Skip to main content
. 2021 Mar 31;121(6):1543–1566. doi: 10.1007/s00421-021-04664-x

Table 3.

Splenic volumes (quantified by means of ultrasonography) and performance characteristics of breath-hold divers

References Participants Performance characteristics Formula Splenic volume (mL)
Hurford et al. (1990) 10 female Korean Ama habitual BHD (age: 38–60 years) and 3 female control (age: 24 ± 1 years)

Years practicing apnoea:

34 ± 7 years

Length of diving shifts 174 ± 46 min

Cross-sectional area = 0.8 × (length × width)

Volume = (7.53 × cross-sectional area) − 77.56

BHD: 206 ± 49

Control: 223 ± 48

Baković et al. (2003) 10 male trained BHD (age: 28.6 ± 1.7 years) and 10 male untrained individuals (age: 27.8 ± 2.4 years)

BHD: 344.1 ± 16.6

ND: 332 ± 25.1

Prommer et al. (2007) 7 male (age: 35 ± 9 years) and 3 female trained BHD (age: 32 ± 6 years), and 7 male Scuba divers (age: 38 ± 11 years)

Years practicing apnoea:

 > 3 years

Training background:

2—3 h, 3 times per week or more

BHD: 191 ± 47

Scuba divers: 229 ± 55

Palada et al. (2007) 7 experienced BHD (age: 27.4 ± 4.6 years)

Years practicing apnoea:

7.1 ± 3.6 years (5–14)

PB STA:

284.0 ± 34.4 s (240–335)

PB Constant Weight Depth:

33.7 ± 5.6 m (25–40 m)

308 ± 135
Palada et al. (2008) 7 male BHD (age: 27 ± 5 years)

Years practicing apnoea:

7 ± 4 years (5–14 years)

PB STA:

284 ± 34 s (240–335 s)

PB Constant Weight Depth:

34 ± 6 m (25–40 m)

283 ± 76
Schagatay et al. (2012) 14 male EBHD (age: 29 ± 2 years)

Years practicing apnoea:

5.8 ± 1.2 years

Training background:

6.2 ± 0.6 h per week

Pilström formula

Volume = ([WTT2]/3)

336 ± 32 (215–598)
Elia et al. (2019b) 11 male EBHD and 10 male matched control ND

Years practicing apnoea:

7 ± 2 years

Training background:

8 ± 2 h per week

PB STA:

414 ± 101 s

PB DYN:

202 ± 46 m

PB DNF:

145 ± 50 m

BHD: 300 ± 122 (128–499)

ND: 297 ± 77 (198–452)

BHD breath-hold divers, DNF dynamic apnoea no fins, DYN dynamic apnoea with fins, EBHD elite breath-hold divers, L length, ND non-divers, PB personal best, STA static apnoea, T thickness, W width