At the Winter Olympics, there is a group of doctors who are "the most skilled at skiing"
China's first batch of alpine "ski doctors" to ensure the safety of athletes
Our reporters Li Bin, Lin Miaomiao, Xia Ke, Jiang Hanzhang
As the crown jewel of the Winter Olympics and one of the most dangerous ice and snow sports, alpine skiing attracts attention, and another group of people other than athletes has also received special attention - this is China's first "ski doctors".
In order to fully protect the safety of the athletes, the "ski doctor" must carry a rescue bag weighing 15 kilograms, and slide to the injured person as soon as possible through the snow track of the stadium for emergency medical treatment...
How were my country's first alpine "ski doctors" made?
What are some memorable moments from the Test and Winter Olympics?
What progress has my country's ice and snow medicine made in recent years, and what gaps are there?
...with a series of questions, Xinhua Daily Telegraph reporter recently had an in-depth conversation with Che Lu, an attending physician in the Department of Anesthesiology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Bai Peng, an anesthesiologist at Peking University Third Hospital, Tian Jialu, an emergency physician at Guang'anmen Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, and Chinese Traditional Chinese Medicine. Fu Yan, a critical care physician at Xiyuan Hospital of the Academy of Sciences, and four other members of the Beijing Winter Olympics alpine skiing medical security team who are busy on the front line of Winter Olympics security, revealed the growth experience of China's first "ski doctors" troupe, and listened to their voices and opinions. desire.
"I met all three requirements perfectly, so I signed up without hesitation."
Reporter: Please briefly introduce yourself and the specific tasks undertaken in the guarantee of this Winter Olympics.
Che Lu: Before 2018, I was an ordinary ski enthusiast. At that time, I saw that the hospital posted a notice on the Internet to recruit volunteer ski doctors, which emphasized three points: having a certain level of skiing foundation— With my skiing skills, I can glide smoothly on the underworld in the popular ski resorts; I have medical rescue capabilities - my job is an anesthesiologist, so basic life support, advanced life support and other rescue work are my job; fluent in English - I can work as a simultaneous interpreter.
I met these three requirements perfectly, so I signed up without hesitation.
Bai Peng: I am 38 years old and I have been skiing for 12 years. At first, I fell in love with the feeling of running freely on the snow because of the chance. I am a skiing enthusiast.
In the previous snow season, I spent almost all my spare time skiing, and I could spend thirty or forty days a year at the ski resort.
I am currently certified as a Level 2 Instructor by the Canadian Federation of Ski Instructors.
Tian Jialu: I am 29 years old this year, with a snow age of 9 years. This time I am the Winter Olympics medical support task for the Yunding Ski Park in the Zhangjiakou Division of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Fu Yan: I fell in love with skiing during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Since then, I have been out of control. Currently, I am a member of the medical security team of the Alpine Ski Center.
"There are no shortcuts, only hard work, hard work, and hard work"
Reporter: The Alpine Medical Team selected nearly 40 domestic "ski doctors" in 2018.
What was the selection process like at the time?
What is the training intensity after being selected, and what level has your skiing skills reached?
Che Lu: The training intensity in the four years since I was selected is still very high, because I have to adapt to the icy snow surface specially prepared for alpine skiing, and I have to prevent myself from slipping on the steep slope and carry out rescue.
I've had injuries too, bruised ribs, a hematoma in my hip.
In order to be competent for this job that requires high physical fitness, in the non-snow season, I also strive to ensure that I exercise more than 3 times a week in my spare time, so that my weight-bearing capacity, muscle strength and reaction speed are no less than the same. on boys.
Tian Jialu: In 2018, I was selected by the hospital to participate in the first batch of TCM ski medical support teams of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and entered the ski doctor supplementary test phase of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee as a student with excellent skiing, English and professional knowledge. 2019 In 2008, he officially became a member of the Beijing Winter Olympics Skiing Medical Support Team.
Since December 2018, we have been sliding down steep slopes with heavy first aid kits and practicing putting on and taking off snowboards for first aid drills.
After more than 3 years of all-round training, I have been able to carry a 15kg first aid bag and slide freely on various ski tracks.
Fu Yan: In 2018, I signed up for the TCM ski protection team, and as a student with excellent grades in skiing, English, and professional knowledge, I went through layers of screening and finally received an admission notice from the Winter Olympics Organizing Committee.
I am very happy that I can finally serve the Winter Olympics.
