Freedive spearfishermen appreciate Nature’s elements in the way an apprentice appreciates his master’s beatings. No doubt, the powerful feelings of connecting with the ecosystem and self-reliance are in part due to these self-inflictions. Yet, they take a toll on the body’s physiology. I picture worn knees and scared hands embedded with year-old urchin spines shouldering a seabass up a cliff face. Or maybe leathered, lesioned skin in a tuna tower, eyes competing with the sun for hours on end. Knives, teeth, spines, poisons, blackouts, sinus infection and much more, chip away at youth and health.

The purpose of this website is to field and answer medical questions for the spearfisherman who wants to continue to enjoy the majesty of this sport for as long as they can. For the future legions of new divers, I hope this can provide an organized compilation of accidents and remedies delt with, developed, and reformed, from those who came before us.  Email me and I will address your questions in the next column!

david.sutter@midwestern.edu

Disclaimer:

This blog is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment.