Medical & Fitness

A landmark study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health examines 50 years of Australian scuba diving fatalities, revealing striking changes in diver profiles and causes of death between the periods 1972–1999 and 2000–2021. Despite average annual deaths remaining steady (about 8.5 per year), the characteristics of those lost—and the contributing factors—have evolved dramatically.

New research suggests that living near the ocean may be good not only for the soul, but also for longevity. A study led by Ohio State University found that people living within 50 km of the coast tend to live about a year longer than the U.S. national average. Environmental and lifestyle factors—including milder climates, better air quality, and access to recreational activities—are likely contributors.

A recent forensic case study has drawn attention to how a diver's failure to equalise mask pressure during descent can lead to facial injuries that resemble blunt trauma. Known as "mask squeeze" or facial barotrauma, this condition can cause dramatic bruising around the eyes and other soft tissue injuries when negative pressure develops inside a dive mask.

A tragic incident in Arizona on 11 July has ignited some public debate and concerns around the safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. A physical therapist died following a flash fire inside a hyperbaric chamber at a health and wellness clinic in Lake Havasu City, which was not a medical-grade hyperbaric therapy facility. This is the second such fatality reported in the United States this year. In a similar case, a 5-year-old boy died in February when an oxygen-rich chamber exploded at a Michigan clinic.

I thought to myself, You’ve got to be kidding. Me? I’ve never had any kind of surgery, never had any broken bones, I was a dedicated and consistent runner, and most importantly, a very active SCUBA diver. How could this be?

This journey started several months earlier when I noticed some stiffness and discomfort in my left knee during a routine early morning run in my neighborhood. I immediately stopped and avoided running for a few days. When I tried running again, I had the same discomfort, and I noticed that my knee was a little swollen.

This decision follows a recent procurement process where three recompression chambers in the Midlands, North West, and North East of England were unsuccessful in their bids to continue providing HBOT services. The British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) warns that this could leave vast regions without accessible treatment for decompression illness (DCI) and arterial gas embolism (AGE), conditions that require immediate medical attention.