surgery

[Axe]

Hi,
I've booked into do a scuba diving course this oct holidays (i'm a pe teacher) and i need to have knee surgery after the end of the footy season (just a clean out. its the 2nd one i've had.) i've never scuba dived before and i have no idea if i will be right to dive that soon after surgery. i want to get the surgery straight after our grand final (assuming we make it!) so that will give me about 4 weeks recovery before my course. im confident i should be fairly good physically by then but a few of my mates seem to think i won't be right to dive this soon due to blood clotting issues under the pressure of diving. is this true? or will i be right to go a month or so after my op? i literally have no idea about diving so excuse me if this seems like a silly question!
cheers

[Gareth]

Originally Posted by Axe

Hi,
I've booked into do a scuba diving course this oct holidays (i'm a pe teacher) and i need to have knee surgery after the end of the footy season (just a clean out. its the 2nd one i've had.) i've never scuba dived before and i have no idea if i will be right to dive that soon after surgery. i want to get the surgery straight after our grand final (assuming we make it!) so that will give me about 4 weeks recovery before my course. im confident i should be fairly good physically by then but a few of my mates seem to think i won't be right to dive this soon due to blood clotting issues under the pressure of diving. is this true? or will i be right to go a month or so after my op? i literally have no idea about diving so excuse me if this seems like a silly question!
cheers

Hi

You really need to discuss this with your doctor. I don't know how invassive the surgury will be, or the normal recovery time.

Dive kit is heavy, the cylinder alone is 12kg, this will be putting stress on your knee.
In addition, areas of recent injury or damage are at a higher risk of DCI (Decompression Illness). The normal recommendation is to be more conservative when planning the decompression obligation if you have an existing or recent injury.

Gareth

[Roz]

I'd also seek advice from a diving doctor. Your GP may only be able to fill the back of a postage stamp with what he knows about diving medicine. Doctors get about half a day devoted to diving medicine when they are training, and unless they specialise, divers tend know more more than your average GP, which is a bit sad really.

If you click on this link http://www.uksdmc.co.uk/main/Medical%20referees.htm (which for future reference is at the top of this page in blue under "Medical Discussions), it gives you a list of Diving Doctors. Find the one nearest to you and discuss your case with them.

A good mate of mine was out of the water for three months after key hole surgery on her knee. I don't wish to disappoint you, but I will be very surprised if you are signed off "fit to dive" four weeks after your surgery. As Gareth mentioned, sites of trauma, (especially fresh trauma) are certainly more prone/at higher risk of Decompression Illness than the rest of you.

If you are not signed off fit to dive in October, it may well be you are fit to dive by the Christmas Holidays. Please come back if you need more info and we hope it works out ok for you.

[mark.029]

I had key hole surgery on my left knee in 2001 no problems found with it, but was unable to dive for that season.

[Nigel Hewitt]

Knee surgery might give complications climbing a ladder/beach with a tank on your back and weights on your belt.

Don't worry that all the advice will be overly pessimistic. Doctors don't want to ruin your life just not see you trash all their work by doing things too fast. I went diving, with permission, six weeks after minor heart surgery.

[Tony Dwyer]

Originally Posted by Nigel Hewitt

Knee surgery might give complications climbing a ladder/beach with a tank on your back and weights on your belt.

Don't worry that all the advice will be overly pessimistic. Doctors don't want to ruin your life just not see you trash all their work by doing things too fast. I went diving, with permission, six weeks after minor heart surgery.

My personal SWMBO was diving in the Red Sea three months after a gastrectomy. That was 10 years ago and she's still at it.