Joint crepitation after chamber air dives to 188 fsw

Joint crepitation after chamber air dives to 188 fsw. Undersea Biomed. Res. 4(1):89-94.-Joint crepitation was observed in all subjects (8) who were decompressed from 188 fsw (gauge) dry chamber air dives with a bottom time of 45 min. Crepitation was elicited by bending a joint as far as comfortably possible, and intensity of the sound was rated on a scale of 0 to +4. Fingers, wrists, and shoulders of both arms were examined immediately postdive, 1-4, 6- 10, and 20-24 hours postdive. Typically, the intensity and/or the number of joints affected increased during the 1-4 hour postdive period and then disappeared over the next 6-24 hours. The typical "squishy" sound heard in these joints may be due to bubble formation, although radiographic evidence was inconclusive. Closer examination for crepitance in future dives and the reporting of its occurrence may help to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for these joint sounds.