But my lover was a little worried. He said, "Skiing is a very dangerous sport, and it is icy and snowy. You have thin arms and thin legs, can you do it?" I told him, yes, I will do it.
So with this Olympic feeling, I embarked on the journey of a ski doctor.
When it comes to how a ski doctor is made, there is actually no shortcut, only hard work, hard work, and hard work.
After a winter of hard training, in the skiing test organized by the Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, my grades were among the best among all girls, and I was certified as a first-level coach in Canada and Austria.
"Not long after the gloves were taken off, my hands were already frozen."
Reporter: Can you tell us an unforgettable medical rescue case in the previous test competition and this Winter Olympics?
What are the characteristics and rescue difficulty of the National Alpine Ski Center "Xuefeiyan"?
How to find the injured and rescue and transport as soon as possible?
Che Lu: The alpine skiing track provided by "Xue Feiyan" is known as one of the most difficult and challenging tracks in the world. Many people said that "this track is too scary".
A "difficult" word, it is difficult to fully describe the mental and physical challenges it brings to athletes.
Especially for the fastest downhill events, the instantaneous speed can reach 130 to 140 kilometers per hour.
Even the most elite athletes can lose their balance and fall down with the slightest carelessness.
Many athletes and coaches will shout cheers at the moment of departure.
This jump is like rushing off a cliff, facing the unknown and defying fear, which really conveys the unique charm of Olympic ice and snow sports.
On the day of the men's downhill event, the second German athlete who started the race lost his balance on the upper section of the "Haituo Bowl" and was unable to finish the race with an upper limb injury.
That night, I searched for some of his information and found that in the 2017 World Series, he also fell and was injured and was transported off the track by a rescue boat.
Injuries are a common occurrence for alpine skiers, so I admire their spirit of constantly challenging themselves, their love and dedication to the sport.
The performance of the Chinese athletes is also very exciting. It is already a great achievement to successfully finish the race on this track.
With venues like "Xuefeiyan", my country's alpine skiing is also standing on a higher platform.
Bai Peng: It is the first time that the National Alpine Ski Center has revealed its mystery to the world. As a brand-new ski resort that has recently been built, it is still quite difficult to guarantee.
When the FIS inspected the track before, the evaluation believed that the difficulty of the competition venue could rank among the top three in the world.
Therefore, the rescue work faces great challenges.
Multiple rescue sites are set up on the entire track to ensure that the ski doctor's observation of the entire track has no dead ends.
Once an athlete makes a mistake and falls, it can be detected by doctors at at least one track rescue site.
For doctors, being able to observe the process of an athlete's injury is a good reminder for preliminary injury judgment.
In international competitions, machinery on the ice and snow track is inaccessible, and medical rescuers are required to reach the injured athlete as soon as possible through skiing.
The golden rescue time is only 4 minutes, so skiing skills are very basic and necessary. No matter how strong the medical rescue ability is, if it cannot reach the athletes, it will not work.
After the initial pre-hospital first aid, we will rescue the athletes according to the injuries of the athletes. For the injured who cannot move on their own, they will be transported by rescue boats or helicopters.
Tian Jialu: I participated in the track medical security work in the Zhangjiakou Genting Division of the "Meet Beijing" Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics Test Competition in February 2021. The performance of many disabled skiers on and off the track was deeply shocked and moved. me.
Skiing is a sport that requires high physical fitness and balance. In order to realize their dreams, they have to make unimaginable, more and more arduous efforts.
I saw disabled athletes galloping on the snow track and felt the charm and fun of ice and snow sports.
There is also the fraternal spirit of hard work and mutual assistance of disabled athletes on the field.
Their optimism, self-confidence and perseverance inspired every staff member present.
At the track, I thought to myself, "You guys are working hard on the track, and we will do our best to keep you safe."
Fu Yan: Competitions such as alpine downhill, downhill, and super giant slalom are fast, easy to be injured, and difficult to rescue, and they have a strong test for medical security.
Especially in downhill races, the risk factor is extremely high.
In the extremely cold weather of minus 30 degrees Celsius, the first aid skills that have been mastered already have almost doubled the difficulty of operating on the steep track.
The bone-piercing mountain wind blew on his face like a knife, and not long after the gloves were taken off, his hands were already frozen.
On the slopes of the ski slopes, rescuers must not only ensure that they do not slip down, but also ensure that medical equipment does not slip.
