Diving for the disabled

The divingis a adventure sport that has followers of all kinds. The only difference that individuals who have a physical disability have compared to standard individuals is that they require a series of adaptations for learning, the techniques and the material necessary.

Who is adapted diving for?

It must be clarified that we are talking about motor disabilities, not visual or mental disabilities. People with a disability: who do not walk, who are missing a limb or who do not move the same as standard people.

In the aquatic environment we can say that we are all disabled since it is not our natural environment. The sea poses a series of barriers that will be a challenge for both standard divers and disabled divers.

Can all physically disabled people dive?

Virtually all individuals who have a disability that allows them to lead a social life, even if they are dependent for the activities of daily living, can dive.

They can be submerged: lower and upper limb amputees, paraplegics, sequelae of poliomyelitis, spina bifida, brachial plexus palsy, quadriplegics up to C6, quadriparesis due to traumatic brain injury, etc.

They cannot dive: the disabled who have lost the ability to grasp (thick claw) with both hands, those who do not have control of swallowing and breathing or those who have lost intellectual and learning abilities.

The greatest difficulty that a disabled person may encounter when diving is access to the sea, since one sees inside, and with the correct learning, you will be able to function in the water like any other individual.

And, of course, in most cases, wanting is power, so if you don't feel like discovering underwater beauty, we advise you not to do it. The limitations in the aquatic world, in many cases, are in your mind.

What is a course for the disabled like?

To practice diving, regardless of having some degree of disability or not, you must take a course to have the necessary knowledge. Although before, you can always enjoy a diving baptismprior to make sure that this water sport is one of your passions.

Currently, there are different diving schools that offer adapted diving courses, which are divided into two parts. One of the parts will be made up of about 6 theoretical classes (5 standard technique classes and 1 adapted diving technical class), and the other part will have about 10 practical classes divided into pool and sea dives.

In these practices, standard diving exercises are carried out and problems of adaptation of materialand those that They are presented in different types of access to the sea: beach, dock, boat.

With an adapted diving course, the disabled person obtains the one-star diver certification (FEDAS -CMAS) and the C1-C2 classification (FEDMF). With this you can dive wherever you want, meeting the requirements set by these qualifications.

Classification of physically disabled divers

C1 Diver: an individual totally dependent on access and exit from the aquatic environment and totally or partially dependent on all maneuvers prior to immersion. Inside the water it is totally or partially dependent for most of the technical gestures necessary in diving and movement.

The C1 diver must always be in a trio, accompanied by a standard diver specifically trained with him and a third experienced B2E standard diver. Maximum qualification (FEDAS-CMAS): B1E.

Some examples of disabilities that may be C1: tetraplegics, tetrapareses due to head trauma or other causes that cause a severe motor control deficit.

C2 Diver: an individual dependent on access and exit from the aquatic environment and/or partially dependent on some of the maneuvers prior to immersion. In the water you must be totally independent in all the technical gestures of diving and in your ability to move.

The C2 diver must always dive in pairs with a diver. Experienced standard with minimum B2E qualification. Maximum qualification (FEDAS-CMAS): you will be able to access the different specific FEDAS certifications.

Some examples of disabilities that may be C2: paraplegics, amputees, consequences of poliomyelitis. Basically, individuals without any deficit in the upper extremities.