June 7th, 2011 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in Health Tips
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Outdoor recreation is intended for everyone, and can be enormously beneficial for persons with disabilities. I am in awe of disabled skiers, climbers, divers, and others who have learned to coordinate their bodies and take great enjoyment and a sense of accomplishment from their wilderness activities.
It behooves everyone in the healthcare profession to be aware of certain special medical concerns for persons who are disabled physically or emotionally. Additionally, family members and friends are often well aware of what they can do to help in providing a joint effort to support the disabled.
At the 2010 Wilderness Medical Society annual meeting in Snowmass, Colorado, JenFu Cheng, MD (a pediatric rehabilitation specialist from NJ), gave a wonderful presentation on the medical aspects of (scuba) diving with a disability. He pointed out that there may be up to nine million certified recreational scuba divers in the United States alone. His presentation, rather than focusing on persons who are fully capable physically and emotionally, examined the lesser-known benefits of being in the water for individuals in need of additional support. For instance, aqua therapy (largely enacted in swimming pools) takes advantage of the buoyancy of water to allow a range of mobility that is not possible on land. For example, aquatic exercise has been shown to improve lung capacity and mobility skills in children with cerebral palsy. Read more »
This post, SCUBA Diving With A Disability, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Paul Auerbach, M.D..
October 30th, 2009 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
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First, about sharks and shark attacks:
Sharks are found in oceans, tropical rivers and lakes. They range in size from 10 centimeters to over 15 meters (whale sharks). Approximately 30 out of 350 species have been implicated in human attacks. On average, there are fewer than 100 attacks reported each year worldwide, and less than 10% of these attacks are fatal. Sharks are superbly equipped predators, and can detect motion, chemicals, electrical signals, and vibration in the water, with a sensitivity that enables them to easily hone in on prey. The most dangerous sharks from a frequency-of-attack perspective are the white (“great white”, “white pointer”), tiger, bull, blue, dusky, hammerhead, and grey reef sharks. However, it is important to note that any shark, including the seemingly docile nurse shark, will bite a human if sufficiently provoked. Read more »
This post, How To Reduce Your Risk Of A Shark Attack, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Paul Auerbach, M.D..
June 11th, 2009 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in Better Health Network
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At Beneath the Sea I had the opportunity to walk the show floor and check out some new products intended for divers. One that immediately caught my eye was the Aqua Pencil, which is an innovative underwater pencil designed for divers, kayakers, boaters and researchers who will be underwater or wet. Because of its properties, it can be used when one needs to write in the rain, sleet or snow, such as out in the field or during a rescue. I tested it and it performs as advertised.
The Starter Kit includes an Aqua Pencil, Tether, Lead Pack (writing leads) and Eraser. The tethers are available in different colors, and the pencil is advertised to work well with any slate and to write well on waterproof paper.
According to the company, which is named Xit 404, it was formed to fulfill the need for specialized products and to develop ideas that are overlooked by other companies.
The Aqua Pencil Kit retails for $21.95.
This post, Aqua Pencil, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Paul Auerbach, M.D..
