Many people have learned to scuba dive in oceans and other large bodies of water, where the water pressure is very low. In these environments, it’s easy for a diver to move around without worrying about moving too quickly or accidentally knocking into things. However, many divers also learn to dive in places where there is more water pressure—specifically, the ocean depths where there are caves or wrecks that need exploring. So, Why do scuba divers fall backwards? Here’s what happens when you try to swim through these areas:
It’s a lot easier than falling forward
One of the reasons you fall backward is that it’s a lot easier to do than falling forward. When you’re underwater, your body is heavier than air and you have no contact with anything else in the water to push against. If you try to push off of something with enough force to propel yourself forward, there’s nothing for your feet or hands to grip onto—and even if there were, it would likely be something sharp or pointy that could hurt your skin or puncture an air tank.
When scuba divers tumble over backward (or even sideways), they can tuck into a ball-like shape so that their head does not hit anything hard and then roll onto their feet when they reach the surface again. This means that when divers fall backwards into deep waters, they’re more likely to land on their feet than their heads; plus they’ll be able to control where they go after being tossed around by currents as opposed to being dragged along like someone who falls forward without tucking first might experience!
Moving backward is a way to clear the area around you
Moving backward is a way to clear the area around you, so that you can see what’s going on in front of you. Your buddy may be in your way and blocking your line of sight, or perhaps there are other divers swimming nearby who might get caught up in your equipment. Moving backward also allows you to push yourself away from other divers or equipment, which could become tangled if left unattended for too long.
Backward falls are more controlled
Backward falls are easier to control, meaning that you can use your hands to break your fall and keep yourself from hitting the bottom hard. If you’re falling forward, on the other hand, there isn’t much you can do besides hope that whatever’s below is soft enough to cushion the blow. Moreover, being able to control your body after a backward fall gives you many more options for getting back on your feet with minimal effort (and as little embarrassment as possible).
For example:
- You may be able to use an outstretched arm or leg as leverage against something solid so that it helps lift you off of the ground rather than just landing in an ungainly heap.
- You might be able to simply twist around so that when gravity pulls at one side of your body while pushing against another side (i.e., grasping onto something), this gives rise not only to something like leverage but also some stability within which balance could be regained very quickly compared with trying anything similar while standing upright (or even leaning over).
Your weight belt isn’t doing its job unless you’re stationary
It’s important to understand that your weight belt is not meant to be used while you’re moving around. Divers use them to help with buoyancy control, but the bottom line is that a weight belt should only be worn when you are stationary.
When you’re swimming or diving underwater, your body will naturally float up because it’s mostly water-based and weighs less than air does. That’s why many scuba divers wear specialized gear—including an additional tank of air (known as a “back up”)—to help them stay at a certain depth by making their bodies heavier than the water surrounding them.
It’s easier to avoid injury when you fall backward
When you fall backward, your body is in a more controlled position. Since the water is pushing against you from behind and not from the front or sides, there’s less chance of injury. If you were to fall forward or sideways, there would be more pressure on your body as well as other objects nearby (such as rocks or coral).
Backward falls are also easier to avoid injury because when you’re upright, gravity pulls down on all parts of your body equally—but when underwater and falling backwards, only those parts below water will experience this force. Your weight belt should help keep all but your head above water during these types of dives.
Conclusion
It’s important to know why you fall backward, but it’s even more important to know how to fall safely. If you’re learning or practicing scuba diving, the best way to prevent injury is by falling slowly and keeping your hands on the ground. You can also protect yourself with a good weight belt and drysuit if you take this sport seriously enough that being in the water all day isn’t enough of an incentive for staying safe!