Back pain is a common occurrence these days with sedentary lifestyles, but it needn’t deter divers from enjoying their time in the water. Divers can manage chronic back pain whilst travelling and diving, plus take actions to minimise the chance of back injuries reoccurring. Here are our top five tips for diving with chronic back pain: Choose the right dive gear The correct weight distribution is important in minimising back pain, particularly lumbar pain. Whilst most divers learn with a weight belt around the waist, and weights distributed around the waistline, there are other options. Using weights in BCD pockets, tank weights, or positioning weight on a belt at the front of the waistline, are great ways to reduce pressure on the spine without compromising a diver’s body position in the water. Choosing the right BCD is also important and divers should try on a variety of styles and manufacturer’s BCDs before making their choice. Back support sizes and positions vary, as do pockets for weights, and should be considered. Diving wings are another popular option to try. Being cold can easily aggravate a sore back and choosing the right wetsuit, or drysuit and undersuit combination, is important. The addition of a thermal undersuit or rash vest, can make a big difference in keeping injury-prone backs warm and in preventing muscle spasms. For those who struggle to bend or turn their necks, extra consideration should be given to the choice of mask and fins. Open-heel fins with spring fin straps allows for easy removal with minimal bending required. A wide field-of-view mask helps reduce the need to twist the neck during dives. Try different finning techniques Kicking from the hips with straight legs is a common finning technique but it can put pressure on the spine. An alternative finning technique is the frog kick, which can be easily learnt. Divers should consider a session with an instructor to learn different finning techniques whilst checking for unnatural back arching or strain. Take a back pain survival kit A simple kit for relieving back pain can make a big difference when on a remote diving trip and unable to access a physiotherapist. Include pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication, a tennis or cricket ball for self-massage of the back, a hot water bottle for easing muscle tension, a lumbar support brace, and a length of physiotherapist band for stretches. Learn some yoga and pilates exercises Yoga and pilates are popular sports for preventing back injuries and are helpful for improving flexibility, core strength, and posture. Divers with back injuries should seek medical advice prior to undertaking new sports and consider seeing a physiotherapist for a personalised yoga and Pilates routine. Keep well hydrated Back stiffness and pain can be due to poorly hydrated or injured spinal discs. Be sure to keep hydrated every day to allow spinal discs to rehydrate and support the back for years to come. This article was written by Kathryn Curzon, a writer and diver for Liveaboard.com.

Mexico is an easy-to-reach paradise that ranks high on many scuba diver’s wish lists. Between the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Caribbean and a freshwater cave system, it holds thousands of dive sites to explore, including everything from shark encounters to pristine reefs and manta cleaning stations. When planning your dive vacation in Mexico keep in mind that there’s a little something for everyone, but all together these are the top ten dive sites and dive experiences in Mexico. 1. Cenote Dos Ojos, Yucatan Mexico is perhaps the best destination in the world for an introduction to cave diving …

The employees of the EPA do more than regulate the emissions in your car–some of them take direct measures toward protecting the health of American waterways. Since the agency’s inception in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency has maintained a scientific diving program. The first diving teams were based in Seattle and Gulf Breeze, Florida, to support EPA research, environmental monitoring and emergency response efforts. Today, the EPA’s diving program operates out of nine offices across the country, and conducts hundreds of scientific missions annually. In fact, each of the nine teams of EPA divers averages over 100 …

Looking for a way to take your SCUBA diving to the next level? Many divers are exploring the exciting hobby of underwater metal detecting. Underwater metal detecting and SCUBA diving are a pretty great pair. While you’re out diving and looking at all the amazing undersea life, your hands are basically free. Taking a metal detector along allows you to add another element to your dive that could even help you find sunken treasure! There Are Fewer Metal Detectorists in the Ocean Metal detectorists are even taking notice and getting their SCUBA diver’s certification so they too can …

Fogging masks are an annoyance that every diver has had to deal with. Proper application of spit, anti-fog, whatever and care to not avoid the delicate layer of slime before or during the dive preoccupies too much time for me. I recently received an anti-fog product sample called Sven Can See (I do not know who Sven is). The product is intended for more uses than just diving, but obviously that will be my focus here. The application itself is quite simple: spray the dry lens once and use your finger to spread it around to cover the lens (sounds …

The crystal clear water feels warm on a beautiful sunny day. You look around at the stunning island scenery before you slowly descend below the calm surface. Excitement grows as you anticipate the vivid colors and active sealife. You continue descending and begin to make out the shape of the reef. This is going to be a great dive... Suddenly, your mask fogs up. Uh-oh. "Did I rub on the drops?" "Did I spit with enough phlegm?" "Maybe I rinsed twice instead of once?" "Did I rinse too aggressively?" "Did I turn in a circle twice while rubbing my stomach …

After breathing, there is perhaps no skill more fundamental than mask clearing. While other skills, such as gear assembly, are a requisite part of getting in the water, they technically could be done by someone else (although this is not recommended). Mask clearing, however, is a solo skill, and the inabiility to perform it will easily ruin a dive. Once mastered, this is a skill you will use immensely. I frequently perform mask clearing not just when water leaks in, but also when I insufficiently apply defog. Mask fog can ruin an otherwise good dive, but with, ahem, fluid mask …

My wife and I have a modest use of the Spanish language that we used this past week in Cozumel, Mexico. It's always fun being able to interact with locals in their native language. A big hurdle for beginners is simply learning vocabulary. As such, it is commonly recommended to utilize some sort of flashcard system for learning new words. Many experts, however, recommend a smart flashcard system, like those built around spaced repetition. My personal favorite in this category is Anki, but there are a others out there if you look around. You can read more about spaced repetition …

One of the pleasures of running this site is that I get to hear from a variety of divers all over the world. At times these divers disagree with me, and I certainly appreciate hearing the different point-of-views these fellow enthusiasts have---even when I think they are wrong! ;) In a previous article, I said the following: The level of experience you quickly achieve moving through the professional ranks comes along with a level of comfort in the water. This level comes much quicker than just through regular diving. I have heard some disagreement with this statement and it has been …

The other day I wrote about decorating scuba equipment in an environmentally sound way. Reader Marwah, who asked the original question, sent me an update. Apparently permanent markers washed off her fins, but paint markers worked great. There are two things I took from this: The importance of testing out your paint before you do a lot of fancy artwork. It may wash right off. Permanent markers worked well for my rubbery fins, but didn't stick on Marwah's more smooth, plastic fins (as I guess they are).

Paint markers are a fantastic option that I didn't think of. Sharpie, Art …