What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated if moderate, intermittent exercise during diving or decompression could reduce venous gas emboli (VGE) in 39 healthy male subjects in a hyperbaric chamber, simulating a dive to 450 kPa (45 msw) for 30 minutes followed by 55 minutes of staged decompression.
What They Found
They found that VGE activity was unchanged whether subjects were active or sedentary during the bottom phase of the dive. However, VGE activity was significantly lower for all indices examined (p < 0.05) when subjects performed moderate, intermittent exercise during the 55-minute decompression phase compared to being inactive.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian divers, these findings suggest that incorporating moderate, intermittent exercise during the decompression phase of a dive could help reduce the formation of venous gas emboli, potentially lowering the risk of decompression sickness. This information could be valuable for dive safety protocols and training for recreational and professional divers across Canada.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted by Canadian authors and covers decompression sickness, a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
The study involved only healthy male subjects in a controlled chamber environment, which may not fully represent real-world diving conditions or apply to other populations.