🫁 Lung Squeeze: More Complex Than Just Depth A lung squeeze is one of the most common injuries in deep freediving. It usually presents as coughing or spitting blood after a dive and is believed to be linked to stress on the alveoli — the tiny air sacs where gas exchange occurs. For years, lung squeezes have been blamed mainly on depth or increasing depth too quickly. But the reality is that science still doesn’t fully understand what is happening inside the lungs. After decades of teaching freediving and observing thousands of divers, I’ve noticed that depth alone rarely tells the whole story. Factors that often appear together include: 🔹 Stress and tension before or during the dive 🔹 Cold water exposure 🔹 Strong chest contractions 🔹 Poor hydration 🔹 Insufficient recovery between deep sessions 🔹 Fatigue and overtraining 🔹 Previous respiratory conditions such as asthma, smoking history, or lung disease 🔹 Returning to depth after a long break How to reduce the risk: ✅ Pr...