It is difficult to grasp the pressing angle and strength on the steep track. How to maintain body balance and how to cooperate with teammates requires repeated thinking.
On the field, we must keep an eye on each athlete like a high-speed camera. In the event of an accident, we must rush to the athlete as soon as possible, accurately identify the injured part for treatment, and safely transfer it to the medical station.
To this end, in daily training, we must repeatedly practice skiing skills, master the essentials of movements, and form muscle memory. We must practice skiing on the slopes to be as proficient as walking normally.
"Foreign doctors also have a new understanding and evaluation of us"
Reporter: Among the medical workers who guarantee the alpine skiing project, are there any exchanges and cooperation between Chinese doctors and foreign doctors?
What kind of evaluation do experts from international organizations and foreign doctors give to Chinese doctors?
Che Lu: Since alpine skiing is not our country's traditional strength, we lack experience in competitions.
The medical support team for the Winter Olympics should be said to be an international lineup, consisting of foreign ski doctors, Chinese ski doctors, foreign patrol members, Chinese patrol members, Chinese medical stations, Chinese helicopter rescue teams, and Chinese 120 teams.
A track rescue site is composed of ski doctors and patrol members. This is a good opportunity for international exchange and learning. Especially in terms of some technical difficulties unique to track rescue, foreign ski doctors and patrol members are also very friendly. .
Bai Peng: When foreign ski doctors came to China just before the opening of the Winter Olympics, they might have some doubts about our ability, because there were no professional ski doctors in China before.
After simple communication and running-in, in the first few days of the actual support tasks for the Winter Olympics, they saw that our professional skills and skiing skills were very strong, and the two sides also had good communication and cooperation. new understanding and evaluation.
Tian Jialu: This Winter Olympics requires the cooperation of international ski doctors, international patrol members and domestic ski doctors to complete the rescue mission.
Before the race, we communicated the rescue procedure with Jenny Shuter, vice-chairman of the FIS Medical Committee, and conducted rescue drills on the track.
The FIS doctors are full of praise for our field rescue work, the preparation of backpacks and the preservation of emergency medicines in extreme cold weather.
Fu Yan: The Beijing Winter Olympics will give us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cooperate with international patrol members and international "ski doctors".
These international "ski doctors" have nearly 40 years of experience in ski rescue, no matter from patrolling the ski run to observe rescue sites, choosing first aid equipment, analyzing the ability of team members, and serious and dedicated attitude during rescue. We set an example.
I believe that after the Winter Olympics, each of our team members will be able to greatly improve in the field of rescue.
"Our confidence and experience are also accumulating"
Reporter: What progress has my country's ice and snow medicine made in recent years?
Compared with the international first-class level, what are the gaps?
What are your suggestions and hopes?
Che Lu: In fact, what we lack has always been competition experience.
Many people in our team have no less skiing skills than the foreign experts who came here this time, and they are also proficient in pre-hospital trauma treatment.
But track rescue is a multi-coordinated job involving athletes, track managers, team doctors, ski doctors, patrols, docking medical stations or helicopter rescue teams.
The actual operation process requires multi-party coordination, overcoming language barriers, familiarity with the rules and procedures of the competition itself, and giving correct judgment and handling in the shortest possible time without delaying the competition process, so as to minimize the injury to the athletes. .
Although we are still in the process of learning, as the competition progresses, our confidence and experience are also accumulating, and we are confident that we can successfully complete the guarantee tasks of this Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics.
Bai Peng: The foundation of ice and snow sports in my country is relatively weak.
In terms of medical skills, we are not bad, but what is lacking is the experience of real on-site security during international competitions.
I believe that through the "baptism" of international competitions such as the test competition and the Winter Olympics, we have gained very rich experience, and the level of our country's ski doctors will be greatly improved.
Fu Yan: Snow Mountain Rescue is still in its infancy in my country, which not only means that the team members need to put in more hardships and efforts in training, but also means that the team members have more opportunities to practice and explore in this regard.
During the training camp, the team members trained during the day and gathered at night to discuss rescue plans.
Everyone's idea is very simple. In the future, domestic ice and snow sports will be promoted and popularized, and the demand for emergency rescue on snow will increase. It is necessary to formulate an alpine ski rescue plan that meets the characteristics of our country.
There are many chief physicians and deputy chief physicians in the team. Everyone often analyzes from their own professional perspective, puts forward opinions, and racks their brains for formulating plans.
This is not only an example for me to learn from, but also a valuable asset on my path to medicine.