Author Bio: Laura Harris

 

I grew up in Kenya, spending my early years away from any cities or towns, having a fantastically wild existence. I still have a home there, in Mombasa, where the diving is great. I speak fluent Swahili - no use to man nor beast in the UK but great whenever I go home.

I did my first BSAC course at the age of 12. Retrained as a PADI diver many years later, after a long spell out of the water. Now qualified as a Master Scuba Diver (PADI), Dive Master (PADI) and an ANDI Semi Closed Rebreather diver (Drager Dolphin). I'm a keen UK diver and a member of Richmond Diving School.

More recently I have been involved in providing scuba safety cover for the British Freediving Association and saltFree at venues such as the National Diving Centre (NDC) in Chepstow. I am married to Mark the current UK no.3 freediver (2003, 2004).

I worked with Steve Copeland's safety team as Dive Marshal and a deco support / safety diver for the Sony Freediver Classic Competition in Cyprus (May 2003) and again during the BIOS Freeology Open Classic (June 2004).

With a background in anatomy and physiology, my professional qualifications encompass both orthodox and complementary medical disciplines (including Sports Therapy, Clinical Assessment & Remedial Therapy). Have owned and run my own remedial therapy clinic since 1995, specialising in soft tissue trauma.

Occasionally I give talks about diving related sports injuries and associated topics to dive clubs and sports therapy students.

I set up STORM in Dec 2000 after initial research showed there was very little 'out there'. The ultimate goals of the STORM project are:

  • To provide and improve information and data about diving related sports injuries.
  • To work with hyperbaric physicians and pioneer a set of guidelines that will help doctors, dive medics and chamber personnel determine whether a diver has had a DCI hit or a complex sports injury.
  • To host a web site that will be used as a definitive source of information for diving sports injuries and related topics.

web site - www.storm4divers.com

Laura Harris's Articles

Support Diving for the AIDA World Freediving Championships 2004
The Angels' Story
Cramp! A diver's Guide
Hydration for divers