to drink at |
| massage it for you. | | | | least 3 litres of water a day, especially if you are in a |
| Safety Tips for Avoiding Muscular Cramps | | | | hot country. |
| As you can see, getting rid of muscle cramps | | | | 4. Sleep. Before scuba diving, you should be |
| underwater involves a certain amount of experience. | | | | well-rested. Don't go scuba diving after a wild night's |
| So never forget that the basic diving techniques | | | | party. You will feel a lot better scuba diving after a |
| you've learned during that time. If you are diving | | | | good night's sleep. |
| close to the ocean floor, it is best to find an area | | | | 5. Bananas. If possible, try and eat a banana or two |
| where you can sit down, rest, massage your | | | | before the dive. Bananas contain high levels of |
| muscles. Remember to never sit on corals. | | | | potassium which neutralize salt levels in your blood, |
| Muscle cramps occur from overexertion or poor | | | | one of the major causes of cramps. |