Over the past 18 months Lou James of the Pinc and Steel Cancer Rehabilitation Trust has been involved in a very rewarding and exciting project developing a stand-up-paddle boarding rehabilitation programme for women after breast cancer treatment - PaddleOn. Fifty-eight women completed the pilot programme last summer and Dr Judith Ansell has written a comprehensive evaluation. A summary of the report is outlined below but to view a full copy go to this link http://www.pincandsteel.com/programs/our-programs/paddleon/stand-up-paddle-research/
Overall the participants in PaddleOn reported improvements in a range of quality of life measures including those relating to fatigue, mood and memory, and improvements in body and general confidence, strength and balance. The percentage of women reporting their overall health and quality of life in the previous week to be ‘Excellent’ approximately doubled between the start and finish of the programme.
Skill development relating specifically to paddle boarding was rated positively, as was the actual experience of learning something new. An overall increase in exercise and decrease in body weight was also reported. The overwhelmingly positive response included comments such as being more interested in getting fit, wanting to continue paddle boarding and the desire to recommend PaddleOn to friends who had experienced breast cancer.
Feedback from participants was particularly positive with respect to learning new skills from very good teachers, the enjoyment of being out on the water and how relaxing that was, and the support derived from learning in a group of women who had also experienced breast cancer.
It is exciting to have the cancer rehabilitation physiotherapists extending their skills to helping women on the water and getting such positive and rewarding results! Pinc and Steel would like to extend a huge thank you to all the women who participated in the programme and they are looking forward to helping many more people in the future.
Dates for the upcoming summer programme will be announced in August 2015.
http://www.pincandsteel.com/programs/our-programs/paddleon/
