Why your fingers shrink in the water
Often times, our clients call in distress when they loose their rings. After we get all of the details, in most cases they express to us that they are newlywedds and they think they got a size too big for their finger. For some it is their first time in the water and they get so excited that they totally forget about their ring. Either way there is a scientific explination as to why our fingers shrink in the water.
We ask a local doctor here on island and this is the explanation he provided:
"If your hands were swollen and you did not take notice, your fingers will shrink if you engage in underwater activities for an extended period.The reason this happens is because the pressure of the water is higher than the pressure in your tissues. The pressure in your tissues causes the lymphatic fluid to re-enter the lymphatic veins and return to the blood system. This is why compression wraps and garments are used to reduce swelling in lymphedema."
A word of advice.. just take your rings off when swimming or engaging in underwater activites. Better safe than sorry.