I was reminded of this just a few days ago. No, not on a camping trip or even in the wilds. It was, nonetheless, a good reminder to review my medical supplies. This is not the sexy side of wilderness medicine. What attracts most of us to the austere or wilderness medical setting is the…
Tag: backpacking
Spinal Protection in the Wilderness: What We’ve Been Doing Wrong for Decades
The latest Wilderness Medical Society Guidelines for spinal cord protection have been released (SCP Guidelines). The results are nothing short of dramatic. If you have been a victim of a traumatic injury over the past 50 years, you have been quickly placed in a cervical collar and strapped to a backboard to “protect your spine”….
Wilderness Weekly Episode 1– An Introduction
open.spotify.com/episode/7F2puLlbEAGFyKUMByN1yx
Altitude: It May Not be as High as You Think
For many, the thought of going “to altitude” brings images of Mt. Everest or similar mountaineering peaks. Physiologically, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Depending upon susceptibility, humans can begin to experience symptoms of altitude illness as low as 1500 meters above sea level. The chances increase after 6,500 feet and further still…
Dengue Outbreak in Nepal
It is being reported that dengue is stretching Hospital resources in Kathmandu with 1170 cases since May 2019. Nepal has seen 5095 cases with numbers expected to be underreported. This disease has not traditionally been an issue in Kathmandu and the public has not been prepared to take the illness or precautions seriously. It is…
Zika—Don’t forget about this viral illness
As with most stories that make a splash into the headlines, Zika virus had its 15 minutes of fame, but has since seemed to fade into the arena of “old news”. So, as the intrepid traveler, is this an infection you should be worrying about or was this just a story for a news starved…
Wilderness Texting
On a recent adventure into the Colorado wilderness, we came along the note above. One hiker was communicating to the group that they were taking an alternate route and would meet them at base camp in a few days. While this may seem unusual in today’s world of text messages and wide cell phone coverage,…
Be Prepared…Be Very Prepared
This past weekend, my wife and I set out for a short 7.4 mile “out and back” hike. We had a great time even though she did sprain an ankle due to a concealed rock at the end of the trail. Thankfully, she was prepared and used her trekking poles to save her from much…
Trekking Poles
Trekking poles, or their ancestors, have been around for as long as there have been people walking on two feet. From simple sticks used for support and balance, to graphite poles that telescope in and out and have internal springs, the concept is a relatively simple one… A third (or even fourth) point of contact…