Gloves & Footwear

Divers experiencing a slight swelling in hands and feet is not unusual. Called edema, mild swelling in your hands or feet is not a typical symptom of decompression sickness (DCS) and would rarely occur alone. If it were related to DCS, it would more likely occur with pain, numbness or change in skin sensation. Diving related causes are more likely a constrictive wrist or ankle cuff on a wetsuit or dry suit. The depth compensating elastic wrist bands or bungee cords popular with technical dive computers is another common cause. If you are sizing new boots or gloves, keep in mind that a snug fit on dry land might become really uncomfortably tight when gearing up for diving.