The AWLS course took place again last week. The days were filled with theory and practical sessions led by instructors Isla, Jacco, Bart, Anne, Maybritt, Wouter and Lauke. The course ended with an exam at the Soester Duinen. Besides participants, two new interns joined us: Moniek and Lottie, welcome to the Outdoor Medicine team! Have you […]

The fourth edition of the Mountain Medicine course has finished. We descended from Jamtalhütte last Saturday. 24 participants have been working on their alpine and medical skills during the week. The participants summited 3 peaks: the Pfannknecht (2208 m), Hintere Jamspitze (3156 m) and the Haagspitze (3029 m) under guidance of our guides Gabi, Vitus, […]

An interesting case report is published in the latest Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. Suzuki et al describe a patient with missed traumatic pneumothorax due to penetrating neck injury that was presumably caused by a stingray while diving. The barb can result in significant injuries to deep structures and organs despite a deceptively small entrance wound. […]

Foot blisters are a common medical complaint among outdoor enthusiasts. Friction blisters result from pressure and shear forces. Risk factors include moisture, temperature, external load, activity duration, characteristics of footwear, and adaptation/conditioning. Prevention and treatment strategies include the use of socks of good quality, barriers such as tapes and plasters, antiperspirants, lubricants, and orthotics. Worthing […]

With the explosion of adventure travel over the past decade, there has been a concurrent increase in mountaineering expeditions to extreme elevations, including many of the 8000-m peaks. This trend has created an increased demand for qualified expedition doctors to provide specialized medical advice and care to climbers and expedition staff. Anne Brants (board member […]