Go Herbert Go !!

[SanSan]

Hmm.. I just heard a rumour that Herbert did "only" 172m yesterday and that he raptured his eardrum. The team should be on its way home by now already.
I'm just trying to confirm this information but can't reach anyone right now. Will try to update U ASAP but will be away form the comp for a few hours now.

I hope Herbert is OK. Best wishes

 

[SanSan]

:hungover yes got it confirmed right now. Herbert did 172 and ruptured his eardrum. The whole event is off and the teams are already on their way home. Also no national records will be performed.

Thats all I know for now. Hope somebody has more info. Best wishes to Herbert agin!

 

[jome]

Hope he's ok A burst eardrum may not sound life threathening, but it's not to be taken lightly...

Damn, I really think he had it in him to break more records...But even this one is pretty good (was it a valid performance?).

At least it should give Loic the boost to start preparing to defend his title

 

[Polorutz]

:hungover yes got it confirmed right now. Herbert did 172 and ruptured his eardrum. The whole event is off and the teams are already on their way home. Also no national records will be performed.

Thats all I know for now. Hope somebody has more info. Best wishes to Herbert agin!

Was the record official?

 

[Billextreme]

Herbert did official 172m in No Limit, in 3:45.

He start to announce 175m, but change it to 172m. Ruptured his eardrum 3-4 sec from the bottom... so no more dive this time.

...but don't worry, he will be back soon again.

regards,
Bill

(is there anyone interested of some pictures on Herberts new equalization technique?)

 

[fpernett]

Herbert did official 172m in No Limit, in 3:45.


(is there anyone interested of some pictures on Herberts new equalization technique?)

Well, things weren't bad at all. An eardrum rupture isn't life treathening...but when that happen at 170 meters, I'll say that is something!!.

I will like to see that pictures (on new equalization technique) but also from the record.

 

[michaels]

thanks for the correction. i heard the 175 m from herberts father, but 172 is also a great depht.
i hope the problems with the ear are not dramatic.

 

[SanSan]

For me ruptured eardrum sound realy serious. I think it can cause a lot of problems with orientation and balance? And I thurts like hell as far as I know.

Does anybody know what exactly can the consequences be? How long does it take to heal? Does it heal entirely? For how long are u unable to dive?

I heard Herbert was already feeling "fine" yesterday. So I think he'll be back again soon. Hope so...

 

[laminar]

I've heard that a ruptured eardrum starts to heal within days. Brett Lemaster broke an eardrum (or was it both) for his constant weight record and still dove anyway.

Hopefully, Herbert will make a full recovery.

 

[samdive]

I've ruptured ear drums a couple of times. The docs tell you not to dive for 6 weeks but I was ok after a week. It is pretty disconcerting on the dive when your head suddenly fills with water but it doesn't really hurt and heals really quickly if you look after it a bit (keep it dry, take some anti inflammatory and decongestant so it is nice and clean while it heals). Herbert has ruptured his before - notably in Cyprus. Sure he'll be fine and back soon!

 

[michaels]

sorry - my medical english is very bad - ruptured eardrum ist like barotrauma in german?

 

[SanSan]

Ruptured eardrum heist so viel wie geplatztes trommelfell. Barotrauma ist jehde Verltzung die durch erhohten Druck entsteht, also ist auch das eine barotrauma des trommelfells.

 

[michaels]

danke - thanks

ok - sounds like my dive-accident 2 years ago. but it can be serious, and it can be a problem when hes diving.

 

[donmoore]

Herbert has ruptured his before - notably in Cyprus

If memory serves right, he set the world record CW 6-months after!

I put a pinhole in mine watersking several years ago and the next day it sealed itself. Equilibrium was scary for the first few minutes. I hear this is typical of eardrum ruptures. Also pain is usually not that bad. When the ear is not equalized you tend to get fluid in the middle ear from it being below ambient pressure. This can hurt, but when the drum is ruptured the pressures are equalized and any excess fluid will drain out.

Compared to what can happen when attempting no-limit world records, like death, this is pretty minor, but still serious enough to warrant concern. I have heard is said that every time you break an eardrum you lose some hearing. Enough breaks and you cannot hear from that ear again. Also some people have a hard time healing, which may limit their diving in the future.

I have also heard this, “the more breaks the more scare tissue, the less flexible it is, and the more chance it will break again with less unequalization.” I’m sure Herbert had his reasons to do his no-limit attempt first. Maybe it was the safety of the tech divers he was thinking of. It sure would have been nice for him to have the opportunity to do the other, slower descent pace depth records attempts first.

:wave Get well Herbert! We still believe you can do it. If http://www.immersion-profonde.ch/index.htm?ICARE.htm had a most gutsy freediver category, you would win! You help keep the sport interesting and fun.
don

 

[Polorutz]

So it's official?? we have a new NL world record?

 

[SanSan]

Yes its official. It is the new record! But "only" by 1m.

As i heard Herbert did his no-limits dive because of the weather. It was windy for a few days before and they had to go 10miles on the open water to get depth, so Herbert wanted to do the deepest dive first day the weather is good enough. I think its easyer to find depth for CW than no-limits. As far as i understood this was the bigest reason for nolimits first.

 

[SanSan]

whats wrong with this system. The second time i cant see my post. If there are too many replies it just hides them...

here it is again:
Yes its official. It is the new record! But "only" by 1m.

As i heard Herbert did his no-limits dive because of the weather. It was windy for a few days before and they had to go 10miles on the open water to get depth, so Herbert wanted to do the deepest dive first day the weather is good enough. I think its easyer to find depth for CW than no-limits. As far as i understood this was the bigest reason for nolimits first.

 

[Alun]

i don't think ruptured ear drums are to be taken lightly, even if most heal up fairly quickly. it's definitely something to avoid at all costs. there's no sense in risking a lifetime of freediving just for one dive... it's not worth it.

 

[efattah]

Congratulations Herbert! Hope to hear the full story and see some pictures.

Although this is a great accomplishment, I still believe that in the future, 'intact' eardrums should be a requirement to accept the dive.

The reason is quite simple. Imagine in the future, if all no-limits records are set by breaking the eardrums because the depth is so great no one has found a method to equalize. Then, any new diver who hopes to make a record in that event would be forced to also break his eardrums to make the record. I think that there should be rules: no DCS, no broken eardrums, no hypocapnic blackouts on the sled during the descent (like Tanya's 160m), ......

What do others think?

 

[Alison]

Eric, as you know I'm a strong supporter of safety and I largely agree with you here but surely by definition "No Limits" should be exactly that, "No Limits" Sorry I dont condone anyone taking undue risks but the very nature of your sport is taking calculated risks and shouldnt world record candidates be allowed to choose for themselves? (providing of course that they have achieved the target depth or thee abouts in training? I believe that Herbert did, wasnt he just unfortunate to pop an eardrum?
Thats a question not a statment incase its taken in the wrong context My own view is nothing is worth the risk of injury, just for the record.