TeamPuma Sailing Member Casey Smith Set to Rejoin Race

By admin

Following his rehabilitation at OPT Middletown, Casey Smith is nearly ready to return to the Around the World Volvo Sailing Race.  In late March, after leaving Auckland, Casey was pulling sails on the boat in rough seas and heard and felt a ‘pop’ in his low back.  He spent the next several days incapacitated on the high, rough seas.  Even down time in bunk was literally unbearable.  He fought through as much pain as he could…even while bent over and sideways, trying to help the team complete the long journey to Itajai, Brazil.   He was not able to find a comfortable position.  To make matters worse he lost feeling in his right hand from an unrelated issue.

It became clear Casey had to be removed from the next leg to Miami.  He started rehab at OPT Middletown.  With the whole crew working on him, he rebounded quickly.  New techniques for core and hip mobility as well as proven strategies of restoring range of motion through a combination of hands on and functional motion helped regain his movement…and his positive attitude.  Now he feels ‘nearly 100%’.  He will travel to Miami to rejoin his team.  Best of luck, Casey.  We’ll all be cheering for you.

Olympic Physical Therapy is the rehab provider for TeamPuma, and is in cooperation with Bridge to Fitness of Middletown, the official Strength and Conditioning provider, to provide the functional sailing exercises used by the crew.

http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/schedule/html_11_IP-Itajai_page1.html   Visit this link to see the standings of the race.