I recently traveled to Hawaii from an 8-hour + direct flight from the East Coast of the United States as I looked over past the next aisle, I saw a pair of travelers wearing bright colorful aloha shirts, skirts and wearing sandals and big, huge smiles! During the flight the attendants kept bringing over bags of ice and checking in to see what they could do to help the middle-aged traveler as her ankle continue to swell and turn black and blue. Upon landing the traveler disembarked in a wheelchair helped by the airport emergency medical services.

I heard these colorful travelers tell the flight attendant that luggage had rolled into the ankle and caused an injury at the boarding gate five minutes before our long flight.

Traveling for work or ideally for vacation demands not just excitement but thoughtful choices, particularly in footwear. As a healthcare professional immersed in years of injury care, I've seen first-hand the repercussions putting choosing joyful abandon over careful trip planning.  

I get it.

We all work very hard over the year-helping their kids through school, working in our chosen professions and and other challenges that make looking forward to having an awesome vacation that much more enjoyable. But…

The Right Footwear Matters

As a healthcare professional, I've seen how choices, seemingly small, can dictate the course of a journey. I advocate for informed choices in footwear. Stabilizing shoes stand as a testament to both comfort and injury prevention, ensuring that your journey is not only enjoyable but also health conscious.

Choosing the right footwear can be the difference between exploring the wonders of Hawaii (or wherever your destination may be) and spending your vacation navigating the hallways of an emergency department.

In the grand tapestry of travel, each decision, even the choice of footwear, plays a crucial role. Stabilizing shoes, born from years of injury care experience, ensure that your journey is not marred by mishaps. Let this cautionary tale guide your choices, and may your travels be marked by the wonders of paradise, not the confines of an emergency department and a view of the beautiful blue ocean your hotel room.

if you are going on an epic journey – you need heroic footwear! Life has so much to offer, and you should be able to enjoy that which you have worked so hard to create! Instead of being stuck in an urgent care or emergency room and then not being able to leave the hotel due without the ability to enjoy walking on the beach and feel your toes in the warm sand.  Plan well and have a great trip!

Hi this, is Gabe Merrill, I am a Hawaii Physician Assistant who has worked for years with AWESOME DOCTORS who specialized in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Emergency and Sports Medicine! I am passionate about helping people prepare, plan and recovery from spine surgeries. 

I had a lumbar spine fusion in 2010 and over the past fourteen years I have learned the essentials from doctors in neurospinal and orthopedic surgery, physical therapy, physical medicine and rehabilitation andan exceptional psychologist with a PhD in non-pill approach pain management. 

 For more tips on preparation, planning and recovery from a lumbar spine fusion from a healthcare provider who had the surgery and looks forward to helping people avoid the pitfalls and embrace the challenges - see the link below for more info on the this journey!