Of the 6 million people worldwide that scuba dive, a surprising 22% of regular divers (15% male and 7% female) are over age 54, the Sports and Fitness Industry Association reports.
Why are so many older adults taking the plunge? Let’s dive in.
Because scuba diving takes place underwater, it’s considered low-impact exercise. The water cushions and supports joints, and scuba gear allows you to achieve virtual weightlessness under water. Scuba diving also involves slow, deliberate movements. This makes it easier to view aquatic life and navigate sunken cities. It’s also easy on aging bones and muscles.
Before You Begin Scuba Certification
If you’ve always wanted to scuba dive, it’s not necessarily too late to learn. First, see your family doctor. PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors and the sport’s leading scuba diving training organization, requires a doctor to assess and verify a participant’s medical fitness to dive.
Your physician will consider the following areas:
Are You Physically Fit Enough to Dive?
Diving requires a certain amount of coordination and stamina, particularly when gearing up, and entering and exiting the water. You don’t need to be an high-performance athlete to dive, but you should be in good physical condition.
How’s Your Heart?
Most common heart-related conditions — if well-controlled — will not keep you out of the water. High blood pressure is not necessarily a contraindication to diving. You can dive after a heart attack or heart surgery, if you’ve adequately healed and have passed a stress test.
Asthma?
Asthma is a possible contraindication to scuba diving; having an asthma attack under water could be deadly. But according to the Divers Alert Network, some people with asthma are permitted to dive after careful medical evaluation. Similarly, severe COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) will probably keep you from diving, but a mild case may be okay.
Your Cognitive Status?
Safe scuba diving requires the ability to plan, communicate and adapt to changing conditions. If you can safely drive a vehicle, you probably have the cognitive ability to scuba dive.
Chronic Medical Conditions?
If your blood sugars are well-controlled and you don’t have diabetes-related complications, you may be approved by a doctor to dive. (The latest recommendations suggest that divers with diabetes delay diving for three months after a change in oral medication, or one year after a change in insulin regimen.) Your doctor will help you determine if your diabetes is stable enough for you to dive. Similarly, your doctor will evaluate any other chronic conditions.
Once you’ve got the all-clear, contact your local dive shop to learn about scuba certification classes. PADI certification requires online or in-class learning, as well as pool-based skills sessions.
Once you’re certified, the world — and the water — are yours to explore.
