Keeping crew safe from back injury

Education / 16 December 2013

The safety and well-being of crew members is a Sea Rescue priority. Due to the nature of much of the work done by crew members, back injuries are always a possibility.

For this reason, Acting Station Commander, Pieter Coetzee, invited a Shelly Beach physiotherapist, Debbie Hawke, to give crew members a lecture on how to keep their backs safe and injury free.

She explained the mechanics of spinal movement and demonstrated ways pick up objects safely. She also demonstrated various exercises crew members should add to their normal fitness programmes to strengthen their core muscles and prevent injuries.

“A little effort can go a long way to preventing back injuries”, she said.

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Physiotherapist Debbie Hawke demonstrates a safer way to bring a patient on a trauma board from the sea onto a rescue boat. Acting Station Commander, Pieter Coetzee (left), and Coxswain, Jerry Jackson (right), supervise trainees.
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Acting Station Commander, Pieter Coetzee, watches attentively as physiotherapist Debbie Hawke explains an exercise that should be incorporated into normal fitness programmes to strengthen core muscles.
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Physiotherapist Debbie Hawke explains the intricacies of the spine and ways to prevent back injuries.