Decompression, Part Three: Putting it All Together

Divers should be aware that they have control over nucleating events and they should minimize pre and post dive activity (including underwater activity).  Minimizing activity may help reduce decompression risk and performing activity will certainly increase it.  Of course dives should be planned in a conservative fashion since factors such as age and body fat can also increase decompression risk.  But putting this aside, some individuals are simply more susceptible to DCS than others.  Since most of these divers do not know who they are until it is possibly too late, dives should always be planned in a conservative fashion.  Very mild muscle movement can also be done to eliminate gas faster during decompression.  But if this is started too deep, there is a possibility that it will also result in more gas being taken in.  Divers can also remain on their final decompression gas while at the surface to increase the gas elimination rate before the gas can enter bubbles leading to bubble expansion.