High Adventure Medical Requirements

General Medical Information

Cardiac or Cardiovascular Disease

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus

Excessive Body Weight

Seizures (Epilepsy)

Asthma

Recent Musculoskeletal Injuries And Orthopedic Surgery

Psychological and Emotional Difficulties

Medications

General Medical Information

Medical information required is a health history, updated within 12 months of camp, signed by a parent or guardian, and supported by a medical evaluation completed within 12 months of camp by a physician licensed to practice medicine.  You must use the Oyo High Adventures Health and Medical Record form, revised 2/1/06.  This is a Class 3 Physical.

Oyo High Adventures does not have facilities for extended care or treatment, therefore, participants who cannot meet these requirements will be sent home at their expense.

An individual should always contact the family physician first and call Oyo High Adventures (Simon Kenton Council, BSA) at 614-436-7200 if there is a question about the advisability of participation.  Oyo High Adventure’s medical staff reserves the right to make medical decisions regarding the participation of individuals in Oyo High Adventures.

An Oyo High Adventure is physically, mentally and emotionally demanding.  Each person may carry a 35 to 50 lb. pack while hiking 5 to 12 miles per day in an isolated wilderness.  Climactic conditions include temperatures from 40 to 100 degrees F, high humidity (60-100%) and frequent, sometimes severe thunderstorms.  Activities may include horseback riding, rock climbing and rappelling, challenge events, caving, canoeing, waterskiing, trail building, mountain biking, whitewater rafting and other activities that may have potential for injury.  Oyo High Adventures strives to minimize risk to participants and advisors by emphasizing safety precautions.  Oyo High Adventure Staff instruct participants in safety measures to be followed.  Each participant and crew is expected to follow these safety measures and to accept responsibility for the health and safety of each of its members.

Proper pre-trek physical training is the best prevention for all health problems.

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Cardiac or Cardiovascular Disease

Adults or youth who have had any of the following should undergo a thorough evaluation by a physician before considering participation.

  Angina - chest pain caused by heart or coronary artery disease

  Myocardial infarction - heart attack

  Surgery or angioplasty to treat coronary artery disease; surgery to treat congenital heart disease or other heart surgery

  Stroke or transient ischemic attacks

  Claudication - leg pain with exercise caused by hardening of the arteries)

  Family history of heart disease under age 50

  Excessive weight

  Smoking

Participants with a history of any of the first six conditions listed above should have a physician supervised stress test.  A thallium stress test is recommended for participants who have coronary heart disease.  Even if the stress test is normal, the results of testing done at lower elevations and without the backpacks carried do not guarantee safety.  If the test results are abnormal, the individual is advised not to participate.  

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Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

The combination of heat and stress appears to cause significant increase in blood pressure in some individuals attending Oyo High Adventures experiences and treks.  Occasionally hypertension reaches such a level that it is no longer safe to engage in strenuous activity. 

Hypertension can increase the risk of having a stroke, developing altitude sickness, or angina.  Persons coming for a Oyo High Adventures experience should have a normal blood pressure (less than 135/85).  Persons with significant hypertension (greater than 140/90) should be treated before coming, and should continue medications during the Oyo High Adventures experience.  The goal of treatment should be to lower the blood pressure to normal.  Persons with mild hypertension (greater than 135/85 but less than 150/95) probably require treatment as well. 

Participants already on antihypertensive therapy with normal blood pressures should continue on medications.  Diuretic therapy to control hypertension is not recommended because of the risks of dehydration, which exists with strenuous activity at high altitude and low humidity. 

Each participant will have his or her blood pressure checked upon arrival.  Those individuals with a blood pressure consistently greater than 150/95 probably will be kept from participation until the blood pressure decreases.

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Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus

Exercise and the type of food eaten affect insulin requirements.  Any individual with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus should be able to monitor personal blood glucose and to know how to adjust insulin doses based on these factors.  The diabetic person also should know how to give a self injection.  Both the diabetic person and one other person in the crew should be able to recognize indications of excessively high blood sugar (hyperglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis) and to recognize indications of excessively low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).  The diabetic person and one other individual should know the appropriate initial responses for these conditions.  It is recommended that the diabetic person and one other individual carry insulin on the trek (in case of accident) and that a third vial be kept at Camp Oyo for backup.  Insulin can be carried in a small thermos which can be resupplied with cold water.

A diabetic person who has had frequent hospitalizations for diabetic ketoacidosis or who has had frequent problems with hypoglycemia should not participate in Oyo High Adventures until better control of the diabetes has been achieved.

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Excessive Body Weight

Any youth or advisor who exceeds the maximum weight limits on the Oyo High Adventure Weight for Height Chart is at extreme risk for health problems.

