How To Prevent Leg Cramps While Scuba Diving

You’ve been looking forward to your scuba diving vacation for months. Now it’s finally here, but on your very first dive, a (fill in the blank) problem has caused you to end it. You’re miserable, sitting on the boat while everyone else is in the water having a blast. How can you prevent these common issues — ear clearing, seasickness, leg cramps or being cold underwater — from ruining your vacation in paradise?

Don’t let these common issues keep you from diving! Read about:
Preventing Seasickness | Best Ear-Clearing Tips | How to Stay Warm Underwater

Best Tips for Preventing and Dealing with Leg Cramps

Calves and feet are especially prone to cramping up during a dive. It’s not surprising when you realize these are the muscles you primarily use while finning over the reef. So how can you cramp proof your legs and feet while diving? Try treating your body right.

Why It Happens: They can strike while you’re sleeping, but divers are also prone to muscle spasms — involuntary contractions of one or more muscles — especially in their calves or feet. Common causes include overexertion, dehydration, muscle fatigue, magnesium and potassium deficiency, and poor blood circulation.

How to Deal:

1. To beat leg cramps before they set in, incorporate stretching into your daily routine. Before you dive, try stretching your legs on the boat or beach. “A simple calf and leg stretch can make a world of difference and prevent the onset of the dreaded charley horse,” says Liz Parkinson of Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas.

Try some simple yoga stretches before you dive. Follow our step-by-step guide to three easy stretching exercises.

2. If you find that you get a leg cramp while swimming underwater, “grab the top of your fin and pull it toward your chest while keeping your leg straight,” says Parkinson. “This will ease the pain in your calf and leg, though you might find that you will not be able to kick as hard throughout the rest of your dive.”

3. PADI technical development executive Karl Shreeves says not to overlook the importance of drinking water. “Dehydration is often the primary cause or a significant contributor,” he says. “If you’re getting cramps, suspect dehydration and drink something. Stay hydrated. I’d rather make frequent trips to the head than have leg cramps.”

Pro Tip: “Bananas are good for preventing leg cramps,” says Kell Levendorf, director of training and development at Divers Direct in Key Largo, Florida. “But make sure your captain allows them on his dive boat first — it’s an old maritime superstition that they cause bad luck.”

We've got lots of practical advice and tips for dive safety, health and training on the Training section of our website.