Measurement of Fatigue following 18 msw Open Water Dives Breathing Air or EAN36.

Abstract

SCUBA divers often report feeling fatigued upon conclusion of diving activities. Post-dive fatigue is thought to be induced by increased energy demands of submersion in a hyperbaric environment and decompression stress. Anecdotal reports indicate a reduction in post-dive fatigue when using enriched-air nitrox (EAN). The purpose of this double-blind study was to compare subjective fatigue levels experienced by SCUBA divers after two repetitive air dives and two repetitive EAN36 dives on separate, nonconsecutive days. Eleven male participants completed pre- and post-dive fatigue assessment using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory and a Visual Analogue Scale, while general health was assessed using the Diver Health Survey. Divers did tend to be more fatigued after diving; however, breathing gas mixture exhibited no statistically significant effect. Participants did have significantly lower Diver Health Survey scores upon the conclusion of EAN36 test sessions, possibly indicative of reduced decompression stress.