What condition might cause shoulder pain an hour after diving?

Decompression sickness, often referred to as "the bends," can lead to a variety of symptoms, one of which may include joint and shoulder pain. This condition occurs when a diver ascends too quickly after spending time at depths where the pressure is significantly greater than at the surface. As a diver ascends, nitrogen dissolved in body tissues comes out of solution and forms bubbles, which can cause discomfort and pain in joints, including the shoulders.

The timeline of symptoms developing an hour after diving aligns with decompression sickness, as it can manifest anywhere from a few minutes to several hours after a dive, depending on the depth and time spent underwater. This makes it a plausible cause for pain that follows the dive, especially after exertion or in cases where a diver did not adhere to safe ascent procedures.

In contrast, while other conditions might also cause pain or complications after diving, they do not typically present in the same manner or timeframe. For example, barotrauma can occur during the descent or ascent and is characterized by pain and potential injury to air-filled spaces in the body, such as the ears or sinuses. Pneumothorax may arise from trauma during diving but is a more acute condition often associated with immediate symptoms rather than delayed onset an