Australian Testimonial

Enthusiastic testimonials from surfers around the world about how PaddleAir products have helped them keep enjoying the sport are great. One recent testimonial, which (with her permission) we have quoted in full here,  shows just how helpful PaddleAir has been to keep one Australian surfer riding the waves after a serious spinal injury.

Six years ago I was sadly diagnosed with two ruptured discs (L4-L5, and L5-S1). The injury occurred from a long time spent in martial arts which I had to cease immediately and permanently. I did everything in my power to rehabilitate my injury. I was in pain for 24 hours a day for all of those 6 years, and eventually under the care of a pain specialist and medicated 24 hours a day.

The two most powerful things that helped my loss of 4 cm in height due to a collapsed spine were the The PaddleAir and yoga. PaddleAir kept me off the operating table for 6 years, and at times was the only way I could get into the ocean and continue surfing.

I had a radical hybrid double level spinal rebuild by a world leading surgeon Dr. Matthew Scott Young from Gold Coast Spine 3 months and 8 days ago using the 'in motion' Total Disc Replacement procedure and TODAY!!!! I surfed in solid 3-foot swell with the PaddleAir. My days now rate a 10/10 and I'm excited.

I'm mostly pain free now YAY. Just now I've purchased the new ERGO vest which looks a lot more streamlined than my older one.

The things I love about the PaddleAir are: paddling with longer strokes, and its just way easier, significantly reduced back arch via air bag torso support, and the easy adjustment to unlimited positions at any point in the ocean.

I'm looking forward to the new ERGO model which looks like the tube is better placed by not wrapping around the head [which was] my only critique of the old model, and I always thought a tube half the old models length would be a good invention, so I'm excited to try the new version.

I thought above all that I'd include some photos of the hardware inside my spine, and me with the paddle air as I want to let you all know there is a lot of hope if you have a spinal injury.

Keep surfing surf buddies!! Sincerely, Tania
Ocean Grove Main Beach, Victoria, Australia