Being Fit For Scuba Diving Isn’t a Massive Challenge
Being fit enough to scuba dive is not that difficult. You certainly don’t have to be a perfect physical specimen. Once in the water it’s possible for anyone to achieve neutral buoyancy. Your weight, age or general physical fitness makes no difference with this aspect of scuba diving. There’s plenty of physically impaired divers around who just need help getting in and out of the water. The diving community tend to be a helpful bunch and are always willing to lend a hand.
There are of course certain conditions that make scuba diving a higher risk and certainly some but certainly not all types of asthma are a prime example. The below lists cover a lot of conditions but even answering yes doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t fit enough to scuba dive.
Check With Your Family Doctor
If you answer yes to any of the PADI medical questions then the best option is to visit your family doctor. They will be aware of your physical limits and/or conditions. Simply download the below forms and take it to your local practice to be signed.
We do have very good doctors here in Thailand who will check you out for a small fee. Most are very familiar with scuba divers and often have the PADI medical statement already printed out. Ultimately they don’t know you as well as your home doctor so it should be the second choice.
Certified Divers
You won’t be required to fill out a PADI medical statement but you will have to sign a liability release. In the extremely unlikely event of an incident, your insurance company will look for any excuse not to pay out. A quick check to make sure you’re still fit to scuba dive will put your mind at ease.
PADI Medical Form Downloads
For the Scuba Diver course and up you will be required to fill out the standard PADI medical statement. You’ll have to do this for every PADI course that you take.
The form for the PADI Discover Scuba Diving programme is very similar but not so many questions.
PADI Discover Scuba Diving Medical Statement
The last thing we want is a student looking at the form once they’re on the boat only to find they’re not fit enough to scuba dive. So please have a look through the forms well in advance. If necessary download and take to your family doctor.
Book your PADI course with our team of highly experienced international instructors at Phuket’s best 5* PADI dive centre.
By Justin Hartrey
Posted in Scuba Diving Health on .
