Join DiveBuddy.com

Meet new scuba divers, maintain a virtual dive log, participate in our forum, share underwater photos, research dive sites and more. Members login here.

Scuba Forum
 
#506
 black and blue marks
steelheadfish - 11/18/2008 1:12 PM
Category: Health & Safety
Replies: 6
I had a dive this weekend and all went well, dropped into the water to 49 feet for 5 min lost buddy and returned to the surface. no dive profile voilated, 10 min at the surface. return to the water 95 feet for 19 min drift dive very little exersion no violations. i was using 21 percent air ended the days dive due to alot of debris and low viz in the water. while takeing off my apollo dry suit and my undergarements ( polly longjons shirt with cotton boxers only and wool socks,) my buddy noticed a bruise on my left arm at my valve area like a hickie no pain also on my back and shoulders the same, no other symptoms. i called dan and was sent to the hospital for possible skin bends, after being looked at they said it was not the bends but looked like a suit sqeeze. i did not feel any squeezeat all and i have about 100 dives w/ a drysuit and new had anything like this. follow up with dan and hospital no know cause? anybody else have this go on?
#3936
seawolfdiving - 11/18/2008 6:43 PM


Yep, sounds like suit squeeze... Doesn’t matter how much experience you have. These things can happen to anybody. Although we do try to avoid them.


I’ve been diving dry for quite a while, and still every now and then I’ll come up with one.


I think that sometimes the air in the suit becomes unevenly distributed and the pressure in an arm or a leg fails to equalize properly with the rest of the suit.


When I am diving with a tri-lam and a moderately heavy undergarment, I don’t feel them happening. However, lately I’m diving a 7mm neoprene suit and a very thin skin under it. With this suit, I’ feel the pinch.


The only thing that I can suggest is to "try" to be more attentative to drysuit inflation and air distribution within the suit.


If the above doesn’t work, then you’ll havee to come up with a really strange story to explain the marks. Something like "I was attacked by a mermaid" or a "lampray got me". Or something like that...
#355
firediver57 - 11/18/2008 7:27 PM
Sound like a minor squeeze, and probably because of the lack of "give" in the valve versus the rest of the suit being soft. Happens to the everyone now and agian. Skin bends tend to be more widespread.
#6072
scubaclay - 11/19/2008 4:01 PM
I agree with all who said suit squeeze. If I use to much underware I get the same black and blue marks where everything is to tight. Try putting more air into your suit, or wearing thinner underware.
#506
Subscribed
steelheadfish - 11/21/2008 12:15 PM
well thanks guys for all the replies! hickies it is and i will stick to skin bends for the non divers at work cause it sounds so much more impressive!! that i am still walking on this earth or until my dive buddy who is a nark and i work with spreads the truth! thanks again!!!!!