All Covid, all the time, or at least that’s what it feels like to me as an emergency physician on the East Coast of the US. But of course, whatever you do and wherever you surf, the global pandemic has affected you. And, unfortunately, it seems far from over. Way back in May, I asked my […]
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On January 31st, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC); from there, uncertainty about numerous factors surfaced about this international novel virus known as SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19. Cities, counties, states, and countries shut down non-essential activities. Beaches were fenced and taped off, with prosecution threats for violators. […]
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Surfing is a widely enjoyed sport, with participants both at the recreational and professional level, with gaining popularity worldwide.1 There are an estimated 37 million surfers worldwide, which includes 2.7 million surfers in the United States (2015), 2.3 million surfers in Australia (2013), and 500,000 surfers in the United Kingdom (UK).2 Since the 1960s, surfing as a […]
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A 25 year-old otherwise healthy male presented to the Emergency Department with a pruritic rash over his abdomen and chest for 2 days. The patient had been swimming and surfing along the South shore of Long Island, NY in August, and noticed an itchy, papular rash develop on his chest and abdomen approximately 2 hours […]
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A 58 year-old male was wave-sailing (windsurfing in surf) and attempting to come to shore. As he was carrying his gear shoreward he was hit by a breaking wave, and the 33 cm single fin on his board caused a large laceration to his left lower leg. The patient described severe bleeding to his leg […]
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Bleeding from an injury can be quite alarming, particularly for a surfer in the water where assessing an injury and quantifying the amount of bleeding can be difficult. Any significant bleeding should prompt a return to shore to further assessment. Most hemorrhage can be controlled by applying pressure directly over the wound with gauze, a […]
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In this 32nd volume of Surfing Medicine we take a glimpse at the future and respect the past. Surfing injuries at the Pipeline Masters is an analysis of data collated by surf doc Leland Dao, DO, who has long been that contest’s medical director. Arguably the most prestigious event on the WSL Championship Tour, the best surfers in […]
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The Pipe Masters is the final event of the World Surf League Men’s World Championship Tour. We analyzed surfing-injuries documented by the onsite Medical Team during the Pipe Masters competitions over the 5-year period (2013-2017). The sum of all acute injuries treated during the study-period and sum of all surfer-heats (athlete exposures) were used to calculate an […]
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A 48-year-old surfer sustained a 1cm linear laceration to his anterior lower leg while surfing. The waves were 3-4 feet the water temperature was 58℉ (14℃), and turbid. The surfer stated he was surfing over a rocky bottom, bumped his leg against something, and continued surfing. Upon removing his wetsuit, he noted a small linear […]
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