The conditioning
As much as many of us would hate to
admit it, the condition of our bodies do make a difference. Age has been
shown to affect the degree of bubbling from a dive. Older divers have
more bubbles from a dive than younger divers. The reason is not exactly
known but may be accounted for by having more adipose tissue. Adipose
tissue can act as a gas storage area and could result in an overload and release
of gas later.
The physical shape of a diver is
also important. It has also been shown that the greater the body uses
oxygen, the less risk one has for DCS. The usage of oxygen simply
shows the oxygen used by the tissues which is an indication of blood flow
rates. Obviously, the better the blood flow the better the off-gassing
during decompression or after a dive.