Each participant in a Oyo High Adventure Trek must not exceed the maximum acceptable limit in the weight for height chart shown here.  The right hand column shows the maximum acceptable weight for a person’s height in order to participate in a Oyo High Adventure Trek.  Those who fall within the limits are more likely to have an enjoyable trek and avoid incurring health risks.  Oyo High Adventures recommends that participants carry a pack weighing no more than 25-30% of their body weight.

Participants 21 years and older who exceed the maximum acceptable weight limit for their height at the Oyo High Adventures medical recheck, will not be permitted to participate in the trek.  For example, a person 5’10” cannot weigh more than 226 lbs.  No exceptions to the chart will be made for persons 21 years and older.

The Oyo High Adventure medical staff will use their best professional judgment in determining participation in a trek by individuals under 21 years of age who exceed the maximum acceptable weight for height.  Participants under 21 years of age are strongly encouraged to meet the weight limit for their height, and exceptions are rare and not made automatically.  Discussion in advance regarding any exception to the weight limit for persons under 21 years of age is required.

The maximum acceptable weight for individuals of any age 6’7” or taller is 295 lbs.  This limit is necessary due to the limitations of rescue equipment and for the safety of Oyo High Adventure personnel.  Participants weighing more than 200 lbs. may not be able to participate in horseback riding programs.

The weight-for-height chart, as well as many of the medical guidelines, are also used by Philmont Scout Ranch.

“We’re not trying to tell you that you are overweight, you’re not tall enough.”

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Seizures (Epilepsy)

A seizure disorder or epilepsy does not exclude an individual from participating in Oyo High Adventures.  However, the seizure disorder should be well controlled by medications.  A minimum one-year seizure-free period is considered to be adequate control.  Exceptions to this guideline may be considered by medical personnel and will be based on the specific type of seizure and the likely risks to the individual and to other members of the crew.  The medical staff may place some restrictions on activities (rock-climbing, horse riding, whitewater rafting, etc.) for those individuals who are approved for participation but whose seizures are  not completely controlled.

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Asthma

Individuals must consult with a physician in order to establish “good” control of their asthma.  The asthma should be controlled to essentially normal lung function with the use of oral and/or aerosol bronchodilators.  The patient should bring ample supplies of medications with them.  Individuals undergoing allergic desensitization therapy who require injections while at Oyo High Adventures, should bring and store them at Camp Oyo on arrival.

Asthmatic individuals whose exercise-induced asthma cannot be prevented with bronchodilator premedication; individuals requiring systemic corticosteroid therapy and/or who have required multiple hospitalizations for asthma should not attempt to participate in the strenuous activities encountered in Oyo High Adventures.  At least one other crew member should know how to recognize an asthma attack, how to recognize worsening of an attack, and how to administer brochodilator therapy.  Any person who has required medical treatment for asthma within the past six years must carry a full size prescribed inhaler if that person is approved to go on a trek.  If an inhaler is not brought, it must be purchased in Portsmouth at a local pharmacy.

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Recent Musculoskeletal Injuries And Orthopedic Surgery

Every participant will put a great deal of strain on feet, ankles, and knees.  Participants who have had orthopedic surgery, including arthroscopic surgery or significant musculoskeletal injuries, within the past six months, find it difficult or impossible to negotiate the steep, rocky trails.  To be cleared to backpack by the medical staff, individuals with significant musculoskeletal injuries or recent orthopedic surgery must have a letter of clearance from their orthopedic surgeon or treating physician.  A person with a cast on any extremity may participate only if approved by Oyo High Adventure medical staff.  Ingrown toenails are a common problem and must be treated 30 days prior to arrival.  All such problems will be reviewed during the medical recheck to determine if participation in a trek will be permitted.

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Psychological and Emotional Difficulties

A mental disorder does not necessarily exclude an individual from participation.  Parents and advisors should be aware that an Oyo High Adventure trek is not designed to assist participants overcome psychological or emotional problems.  Experience demonstrates that these problems frequently become magnified, not lessened, when a participant is subjected to the physical and mental challenges of a trek at high elevation, carrying a heavy backpack over steep, rocky trails.  Any condition should be well controlled without the services of a mental health practitioner.  Under no circumstance should medication be stopped prior to an Oyo High Adventure trek.  Participants requiring medication must bring an appropriate supply.  The nearest mental health support is at least one to two hours away.

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Medications

Each participant in Oyo High Adventures who has a condition requiring medication should bring an appropriate supply.  The nearest pharmacy is 20 minutes away.  In certain circumstances duplicate or even triplicate supplies of vital medications are appropriate.  People with an allergy to bee, wasp or hornet sting must bring an EpiPen or equivalent with them.

Each Crew Advisor should become familiar with all medications required by crew participants.  A small, lockable bag should be brought and carried by the Crew Advisor for the storage of medications.  Be sure to plan ahead for medications that need to be kept cool.

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